Scott Carroll
Scott Carroll, Cleveland Middle School Athletic Director, will receive the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) State Award of Merit. This annual award is provided by the NIAAA for recognition of meritorious dedication to high school and middle school athletics. Coach Carroll started teaching and coaching in 1994 at Cleveland Middle School and became the third athletic director in 1997. Mr. Carroll oversees the CMS athletics program, which encompasses 22 varsity teams and 11 JV teams with over 600 students participating in athletics. Mr. Carroll has coached football for 28 years, baseball at Cleveland High School for 20 years and was head wrestling coach for 8 years at CMS, winning numerous tournament and conference championships. Coach Carroll was the Tennessee Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (TIAAA) Athletic Director of the Year in 2011. He was also the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011. In his tenure as CMS Athletic Director, he has raised over $500,000 for athletics at CMS.
CMS Principal Dr. Leneda Laing, said, “Coach Carroll embodies the heart and soul of a Cleveland Blue Raider. His love for the school and the students is evident in all that he does. His innovative plans for growth in both athletics and academics make him a valued member of the administrative team at Cleveland Middle School. I am proud of Coach Carroll and his accomplishments. He is deserving of this award.”
Mr. Carroll graduated from Lee University and has a Masters of Education from Carson Newman University. He oversees a coaching staff of 49 coaches. He developed and implemented the strength and conditioning program for middle school which now includes after school weight training classes for athletes and the faculty at CMS. The goal at CMS is to involve students and develop a passion for sports and what it takes to be a Blue Raider. Coach Carroll is also an assistant principal at CMS and has been the voice of the Cleveland High School football team on WCLE Radio for the last 28 years. Mr. Carroll said, “Being a Cleveland Blue Raider my whole life has been a dream come true. I hope to instill that passion and love for school pride and athletics in everyone I work with.”
Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, the NIAAA is the professional organization for interscholastic athletic administrators. The NIAAA consists of athletic director associations in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and the membership includes over 10,000 athletic administrators from the United States, as well as internationally. NIAAA champions the profession of athletic administration through education opportunities, advocating ethics, developing leaders and fostering community.