The NFHS is proud to name Sandra Seals of Winfield City High School in Winfield, Alabama as the 2017-18 Spirit Coach of the Year!

After leading her cheerleaders to national and world championships in the past TWO years, Coach Sandra Seals can add another line to her resume: NFHS NATIONAL Spirit Coach of the 2017-18 school year! We're proud to honor Coach Seals for her hard work and dedication to her craft, her cheerleaders and her school. Congratulations Coach Seals!

School: Winfield City High School

Seasons Coaching: 28 | State Championships: 13

Coaching Highlights: 13 State Championships, 10 UCA Southern Regional Championships, 6 NCA US Championships and 2 NHSCC National and World School Championships

Alabama Region 7 Cheer Coordinator (7 years), Cheer Coordinator for Alabama High School Basketball Tournament (10 years), AACCA Safety Coordinator for Sun Belt Conference (11 years), NFHS-Alabama Spirit Director (5 years)

Marion County Softball Coach of the Year (1994)

Philosophy of Athletics

Athletics is an important part of both the student's personal and educational experience. Athletics offers a positive and meaningful affect that enhances development and growth. Athletics not only focuses on the physical aspect of a student, but the emotional aspect, as well. These, together, build on their inner strength and self-confidence.

Coach Seals believes that an athlete at the high school level must work to nurture their mind, body and soul. Athletics paves the road to success. However, a well rounded athlete, doesn't always have to win to succeed in sports. Everyone fails - it is a part of life. By doing so in sports, athletes learn the invaluable life lesson or perseverance. As adults, coaches and teachers understand that obtaining success is not easy, and requires positive work ethic, self-motivation, mental toughness, and a desire to compete either with others, or simply with just ourselves.

Continuous life experiences with failure and success through athletics, build on the knowledge, skills, and emotional development of the athlete. All these together, help to mold and shape an individual that will be able to conquer life's failures. An individual that knows that they are enough. An individual that knows they only have to surpass the person they were yesterday. An individual who understands that failure is not a loss.

Failure is only part of the learning process which helps athletes develop into mentally, physically, and emotionally strong adults for the future. Adults that have a solid foundation in athletics that will provide the enormous amount of self-motivation they will require to beat any type of opponent they encounter throughout their life's journey... and they will have athletics to thank for it.

See all of the 2017-18 National Coach of the Year recipients by viewing our press release.