GCPS’ Len Boudreaux named Adapted Varsity Sports Coach of the Year

     Len Boudreaux, an Oakland Meadow School special education teacher and head coach of the Gwinnett HEAT, has been named the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and the American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs (AAASP) Adapted/Allied/Unified Varsity Sports Coach of the Year.

     “Being the head coach for the Gwinnett HEAT is an honor, and I'm proud to be recognized as the GHSA Adapted/Allied/Unified Sports Coach of the Year. I feel the award belongs to the athletes as much as it does to me,” Boudreaux says.   

     The GHSA presents the Coach of the Year award each year in every sport. Coach Boudreaux has served as the head coach of the Gwinnett HEAT for 15 years in basketball, football, and handball for adapted student athletes. During that time, his teams have amassed 238 wins and 115 losses, earning five varsity state championships and 10 junior varsity championships.

     Coach Boudreaux has dedicated his career to helping provide access to athletic extracurricular activities for students who have an orthopedic impairment as defined by the AAASP. Boudreaux says he’s grateful to Gwinnett County Public Schools for valuing inclusion and for giving athletes the opportunity to belong to a team and compete.  

     “Our athletes show a true love for the game. They focus on what they CAN do rather than what may limit them, and that's inspiring,” Boudreaux adds. “Their determination and resilience make me proud and reminds me why coaching matters. They teach me more than I could ever teach them.”

     Boudreaux was honored at the AAASP ASPIRE Awards in October and later recognized by the GHSA and AAASP during the GHSA Football Championships in December at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.