Lucille Hester

Teacher, coach, counselor, confidant, advocate, leader, organizer, inspiration, mentor, friend. These positive terms all seem to fall short when describing Lucille Hester's lifetime of service and commitment to children through sport.

Since beginning a career as a teacher of health and physical education, and as a coach in Blakely, Georgia in the 1960s, Lucille has coached championship teams in basketball, dance, softball, track and field and volleyball. She has raised money to start the first high school football term for African-American youth in southwest Georgia in the mid-60's and 30 years later, developed, organized and implemented the first ever athletic program at Hardy Middle School in Washington, D.C.

Her passion for youth led her to incorporate the Jabbo Kenner Youth Football League in 1976 which annually servers over 5,000 boys and girls; to institute a non-violence program for youth to bridge the relationship between sports and career options; and to formulate relationships with directors of sports facilities in the D.C. area to avail youth of these facilities, their resources and professionals that they would not have had the chance to interact with.

Her leadership and influence is among the most powerful and effective in the nation's capital. When the school system needs a voice for children, they call Lucille; when professional sports teams need to connect with youth, they call Lucille; when the President of the United States desires an audience of children, the White House calls Lucille; and with the National Youth Sports Program needs a champion on Capitol Hill, Lucille is there.

Ensuring that nothing stands in the way of a child's hope and promise for happiness through sports is Lucille Hester's true passion and life work.