Nobis Works Honors Paulding County Football Coach

Submitted press release

Paulding County High School’s head football coach, Scott Hamilton, was honored at the Nobis Works 16th Annual Galaxy of Stars Luncheon & Tommy Awards Ceremony on April 30, 2014 with the Barrier Breaker Award for Innovation as well as the event’s highest honor, the Governor’s Award.

The event, held at Cobb Galleria Centre, recognizes exceptional employees with disabilities along with the individuals and organizations that support them in the Atlanta area.

As someone who suffered from a speech impediment as a child, Scott made it his mission to integrate students with special needs into the regular student body and remove some of the mystery that surrounds the special needs department.

As Paulding County High School’s head football coach, Scott has instituted a “Player of the Day” program to make sure that all students with special needs feel like they are a part of the student body.  Each week a student with special needs gets to wear the team jersey, go to the pregame meal, participate in pregame warm ups, ride the team bus, and lead the team onto the field on game day.

Through the “Player of the Day” program, Scott has witnessed his players becoming more comfortable with special needs students.

Paulding County High School is now the host school for the Special Olympics of Paulding County and more than 50 PCHS students volunteer.  As a football coach, Scott says, “winning is important, but [a student] coming out as a better person at the end of the day is much more important than them becoming a better football player.  I really adhere to the idea that I want these kids to be better people because they are part of our football program” 

 Nobis Works is a community rehabilitation organization headquartered in Marietta that develops and provides job training, employment and vocational support for youth and adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment.  The annual Galaxy of Stars event highlights the achievements of persons with disabilities and the employers, advocates,