Eisenhower’s Gatson Selected as TAHPERD President-Elect

Disponible en:

Thomasina Gatson

The Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) recently selected Thomasina Gatson, master teacher and coach at Eisenhower High School, as president-elect for 2024. The professional group, which is celebrating its centennial this year, is one of the largest membership-driven organizations in Texas.

While the president-elect has specific duties, Gatson’s responsibility is to become familiar with the Association’s operation and initiate planning for the term as president. Gatson will serve as Chair of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, the Representative Assembly, and the Personnel Committee. She’ll make selections for committee appointments. Other duties include an annual report to the Board of Directors and the Representative Assembly, attending the SHAPE America Presidents-elect Conference, and preparing a report for the fall issue of the TAHPERD Journal. Gatson will also serve as a delegate to the Representative Assembly of both SHAPE America and Southern District SHAPE America, as well as attend the annual officer orientation and next year’s convention kick-off meeting at the convention.

“For several decades, I have attended TAHPERD. But within the past 11 years, I became completely invested. I have grown more as a leader and a health, fitness, and sports educator because of my connections with TAHPERD,” said Gatson. “I have served as the Health Division Chair-Elect, Chair, Past Chair, and Vice President. Additionally, I have been a speaker and member of the board of directors, finance committee, health committee, and awards committee. It is an honor and a privilege to now be the President-Elect.”

Experience

Gatson has nearly 30 years of experience in coaching, training, and in the field of education. She began her career in 1994 as a health educator, assistant coach in volleyball, and co-ed soccer and girls’ basketball coach at Lincoln Education Center in HISD. Gatson joined Aldine ISD in 2001 as a health educator at Aldine Ninth Grade, where Gatson also served as varsity assistant, sub-varsity basketball coach, girls’ freshman head basketball coach/assistant, volleyball, and assistant to varsity softball. In 2008, she joined Aldine High School in the same capacity. Three years later, Gatson joined Reed Academy as the health educator at Reed Academy. From 2012 to 2021, she served as a master teacher in health, physical education, dual credit kinesiology, ninth-grade team leader, and administrative intern at Victory Early College. Presently, Gatson is at Eisenhower Senior High School, where she serves as a master teacher in physical education and girls’ basketball head coach, a position she has held since 2021. And she owns Basic Fitness, LLC, which opened in 2021.

Outside of education, Gatson was a sports-specific trainer for the Sports Performance Training Academy between 1996 and 2010. Gatson has served as the basketball director at Sports Prep USA since 2013.

Awards and Recognition

Gatson began earning recognition early with basketball college scholarships and formed part of the WNBA’s inaugural and semi-pro select teams. In Aldine ISD, Gatson was named a District Secondary Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2016 and 2020. She was named the Gamma Sigma Chapter Female Coach Game Changer and the TAHPERD Health Teacher of the Year in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Gatson was a 2021 Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators Teacher of the Year Nominee. And most recently, Gatson was featured in Voyage Magazine and received the TAHPERD Pathfinder Award in 2022.

Affiliations

In addition to TAHPERD, where she has served in numerous capacities and leadership roles, Gatson is also active in multiple organizations, including the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, Future Coaches of Texas Association’s Advisory Council, the Texas Girls Coaches Association, the Greater Houston Area Girls Basketball Coaches Association, the Texas High School Coaches Association, and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

Education

She earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Lamar University and has three master’s degrees — one in education and educational administration from Prairie View A&M University, a second in business administration from the University of Phoenix, and a third in coaching and athletics administration from Concordia University-Irvine.

Learn more about TAHPERD.