Insight Athletics Organization
People With Insight
Harold Cooper
Founder and Lead Consultant
Harold’s vision for a non-profit athletics company is born of almost 50 years of involvement with the sport as a scholastic intercollegiate coach, as well as a Master USA Track and Field official.
Board of Directors
Kenneth Chance, President
Joseph Capps, Secretary
Robert Maddox, Treasurer
Advisory Board
Ann Akerman Beard
Ann currently serves as the President and CEO of Akerman & Associates, a full-service consulting firm specializing in providing a myriad of services to assist organizations, corporations and foundations meet their philanthropic goals. Prior to the establishment of her consulting firm, Ann served as Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Foundation for nine years. Additionally, Ann has served various nonprofits on both the East and West Coast including Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, South Carolina.
Since relocating to Georgia in 2018, Ann has served on the AFP of Greater Atlanta’s National Philanthropy Day Steering Committee. Over the past two years, Ann has been instrumental in raising more than five million dollars to support a nonprofit organization serving homeless veterans in Georgia.
Mike Beard
Mike is a seasoned financial professional with over 40 years of experience in strategic planning, fiscal management, and financial operations. With a background as a Chief Financial Officer, he has successfully driven profitability in manufacturing, product development, and distribution settings. Mike’s expertise lies in managing costs, providing sound financial advice, and guiding corporate change.
With his extensive experience in financial leadership, Mike brings valuable financial expertise to any organization. His expertise in financial
planning, cost controls, and restructuring has played a vital role to organizational success.
Sissy Costner Boone
As a student athlete at Auburn University (AU), Sissy won numerous academic and athletic honors in Track and Field. Under Coach Harold Cooper she achieved both South Eastern Conference (SEC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion titles and was inducted into the Auburn Tiger Trail Hall of Fame.
Sissy’s additional accomplishments include: 4-time All American and Auburn Scholar Athlete of the year. She has trained with the Nike Coast Track Team, served as Westminster School Track coach and school athletic program developer and has 25+ years in team and private coaching as well as being a Spokesperson for Save Girls Sports Bill.
Steve DeVoss
Steve has made a profound impact on international sport development for more than 30 years with experience in 50+ countries. Steve is in demand as a Sport Consultant to organizations world-wide.
Some of his accomplishments include: Founder/President Global Sports Partners and SportForward, Consultant for Ministries of Youth and Sports, National Olympic Committees, Ministries of Education, National Sport Federations, Professional Clubs, Sports Academies and Universities.
Steve has served as a Nike Marketing Representative through Basketball Workshops and Competitions in China. He has been a Consultant for the Islamic Federation for Women’s Sports, International Basketball Tournament in Tehran, Iran, and a Coalition Partner with International Institute for Peace Through Tourism.
Robin Gaines
Robin is a recently retired veteran of 42 years as an educator, coach and athletic trainer. He has been involved in athletics his entire life and professionally has worked at every level from middle school through National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and has also executed personal training for several professional athletes.
In the last 20 years Robin has been instrumental in improving officiating in the sport of track and field serving as the Officials Coordinator for the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) as well as multiple Power 5 conference schools and collegiate conferences. Robin officiates and coordinates many meets throughout the Indoor and Outdoor season. He has been the driving force behind improved pay and professionalism on every level taking it from a volunteer position to one where every official is an expert in their discipline.
Donnie Graham
Over the last several decades Donnie has worked, and continues to work, as a Track and Field Starter for several South Eastern Conference (SEC) Outdoor Meets, SEC Cross Country Meets (including Regional Meets) and numerous other meets including the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Indoor Championship and NCAA Nationals. He has also been a referee, regional director and meet director for many events both locally and around the southeastern United States.
He holds a US Track and Field Master Level Official certification and has served as the president and vice-president of the Knoxville (Tennessee) Association of Physical Education Teachers and the vice-president of the Tennessee Association of Physical Education Teachers. Donnie has received many awards, recognitions and membership in various Track and Field organizations.
Scott Richardson
Scott is a nationally renowned Jumps, Sprints and Multi-Event Coach with 28 years of experience at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level. He has focused a great deal of time consulting with many NCAA schools on ways to improve the sport of Track and Field at the collegiate level.
With over 40 years of experience as an athlete and coach in the sport of Track and Field, Scott brings an abundance of knowledge to the table. As the Associate Head Coach at Auburn University, he coached 32 All-Americans and 9 South Eastern Conference Champions and recruited 65 All-Americans for the program. His athletes have gone on to represent The United States, Bahamas, Canada, Germany, Greece, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico in international competitions.
Ralph Spry
With 25 years at the helm of the Auburn University track and field program, Ralph established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the history of the program and Auburn University Athletics. During his tenure he won a national championship while guiding the men’s and women’s programs to a combined 14 top-five national finishes and 53 top 25 finishes. Spry was named the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year for leading the program to its first national championship that season.
While at Auburn Ralph coached 21 individuals who won a combined 32 national championships, including 19 NCAA Outdoor champions and 13 NCAA Indoor Champions. In the program’s 100-year history, Ralph’s athletes won 32 of the 55 individual national titles. A total of 419 All-American honors have been earned under Ralph’s leadership including a program-best 31. As well he has coached 27 Olympians and six of his athletes have been World Championship performers.