Bill Clark named president of the CoachSafely Foundation

The CoachSafely® Foundation, the national leader in youth sports injury prevention, has appointed Coach Bill Clark as its new president. Clark will continue the Foundation’s tradition of landmark policy advocacy, thought-leading research and science-based education to advance the mission of reducing injury in youth sports. 

Former head football coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Clark is a longtime advocate for athlete safety and coaching education and has served as vice president since the Foundation’s 2018 inception. His leadership will advance the organization’s mission to protect young athletes. 

“Seven years ago, Coach Clark played a pivotal role in drafting the Foundation’s charter along with Drew Ferguson, Dr. James R. Andrews, MD, and Jimmy Lee, chairman and owner of Buffalo Rock,” said Jack Crowe, chairman of the board, CoachSafely Foundation. “Coach Clark steps into the role of president at a time when significant progress is underway and ambitious goals lie ahead, his leadership will be pivotal in driving us forward and shaping our future.”

Bill Clark

Clark replaces former president, Robert Andrew “Drew” Ferguson, who passed away in October of 2024. A pioneer in Alabama sports medicine and athletic training, Ferguson dedicated his life to education and keeping young athletes safe. Ferguson was inducted into the Alabama Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the UAB Athletics Hall of Fame and Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame.

“I’ve been part of the CoachSafely Foundation from the start and have immense respect for what Drew accomplished. It is a huge honor to take on the role of president,” says Bill Clark, president of the CoachSafely Foundation. “For me, it’s always been about getting kids out to play sports coached by extremely caring and well-trained individuals. Our goal is to make every youth coach in every sport better for the athletes they mentor and protect.”

Expanding Impact in Alabama and Beyond 

Under Clark’s leadership, the Foundation will launch a statewide campaign in Alabama to raise public awareness of the preventable nature of youth sports injuries. Clark and CoachSafely will also initiate a strategic alliance to expand youth sports program availability in Alabama counties that lack access, ensuring more children can play.  

“Alabama’s Coach Safely Act was the first law of its kind in the United States and we’ve made tremendous progress but there’s more work to be done,” Clark says. “Together with our partners, community leaders, the legislature, and supporters, we’ll continue to drive our state’s excellence in youth sports and serve as a model for the nation.” 

Nationally, CoachSafely will enhance and expand their coach curriculum and content as well as advocate for youth sports safety policy in additional states. Its database of tens of thousands of youth sports coaches and parents will fuel innovation, advance research, improve prevention strategies and work toward establishing national standards.

The Foundation says it will continue to leverage key partners including Alabama Recreation and Parks Association, National Council of Youth Sports, Samford University Center for Sports Analytics and PlaySafelySports® to broaden impact and influence.

For more information on the CoachSafely Foundation, visit www.CoachSafely.org.