When Logan Davenport accepted the role of athletic director at Dawson Springs Independent Schools last year, he expected to spend much of his time watching games, working with coaches and helping student-athletes succeed.
Instead, he quickly discovered the job involved more than sports. Much of his first year was spent behind the scenes ensuring every athletic program could function smoothly.
“I feel like I’m playing HR guy a lot more than I am watching and enjoying the sports teams,” Davenport said. “That’s definitely the thing I did not expect coming into the job.”
Now entering his second year, Davenport believes that experience will allow him to focus less on reacting and more on continuing to grow Dawson Springs athletics.
That growth has come despite challenges few schools have experienced.
Nearly five years after the December 2021 tornado devastated Dawson Springs, the effects are still felt throughout the athletic program.
Among the hardest-hit facilities were the school’s baseball and softball fields. Losing home fields forced both programs to adapt while the community began the long rebuilding process.
Davenport credits the City of Dawson Springs for helping keep those programs alive by allowing the Panthers to use Tradewater Park.
The arrangement gave Dawson Springs softball the opportunity to host home games again for the first time in several years. The city allowed the school to install temporary fencing and make modifications necessary for games.
“I don’t know the exact timeline on the park rebuild, but I do know it’s coming along,” Davenport said. “The city has been gracious enough to let us continue playing at Tradewater as long as we need.”
The partnership has also enabled Dawson Springs to launch the Tradewater Sports Network, which broadcasts baseball and softball games online with the help of media coordinator Isaac Bourne.
Middle school baseball and softball teams will also call Tradewater Park home this fall.
While permanent facilities remain a goal, Davenport believes the community has ensured student-athletes continue to have opportunities to compete.
The lack of facilities hasn’t stopped Dawson Springs from producing outstanding athletes.
This spring, Easton Bourland captured a Kentucky state championship in track and field despite attending a school without its own track.
“He has one of the best motors of any kid I’ve ever seen,” Davenport said. “His work ethic is through the roof.”
Davenport often sees Bourland running through town after school in the evening, putting in extra training on his own. He also praised the student’s discipline outside of practice, including close attention to nutrition and long-term goals.
Bourland hopes to compete at the NCAA Division I level, and Davenport believes that dream is realistic because of the effort he invests every day.
“I expect him to have a wonderful year coming up in cross country, track and basketball,” he said.
Like many small schools, Dawson Springs depends on student-athletes participating in multiple sports. The same holds true for its coaches.
Davenport pointed to Amanda Scott, who coached four different sports during the previous school year after stepping into the girls’ basketball position midway through the season.
“Just like we’re sharing athletes, we’re sharing coaches,” Davenport said.
Managing that reality requires constant communication.
Practice schedules are coordinated to avoid conflicts whenever possible, allowing students to participate in multiple sports without forcing difficult choices. Some students finish one practice only to head immediately to another.
“They never stop,” Davenport said. “But most of these kids have that motor. If they want to do it, they’re going to work.”
Rather than discouraging multi-sport participation, Dawson Springs embraces it as a necessity and a strength.
Regarding feeder programs in the community, Davenport describes Dawson Springs’ youth league as one of its greatest strengths.
Children begin participating in T-ball, baseball, softball and youth basketball at an early age before gradually transitioning into school athletics during middle school.
“We’re small, but that youth league is tight-knit,” Davenport said.
He expects strong incoming middle school classes to help rebuild programs such as baseball, which struggled with participation last season.
Another strength Davenport sees is the number of former Dawson Springs athletes returning to coach.
Amanda Scott, Rhonda Simpson and new girls basketball coach Brooklyn Clark all understand the expectations that come with representing Dawson Springs because they once wore Panther uniforms themselves.
“They know exactly how Dawson is run,” Davenport said. “They know the culture.”
That familiarity allows coaches to preserve traditions while also pushing programs toward new goals.
Davenport believes Dawson Springs has the coaching staff capable of competing for district championships in multiple sports.
“I think we’ve got all the pieces in place,” he said.
However, participation remains one of the biggest challenges facing small schools across Kentucky. Rather than accepting shrinking numbers, Dawson Springs is expanding opportunities.
This year, the school will launch its first wrestling program under coach Steven Brown.
Interest has exceeded expectations, with approximately 20 to 25 boys and girls already participating in summer workouts.
Davenport believes wrestling has attracted students who were not previously involved in athletics, increasing overall participation without significantly affecting existing sports.
The school is also expanding its cheerleading program to include competitive cheer in addition to traditional sideline cheer.
Looking ahead, Dawson Springs hopes to establish middle school and youth wrestling opportunities to create a developmental pipeline similar to its successful baseball, softball and basketball programs.
Davenport admits that his first year as athletic director was filled with lessons, but it was also personal.
Although he attended Caldwell County schools through fifth grade, his family moved to Dawson Springs during middle school. He graduated from Dawson Springs, married a classmate, and eventually returned to teach after spending several years in another district.
Today, he and his wife are raising their family in the same community that shaped them.
“I think this is exactly where we’re supposed to be,” Davenport said.
His hope is that his children will one day become Panthers themselves.
That personal connection fuels his optimism for the future.
