An influential leader in the world of high school athletics, Lucia Norwood, CMAA, has extensive experience as a coach, teacher, and athletic administrator throughout her years of service to high school students and athletic programs through the state.
Norwood retired from her duties as athletic coordinator of the Dekalb County School System in 2003 after an exemplary 38-year career. She has made tremendous contributions at the local, state and national levels.
At the state level, Norwood served on the Georgia Athletic Directors Association Board of Directors since 1991 and was president in 1994, the first woman in history to serve in that position. Since 1995, Norwood has been GADA executive director. For the past 14 years, Norwood has been a member of the Georgia High School Association Executive Committee and serves as the chair of the gymnastics and sportsmanship subcommittees.
Norwood implemented the Georgia State Girls’ Gymnastics Championships in 1969 and has been the state meet administrator since that time. She also initiated the state competitive cheerleading championships in 1992 and established the Cheerleading Judges Association a year later.
A highly involved member of the NIAAA for almost 25 years, Norwood served on its Board of Directors from 1998 to 2001. She received the NIAAA State Award of Merit in both 1994 and 1996, the NFHS Citation in 2002 and the NIAAA
Thomas E. Frederick Award of Excellence in 2006. In December 2009, Lucia was inducted into the NIAAA Hall of Fame in its inaugural class.
