New Foundation football coach Daniel White ready to lay the groundwork for next generation

In the 2000 film “Remember the Titans,” Julius Campbell — a member of the T.C. Williams High football team — said the following in response to team captain Gerry Bertier’s criticism of his attitude: “Attitude reflects leadership, captain.”

In every organization, football teams included, that concept is at the core of every outcome produced. Effective leadership sees effective results; inspirational leadership sees inspired results, with the opposite being true, too. 

For Foundation Academy Athletic Director Robert East, during the search for a new head football coach, finding a leader that inspired the program’s players seems to be a major reason why the Lions landed on Daniel “D.J.” White as the next coach of Foundation Academy football.

“The vision for this team is very simple: We will work hard, play with passion and serve with purpose,” White said. “We will push ourselves to become better athletes but, more importantly, better men of God. Our goal is to win, yes, but to win in a way that honors God through hard work, sportsmanship and a commitment to giving our best.”

Beyond the playing and coaching accolades and vision for the program, East knew White was right for the position based on how aligned he was with the school’s fundamental goals and his determination to make an impact on the people around him.

“Coach White is an amazing football coach with excellent experience and football knowledge, but it is his alignment with the mission of Foundation Academy that made him the right coach for this program,” East said. “He puts Christ first in all he does, and he does not allow his job title to limit his opportunities to influence students. He is working to positively change the lives of all students, staff and families at Foundation Academy and beyond.”

Pillars of success

To execute the vision laid out, the former Apopka High and UAB linebacker will look to build the program on three core pillars. First and foremost, this program will be Christ-centered. Then there will be significant effort put into engaging, utilizing and inspiring the Foundation community. Finally, White wants to lean on his college playing and coaching experience to bring a collegiate-like mindset to building the program’s structure.

“Our approach is to build this program from the ground up,” White said. “When I met with the families and players, I told them that they’re going to need to be all in. I need everybody to buy in, and if we can get everyone together, we can do this. It won’t be easy; we understand that building a successful program will have its challenges, but ultimately, if we can lead these young men to Christ, if we can get these young men recruited, and if we can be a shining light in this community, that would be a great start. Whatever happens on the field will take care of itself.”

Despite being a first-time head coach, White — who played for legendary Blue Darters coach Rick Darlington — knows if he wants to execute his vision, he needs to make sure he’s fully engaged with the talent on campus and start to build the foundations for the next generation of Lions. 

“We want to first start right here in our own backyard,” White said. “What I mean by that is simply walking these halls, building relationships with students here. Knowing the athletics here, I’m sure there are some young men right now on campus that we could use on the team, who could help us build this program up. … Looking at the long-term, one of the most important starting points is at the Pop Warner level. Getting involved with youth football and our community overall is one of the most important steps in building our program. … We want to develop relationships with Pop Warner coaches in the area so we can hopefully funnel players through our middle school program and then, obviously, through junior varsity and hopefully up into varsity. That process will obviously take time but that’ll organically help grow our program our way.”

Along with his role as football coach, White also will work hand-in-hand with Foundation’s FAST strength and conditioning program and serve as the school’s director of collegiate recruiting. These overlapping roles — along with his experience coaching in college, most recently serving as the linebackers coach at FCS program Delaware State — are key aspects of White’s approach to bringing a collegiate model and mindset to the football program.

“I hope to instill a collegiate-like mindset into this program, especially knowing that a lot of student-athletes here want to pursue an opportunity at the next level,” he said. “I think there’s a good base here to do that, and so I just want to bring them my knowledge and share with them some of the things that I’ve experienced and I’ve learned throughout my coaching and playing career at that level. I’m excited to be able to offer these student-athletes, and really the community as a whole, that wisdom and guidance. … Part of the plan is to really work with the whole athlete — mind, body and spirit — to help prepare them to develop the mentality of a college athlete, which ultimately is really understanding what the standard is and what it takes to succeed at the next level. The grind to get there is real, but it can be done; I’m proof of that. The opportunities for our athletes are endless; they just have to be willing to put forth the work. If they’re willing to do that, I’ll be there to guide them, and they’ll reap the benefits of their hard work.”

Firm foundation

Being from Orange County gives White a plethora of advantages in making the transition back home and into this new challenge more seamless. Those include the relationships he has within the football community in the area, the familiarity with the area’s general football culture and even just the comfort of being back home. 

One of those benefits, which specifically helps when it comes to Foundation is the familiarity he has with the program’s history and its tradition, which White plans to lean on during his tenure. 

“It’s a blessing to be back home,” White said. “I’ve been away for a while, so the opportunity to be back, be around family and friends has been great and I don’t take that for granted. And because of the fact I know the area so well and have a support system here the transition has been great both personally and starting up here at Foundation. Knowing this community a bit and its rich tradition, this program has definitely seen some great athletes in the past. I want us to follow suit. I’m not here to reinvent the wheel, and one of the reasons why I think we can be successful is — no pun intended — the great foundation in place here. We’re just looking to continue to develop that tradition and continue to grow it.”

With White at the helm and his vision for the football program laid out, East knows the direction he wants to see the program go in overall and in the near future.

“The short-term goal is to align all levels of football at Foundation Academy … to enhance the development opportunities for these young men,” East said. “Foundation Academy strives to win games, and that is our target at all times. Our additional focus on the development of each student-athlete is why we come to work every day. This program serves the student’s needs, primarily spiritual but also personal, … to prepare them for living a Christ-centered life. We aspire to do this well for those who dream of playing at the next level or those who will finish their football career at Foundation, aiming for all to serve their families and community and to honor Christ for their lifetimes.”