Coach David Coolidge Ponton Jr.

Coach P. Basketball Rep

Dr. David Ponton, Jr. “Coach P” is the Special Assistant to the President at Grambling State University with over thirty (30) years of experience in intercollegiate athletics and higher education administration.

Ponton is a native of Melville, LA where he is the oldest of three born to Juliette G. Ponton and the late David C. Ponton, Sr. Ponton was a four sport lettered athlete and was voted St. Landry Parish Athlete of the Year in 1982. He graduated from Melville High School in 1982 as the valedictorian of his class with a 3.96 grade point average.

Ponton was offered athletic and academic scholarships to several universities, but ultimately chose an academic and engineering scholarship to the nationally recognized engineering program at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Although majoring in engineering, he still pursued his dream of playing collegiate basketball and made the team as a walk on. He matriculated for the next four years in Mechanical Engineering Technology and graduated Cum Laude and was the top graduate in engineering technology in 1986. During his undergraduate years at Southern University, Ponton led the Jaguar Men’s Basketball Team to a Southwestern Athletic Tournament Championship in 1985 and a NCAA Tournament berth. He led the Jags to the regular season Southwestern Athletic Championship in 1986. He was team captain from 1983-1986 and led the Jaguars in steals 1984-1986, assists 1984 and 1986.

After a short stint with Owens Corning Fiberglas as a process engineer, Kansas City Plant, he returned to Baton Rouge and entered graduate school. Subsequently, he took a job with Shell Oil Company as a retail marketer in Houston, Texas. It was while at Shell that he made a decision that would redirect his career path from corporate America to higher education. Grambling graduate and Louisiana Hall of Famer Coach Robert “Bob” Hopkins who coached Ponton his last two years at Southern University invited him to join his coaching staff at Grambling State University with the Men’s Basketball Team in 1988. He worked as an assistant coach under Hopkins’ 1988-1989 SWAC Champion Men’s Basketball Team. He completed his Master’s Degree in Sport Administration the following year. Ponton subsequently pursued a doctoral degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992-1993. He returned to Grambling and worked as an assistant women’s basketball coach from 1993 to 1997. He became the head coach in 1998 and was named the SWAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Lady Tigers led the nation in scoring 1994 and 1995 and were the NCAA Division I team leaders in steals from 1994-2000. There were numerous student athletes who have held NCAA and SWAC statistical titles during his coaching tenure. He was a finalist for the Black Coaches Association Women’s National Coach of Year in 1999. He was an assistant coach on the 2000 USA R.W. Jones Cup Team which won gold in Taipei, Taiwan. This team featured the likes of NCAA Women stars, Sue Bird, Michelle Snow, Shea Ralph, Jackie Stiles and Marie Ferninand. Although there are many accolades and honors over the years, Coach P is most proud however of his commitment to academic excellence as a coach. His teams posted the highest team gpa’s in the GSU Athletic Department throughout his coaching tenure and his graduation rates exceeded 90%! Dr. Ponton as he is referred to in his many roles which included Director of Student Activities, Dean of Students, Associate VP of Student Affairs, VP of Student Affairs and Athletic Director at Grambling State University is a staunch advocate for student success. The experience garnered from working in these capacities uniquely qualifies him on the academic and athletic side to enhance opportunities for success in higher education of student athletes.

Collegiate Sports Prep Basketball Mission

My mission as your representative in College Sports Prep Basketball is to advise, promote and enhance the educational and athletic dreams, goals and objectives of YOU! I am driven by my thirty plus years of higher education institutional and athletic experience to achieve this mission. I am deeply committed to the values instilled in me by my faith, parents, family, mentors, and peers. The life lessons that I have garnered over the years from legendary coaches and players such as Eddie G. Robinson, Sr., the winningest collegiate college football coach, Fred Hobdy, College Basketball Hall of Fame Coach, Willis Reed, NBA Hall of Famer/Top 50 Players, Robert Hopkins, Hall of Fame Coach and Player who is NCAA’s 2nd all-time leading scorer, Avery Johnson NBA World Champion, Sue Bird High School State Champion, NCAA National Champion, WNBA World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist are invaluable. I pledge to anticipate and respond to your educational and athletic needs. I promise to be honest in my assessments of your talents and skill level in ascertaining these educational and athletic goals and opportunities. I will foster a safe and healthy environment that encourages and supports skill development, mental aptitude and optimum performance. Come join our family at Collegiate Sports Prep (CSP) where the future is so bright… We need shades!

“Family”

Family is and will always be a central tenet in Ponton’s life. He treats his student athletes, peers and co-workers as such. Upon meeting him you immediately realize that people are important to him. You are family! Ponton’s beautiful wife of two years, DeVaria Ponton is the Director of Diversity, Equality & Inclusion at Louisiana Tech and a doctoral candidate at Grambling State University. His amazingly talented daughter Rosa, a Spanish instructor, artist, author is also a doctoral candidate attending Virginia Commonwealth University.

“Coach P’s Promise”

It has been my honor to assist students for over thirty years in higher education as a collegiate basketball coach and higher education administrator to achieve their academic and athletic goals. My personal philosophy is deeply rooted in my faith in God and man’s inherent good. I believe that our youth are our future and we MUST do everything within our power to help them be their best. I have dedicated my professional career to helping students be all they aspire to be. My mantra is “Students First in All We Do!”  You can contact Coach P @   Coachpcollegeprep@gmail.com