Picture provided by Hopkins County Schools
A longtime Hopkins County educator and coach is being recognized as the best in the state for his leadership in middle school athletics.
Hopkins County Schools has announced that Kent Akin, the Athletic Administrator at South Hopkins Middle School, has been named the 2026 Kentucky Athletic Administrators’ Association Middle School Athletic Administrator of the Year. The award was presented recently during the annual KAAA banquet in Louisville.
Akin’s career in Hopkins County Schools spans over three decades. During that time, he has served as a teacher, coach, and administrator at West Hopkins High School and Hopkins County Central, where he was the Athletic Director for five years.
Currently, as the Commissioner of the WKAC Conference, Akin has been credited with expanding opportunities for student-athletes, including the creation of a sixth-grade volleyball league and establishing all-conference honors for multiple sports. He also remains active on the sidelines, serving as an assistant coach for the South Hopkins girls’ basketball program.
His impact reaches beyond the local level, having founded the Kentucky 2A Championships and served on the Second Region Policy Board.
Colleagues say the award highlights a career dedicated to mentorship and the growth of education-based athletics in Western Kentucky.
