Alvin Sharpe is a Williamsburg, Kentucky native having graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1961.
Sharpe continued his education locally by attending Cumberland College, now University of the Cumberlands, and was graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education. Following graduation, Sharpe accepted a health and physical education teaching position at Lakeside High School in Dekalb County, Georgia. He also served as Head Coach of the Track and Cross Country teams at Lakeside from 1965 through 1971.
While coaching high school track and cross country in Georgia, Sharpe was named Georgia AAA Track Coach of the Year in 1969, Georgia AAA Region Track Coach of the Year in 1969 &70, Dekalb County Coach of the Year in 1969 & 70, Atlanta Track Club Coach of the Year in 1969 & 70. He coached two Georgia AAA Cross Country State Championships at Lakeside High School in 1969 & 70 and coached the Georgia AAA Track and Field State Championship team at Lakesie High School in 1970.
Whiling living in Georgia, Sharpe continued his educaiton at University of Alabama earning the Master of Arts in Education in 1971.
Sharpe returned to Williamsburg in 1971 as Health and Physical Education Instructor at Cumberland College. Following hte succes of Coach Gordon Bocock, Sharpe immediately was named Head Coach of the Track and Cross Country Team. During the period of 1981-82 he was promoted to Associate Professor of Health & Physical Education and Director of Mining Technology. All new coal miners in the area were required to take the Mining Ceritification Course that included MIne Safety and First Aid classes taught by Sharpe.
At Cumberland, Sharpe coached 17 NAIA All-Americans and two National Champions in Track and Cross Country. He was named KIAC Coach of the Year six times in Cross Country, named NAIA District 24 or 32 Coach of the Year six times in track and six times in Gross Country, and NAIA Area Seven Coach of the Year in Track in 1979. In 1981, Sharpe resigned as Cumberland's track coach, but continued to teach.
Sharpe also started the Corbin High School Track Program as a volunteer coach and served as a volunteer track coach at Williamsburg High School.
In addition to his continued teaching responsibilities at the University of the Cumberlands, in 1991, he became the Director of Tourism for the City of Williamsburg. Under his leadership and through his collaborative efforts the City of Williamsburg has developed the Kentucky Splash Waterpark and Hal Rogers Family Entertainment Center, the Annual Jeep Jamboree, a new playground at the City Park, upgrades to the LIttle League and t-balls fields, a regional tourism alliance with area commissions, and city beautification enhancements. He designed and oversaw the construction of Briar Creek Park and managed ongoing park & recreation facility improvements just to name a few. Additionally, Sharpe has been instrumental in the growth of Williamsburg's Old Fashion Trading Days fall Festival and the Whitley County Fair.
He is a past member of the Center for Rural Development Executive Board, past Chairman of the Technology Training Committee for the Center for Rural Development. He is presently Chairman of the Southeastern Kentucky Industrial Development Authority, Cooordinator of the Annual Williamsburg 4th of July Celebration, member of the Williamsburg High School Alumni Assocation, past member of the Kentucky Tourism Council Board of Directors, and Past Vice Chairman of East Kentucky Highlands South (Tourism). He was inducted into the Williamsburg High School Alumni Hall of Fame in 2001. In January 2008, he was inducted into the Kentucky Track Cross Country Caoches Assocation Hall of Fame.
Sharpe is married to the former JuAnita Brown, a 1965 alumna of Cumberland. They have two sons, Jeff Sharpe and his wife, Missy, and Mike Sharpe and his wife, Regina. Both sons are alumni of University of the Cumberlands and reside with their families in Williamsburg. The Sharpes have three grandchildren Becky, Christian, and Anabeth.
