It makes sense that Leonidas Sondric Epps Jr. was born in a town called Hope in Arkansas.
All his life, Epps lived a life that was about taking hope, adding hard work and creating a sense of successful reality that enriched the lives of athletes and students for decades.
He did that by winning 424 games as the men's basketball coach, serving as head football coach for a program where the 1962 team was ranked seventh nationally, coaching golf teams that won six Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, also coaching championship teams in track and tennis, all along with serving as athletic director for 30 years and teaching classes.
Oh, yes. He also drove teams around in a bus as there were no home athletic facilities until L.S. Epps Gymnasium was built in his final year.
"He loved it," said his daughter, Leandria Epps, a 1966 Clark graduate who, with her brother, the late L.S. Epps III, pretty much grew up on campus. "He would be here all the time.
He worked very hard. I have two nephews and when the oldest was around eight, someone asked him, 'Where does your grandfather live?' He said, 'Clark College.'"
Throughout the years, he not only produced and teams that won games and won SIAC or All-American honors. He helped developed college graduates, which was most important to the Xavier of New Orleans graduate.
"He was a hard worker," said his daughter. "He was the only coach at the time. He did that and just about everything else that needed to be done because he realized how much an education meant. He wanted everyone to have a good education like he got."
The gymnasium at Clark Atlanta University was named in his honor when he retired in May 1983. He passed in January 1997.
What lives on, through his family and ardent supporters, is his desire to see student-athletes at Clark Atlanta University to get a great education.
The L.S. Epps Memorial Basketball Challenge not only provides a showcase for great men's and women's basketball. It is a way to fund scholarships for CAU athletes.
This year's Challenge features Flagler College, Georgia College, Paine College and the Clark Atlanta University Panthers. The CAU Lady Panthers host Augusta College at 4 p.m Friday and Shaw University Saturday at 1 p.m. in games preceding the Challenge.
Friday, Paine College takes on Georgia College at 6 p.m. and the 3-0 Clark Atlanta Panthers host Flagler at 8 p.m. Saturday, Flagler plays Paine at 3 p.m. with CAU closing the weekend out with Georgia College at 5 p.m. All of the game will be streamed live on www.mybcsn.net/cau.
Proceeds from the Challenge go to towards the L.S. Epps Endowed Athletic Scholarship, which was started by former Fulton County Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington Sr., and several other fellow former athletes in 1993. The scholarship helps pay for the education of Clark Atlanta University student-athletes each year.
"it's very important to our family because this tournament gives young people a chance to showcase their skills and helps send athletes to school, something that my father was very dedicated to," said Leandria Epps.
To donate to the L.S. Epps Endowed Athletic Scholarship, contact the Clark Atlanta University Office of Institutional Advancement and University Relations at (404) 880-6189.
