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Coach Yusuf Shakir often says that “good is the enemy of great,” which has been adopted as the theme for the 2009-2010 Varsity Football Season for the Lincoln Trojans.  It is this dedication to perfection and a strong will to win that drives Shakir to expect the best at all times from his players and coaching staff.  At the same time, Coach Shakir takes a personal interest in each of his players to become the best student athlete they can be, taking many of his own experiences and successes as a student athlete himself to guide and mold his players for lifelong success.  While Shakir is passionate about football, he is even more passionate about instilling life lessons and a foundation for future success in life after football.

Education and Playing Experience

In March 2009, Yusuf Shakir was named Head Football Coach of his alma mater and perennial state and national power Tallahassee Lincoln High School, thus becoming the first alumni of Lincoln to be named Head Football Coach.  It all began in 1995, when Shakir was a High School Football All-American at Lincoln.  He was the only player in the talent rich state of Florida to be ranked in state recruiting services at two different positions in 1995.  Shakir was a 1st Team All-Big Bend and a 1st Team All-State player in Class 6A and an honorable mention USA Today All-American.

Shakir received several Division I-A scholarship offers.  He narrowed his choices to three Division I-A schools after receiving scholarship offers from the University of Georgia at Athens, the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Virginia Tech.  He selected the University of Wisconsin at Madison because of their academic success within their athletic programs, with a football graduation rate of 84%.  In 2001, Shakir graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.

Shakir then moved on to teaching and coaching at his  , Tallahassee Lincoln High School.  He helped win a State Football Championship as a assistant coach at Lincoln in 2001 with a 28-20 win over perennial state and national power St. Thomas Aquinas.  Other coaching highlights include:

• Coached in three State Semifinal football games.
• Coached in the playoffs and has been part of a District Championship staff every year he has coached.
• Coached in the prestigious California vs. Florida All-Star Games in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
• Head Coach of the Lincoln High School Black History Brain Bowl State Championship team in hi first year as Head Coach in 2006 and in 2007 finished State Runner-Up.
• Coach Shakir has taught Advance Placement American Government, Advance Placement Psychology, honors American Government, Sociology, African-American History, American History & Personal Fitness.
• In his seventh year of coaching, Shakir was named Head Coach at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg, Florida and proceeded to lead Gibbs to its first winning record in five years and only the  sixth playoff appearance in the last 40 years.
• In 2007, Shakir was Named District 14 Coach of the Year (one of only 20 districts in Florida).
• In 2007 and 2008, Gibbs played for the district championship two consecutive years, which was the first time this has occurred since the 1994 and 1995 seasons.  Shakir also accomplished the most wins at the school in back to back years since the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
• In 2007, five players selected from Gibbs to the County All-Star game.  Six players were selected to the All-Pinellas County team (all classes). One player was selected to the All Suncoast Team which encompasses Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties.  One player was also selected to the All-State Class 5A team.
• In 2008, five players were selected to the County All-Star game (each school is limited to only five). Seven players were selected to the All County team.  One player was selected to the All-Suncoast Team which encompasses Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties.
• Under Shakir’s guidance, it was only the second time in the last 25 years that Gibbs has had back to back winning seasons in 2007 and 2008.
• In the two years with Shakir as Head Coach, 25 Gibbs players signed to continue their playing careers at the collegiate level.
• Coach Shakir is most proud of the fact that every senior that played at Gibbs graduated with their High School Diploma and is continuing their education at a higher level.