Cheryl and Steve Daniels

Cheryl and Steve Daniels headshot

After graduating from Forrest City High School, Cheryl attended the University of Central Arkansas, where she earned her degree in special education and cheered for the Bears for four years. She taught for 36 years, including 10 years with North Little Rock Public Schools, and served in Conway High School from 1992 until her retirement in 2018. Throughout her career, she was involved in Special Olympics, including the first AAA Unified Sports State Basketball Championship team. In 2005, she established Caring Cats, a community service organization that includes special needs students with general education students in projects such as the Angel Paws Christmas Program and Powder Puff games benefiting Special Olympics. She received the 2005 Conway High School Teacher of the Year Award and the 2016 Lloyd Westbrook Good Neighbor Award from the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and was named the 2023 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team Member of the Year. She volunteers with the Deliver Hope Board of Directors, the Cara McCollum Birthday Book Project, the Conway Ministry Center Food Pantry, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

After graduating from Ole Main High School in 1975, Steve attended Arkansas Tech where he played baseball. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Central Arkansas. He began his 38-year education career in North Little Rock. In 1991 the Daniels moved to Conway. Steve coached football, boys track and softball. He taught physical education, health, and driver’s education. He became assistant principal at Conway High School in 2005. Daniels was named athletic director in 2010 and remained in that position until his retirement in 2018. Under his leadership, Conway’s athletics program saw many improvements, including a new indoor practice facility and stadium press box, and won numerous conference and state championships. He served as the 7A Conference president from 2010 to 2012 and was named the 7A Athletic Director of the Year in 2014 and 2018 and Arkansas Athletic Director of the Year in 2017-2018. He was involved in the Athletic Administrators Association as a fundraiser and later as secretary of the AHSAAA Executive Committee. He received the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Award of Merit and the AHSAAA Meritorious Service Award in 2018. He also received the Walter “Buddy” Coleman Lifetime Achievement Award and served on the AAA All-Star Committee in Conway. In 2023, Daniels was inducted into the Arkansas High School Athletic Administration Hall of Fame. Now retired, Daniels enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, and volunteer service with his wife.

Cheryl and Steve Daniels have been married for 37 years and have two children, twins Kyle Daniels and Kayla White, and two granddaughters, Leighton and Lynleigh White. The Daniels attend First United Methodist Church in Conway.