Charlotte’s emerging leaders: Donald Littlejohn II builds leaders, on and off field

Donald Littlejohn II has spent the last decade helping develop some of the region’s top high school football players as an assistant coach with three iconic programs.

He also has coached a regional championship track and field team, has been named the U.S. Track Federation’s Coach of the Year in North Carolina, and has won several other coaching awards.

At age 41, he is a rising star in the coaching ranks and seems destined to become head coach of a high school program soon.

And he comes by it naturally.

His father, Donald Littlejohn, was coach and athletic director for 39 years at Cochrane Junior High (later, Cochrane Middle School), and the school’s gym was named for him in 2001. He also was the first Black person to win the Charlotte City Amateur golf championship, a feat he accomplished in 1989 and 1991.

Donald Littlejohn died in August 2010, three years before his son was assistant football coach of the state-champion Mallard Creek High Mavericks. As head coach, his Mallard Creek track and field team won Western regional titles in 2018 and 2019.

In addition to serving as assistant coach of the state-champion football team at Mallard Creek, he also has been an assistant at two other schools that won state titles – South Pointe, in Rock Hill, and West Charlotte.

Beyond being a successful coach, Littlejohn has been an advocate for the young men and women he has coached – and the communities they represent.

The Observer recently talked to Littlejohn about his role as an emerging leader in the community.

Q. What is the one thing about Charlotte that you want to change?

Charlotte is experiencing rapid growth and has abundant resources, yet many neighborhoods, particularly those that have been historically underserved, do not share equally in quality education, youth development opportunities, reliable transportation or economic mobility.

Q. What is the seed of your desire to accomplish what you want to accomplish? Where did this start?

The seed was planted early, through my own experiences with coaches and educators who believed in men and held me accountable beyond the field. I saw firsthand how structure, expectations and genuine relationships could change the trajectory of young people’s lives.

As I grew into coaching and education, I realized the impact goes far beyond wins and losses. It’s about providing opportunities, stability and belief to students who may not have it elsewhere.

That’s where my desire to lead and build something meaningful truly began.

Q. What’s the biggest challenge to getting where you want to go / be?

Change takes time, alignment and trust, especially when you’re trying to raise standards, shift culture, and create opportunities for students who may ready be behind. Staying patient while remaining persistent, and building buy-in from all stakeholders, is often the hardest part, but it’s also where the meaningful lasting progress happens.

Q. What do you want people to know about you?

I want people to know that I’m about people first. I believe in high standards, accountability, and building real relationships. I’m consistency, dependable and deeply committed to helping young people grow – not just as athletes or students, but as individuals prepared for life.

When I say I’m invested, I truly am, and I take pride in doing the work the right way every day.