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BILL ALVERSON

@PrepwithBill

IMDB: www.imdb.com/BillAlverson

 

In the national pageant world, Coach Bill Alverson’s word is the law.

Alverson, an attorney by trade, is the most desired pageant coach in the nation, having personally worked with dozens of winners and titleholders, including the last three Miss Americas and the current Miss America making it four in a row. This fall on TLC, audiences will get to see the family man’s no filter, sassy, tough love approach to guiding aspiring hopefuls to the crown in “Coach Charming.”

The new non-scripted series follows Alverson behind the scenes as he teaches young contestants the tricks of the pageant trade, as well as his entertaining day-to-day interactions with his family in Andalusia, Alabama. As a very involved father of three, Alverson practices law by day alongside his son, who is also his partner in the firm, speaking his mind freely as he goes…which doesn’t always go so smoothly in his small town that often – alongside his family – gives him a piece of their mind right back.

Alverson describes his coaching style as being “very direct, blunt and to the point. There are no soft edges when I’m working – it’s business: I’m a professional, and they’re the client. I’m not a cheerleader; it’s not Christmas and I’m not Santa Claus!”

But for all of his sharp-tongued comments and opinions, audiences will get to witness firsthand why Alverson is the go-to pageant coach that serious hopefuls turn to. From breaking them down to building them up, to helping them with life-changing personal breakthroughs, Alverson reveals himself to be every bit the coach that molds champions and empowers every girl to be their best aesthetically and mentally, with grace and poise.

“Life is a pageant,” Alverson explains. “I build upon developing who each person is. That means having a quick therapy session, getting to know them, and hone into that. We will work through issues. I want them to be who they are, grow and adapt that, and tap into the uniqueness they present.”

Alverson is in high demand because of his ability to help hopefuls master the toughest part of pageants: the dreaded interview portion, which often asks competitors to speak openly about current events, social topics, and tell personal stories. Interestingly, his success as a pageant coach is directly tied to his successful law career: he helps competitors nail the interview portion of the contests, much like he himself has to nail his closing statements to a courtroom judge or jury.

“I’ll make them do homework if they’re out of touch, or help them communicate the knowledge they have, because a lot of the times, expressing it is the problem.”

For all of Alverson’s on-camera training sessions in “Coach Charming,” audiences get a healthy – and often hilarious – dose of him interacting with his family. “My son William is even keel – he’s the yin to my yang. His wife, my daughter in-law Helen Anne, is my equal sparring partner – despite our height difference. My daughter Blanche is most like me, and my youngest, Stella, is in high school just coming into her own, but she’s got great one-liners!”

“In all, ‘Coach Charming’ is about more than just pageant coaching. It’s about what it looks like to be progressive in a small town in the deep South, to be part of a forward-thinking, independent family. It’s about gender equality, empowering women, a family’s relationship with their father, and overall, just trying to be better.”

Alverson’s track record as a pageant coach speaks for itself: he worked directly with the 2013, ’14, and ’15 Miss America champions as well as Miss USA 2012, and has coached dozens of other competitors to top finishes and wins across many state and national contests. As an attorney, Alverson has also established himself as a closer, having successfully won cases in front of the Supreme Court of Alabama as well as the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.

Alverson’s entry into the pageant universe was unique, but the groundwork was laid as early as law school, where he often coached his fellow students for their interviews. A combination of his knack for interview coaching and an interest in fashion led to a random favor asked from a friend: she wanted him to work with her daughter, who was competing in a teen beauty contest. Applying the skills he himself used in the courtroom, she won. Realizing his strengths as a lawyer complemented pageant hopefuls’ weaknesses, Alverson’s pageant coaching side career began while he continued to maintain his law practice by day, and his demand has increased exponentially ever since.

“A whole lotta people can tell you what dress to wear. Very few can also talk to you about culture and current events, make sure you’re well-rounded, and build up your confidence,” states Alverson.

And that is what makes him the coach. Coach Charming.

Case closed.