With the retirement of Athletic Director Doug Gloyd, and football coach Chris Ezell’s honest desire to return home, Trigg County Athletics suddenly finds itself at a pivotal crossroads in its proud sports history.
The Board of Education, and Superintendent Dr. Rex Booth, is well aware of this point in the timeline.
During Wednesday evening’s lengthy working session, Booth and board members reviewed the job descriptions of both positions — plans already in motion to update both postings with more modern standards and expectations.
Booth said that Chief Finance Officer Holly Greene has brought him up to speed on athletic director over the years. It has bounced back and forth from district athletic director to high school athletic director, and sometimes maintained synergies with younger and older grades.
After reviewing this with multiple district administrators, Booth has a strong opinion on what the Wildcats’ next chapter should look like.
Two assistant athletic directors, Booth said, would still exist at both the middle and high schools, allowing for seasonal backup, while Greene, board member Mindy Hargrove and Board Attorney Jack Lackey said district fundraising efforts might become more streamlined with this measure.
Greene and Booth both said it would be a 240-day, salaried position, while assistants would remain in the “extra duties” pay scale.
Requirements from 2005 and 2011 are being removed, Booth said, but prior experience preference will remain. Understanding “Redbook” details, which involve accounting procedures for school activity funds, is “highly encouraged.”
As for football coach, Booth said AIDS awareness and prevention was still listed as a requirement for the job, when in reality, that is wrapped in sports medicine training.
Other changes, he noted to Hargrove, are more nuanced.
Chair Jo Alyce affirmed no board member could be on such a committee, and Booth iterated it will still be a high school principal hire.
Booth said, in his opinion, the district should hire its next athletic director before hiring its next varsity football coach, but the district also doesn’t want to get too far behind the spring practice schedule — where major hay can be baled in player development.
Furthermore, Hargrove noted an outgoing athletic director should have “zero say” in who the next gridiron girder is for the Wildcats.
Previous coaching experience, Booth said, is preferred — and that will be added to the job’s description. A valid teaching certificate is not required, but a high school diploma, or some equivalency, is.
Lackey called both positions “important jobs.” Hargrove and Harper agreed.
The board meets in regular session Thursday, March 12.
