The athletics department keeps the ball rolling

Graphic by Lily Schroeder

By Sean Campbell

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Former Davis High athletic director Jeff Lorenson stepped down suddenly in July after 10 years on the job. The hole in the athletic department has not yet been filled as of the printing of the HUB on Sept. 20. However, Davis Joint Unified School District’s Public Information Officer Kristin Conner said a decision is coming soon. “The Board of Education will vote to approve the new AD at this Thursday’s meeting,” she said.

After working together for 10 years Davis High’s athletic assistant Laurie Williams misses her relationship with Lorenson. “We made a great team,” she said.

Williams was a part of the tier one interview panel which interviewed all potential candidates starting Aug. 31. The panel recommended top candidates to the tier two panel which was made up of district administrators. Finding a qualified replacement quickly is extremely important due to Williams also stepping down after this academic year.

According to Williams, experience with high school athletics is the most important quality for potential athletic director replacements. “There are so many moving parts in a high school athletics program as large as ours,” she said. “The new candidate needs to be someone who can multitask efficiently.”

Until a full time replacement was named, former Holmes Junior High vice principal Derek Brothers assumed the interim role. “The interim position was created to ensure we continue operating (the) status quo,” Brothers said.

After retiring from the Davis Joint Unified School District earlier this year Brothers said he was “honored to assume” the role until a full time replacement is found.

Despite the vacant position, fall sports must go on. “It has been a little more hectic than it usually is getting fall sports off the ground,” Williams said. “(Brothers) has been a big support in quickly learning some of the game day tasks.”

Although the year is starting off rocky, Williams is grateful that “most of our fall coaches are returnees so they already knew what to do with their own programs.”

Even after more than 20 years as the varsity women’s tennis coach at DHS, Sally Hosley misses the support of the full time role. “There is so much chaos when starting the fall season, so it’s nice to have someone at the helm,” she said.

Despite a strong group effort, Williams has had to assume many of the athletic director’s responsibilities including ordering referees for each home game. Williams said that once a full time replacement is found she will “need a long nap.