Archive: Sports

The new athletic season has already started in Lansing with practices beginning last Monday.  But the season isn't the only thing that is new in athletics this school year.  Three key changes are a new athletic code, three new varsity coaches, and a new Athletic Director (AD).  When layoffs necessitated eliminating the assistant high school principal/athletic director position, the role of athletic director was split 4/6 with a teaching position.  The new AD may be new as AD, but when coaches and athletes began practice this week the face in the AD's office was familiar.

"The situation where I can still teach as well as be the athletic director, I feel, is perfect," says Lansing's new Athletic Director Adam Heck.  "Lots of times the only kids an assistant principal sees are the ones who make bad choices.    It's not a stick and a whistle.  I get to teach and be with the kids during the day, and not just the athletes that are part of our school sports program -- I get to see all the kids.  As a middle school teacher I loved that."

Heck has taught at Lansing for a dozen years.  Until this year he was a middle school physical education teacher, as well as coach for the varsity soccer and basketball teams.  This year he will teach physical education in the high school as well as taking on the role of AD.  He is continuing as a coach as well.  He started working with the soccer team this week.

He has also been active in the Town of Lansing's Recreation program, heading up soccer camp for the past 12 years.  That commitment and engagement in the community made him the ideal choice to step into the AD position.

"I think part of being an athletic director is that you have to have a great relationship with the coaching staff that you hire, you have to have a great relationship with the administration and faculty," he says.  "I work very well with (High School Principal) Eric Hartz.  I've known him for a long time, even before he came here as our principal.  I've gotten to know (Superintendent of Schools) Dr. Grimm really well, and (Principal) Jamie Thomas in the middle school and (Principal) Chris Pettograsso in the elementary school.  I have a past relationship with all of them as a teacher, and I am still wearing the teacher hat so I won't lose touch with the kids.  Administration, teachers, coaches... the most important part of all of that is your relationship with the kids.  That's why I wanted to try this, from a professional standpoint, and have an opportunity to jump in feet first."

That is certainly what he is doing.  Since he started a month ago, heck says he has gained a new respect for what ADs do to make the season run smoothly for the coaches and the players.  With a new code of conduct in place, it will be part of his job to be more engaged with the other coaches and players.  Heck says that mixing the AD position with his teaching position may be a better fit than when it was filled with the same person acting as assistant principal.  With the largely disciplinary role taken out, he says he can lead without that negative connotation.

That doesn't mean there won't be discipline.  The new code of conduct is stricter about athletes who are failing classes or making poor choices about drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes.  It also holds them to a higher standard throughout the whole school year, not just during their sport's season.  Heck says that the code of conduct hasn't significantly changed, but the consequences for not living up to it have.


"Sometimes leadership isn't always about whether you can lead your team to win," he says.  "It's about whether you can lead your team to do the right thing. That means the choices they make outside the school, and it means our upper classmen helping the younger kids learn time management skills, or budgeting their athletic time with academics, which get harder as you progress through your high school career.  Or seniors saying, 'I took this class last year. Let me help you.'  The teams that have helped each other in the classroom are the most successful teams I've ever had."

Heck notes that when professional athletes make poor choices they often only get a slap on the wrist.  He says those are poor role models, and the mild consequences don't send young athletes the right message.

"Those are the roll models that the kids see," Heck says.  "When they sign that card they recognize they are under the code not just when they are in season.  They represent our school.  My soccer team is still Lansing athletes in the spring.  They're not just student athletes during the fall season."

This season the varsity football, cross country, and volleyball teams will have new coaches.  Heck says that especially because they are not teachers in the school system, the athletes will not only have to learn a new style, but also a new coach.  That may mean team building for this season.

"But at least they didn't have to learn the new AD," he laughs.  "I know most of the kids and athletes at this school and I am excited for them."

Heck says he has already learned a lot over the past month as AD, and that he is enjoying working with his colleagues in a different context.

"This summer I've already established new relationships with my peers, because we have to work together in a different way," he says.  "I want to work with the coaches.  We're all one team.  I'm just trying to help them have a great year and stay out of the way.  In the last two days it's been neat going to practices and seeing the kids in the different sports.  That part, I am already enjoying.  I enjoy seeing the kids at different stages of their lives.  That's what I love about this opportunity the most."

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