R.L. Bynum
04-14-2008, 07:23 PM
Hiring from within
Grafton’s Laura Sutton and Tabb’s Susan Wiker promoted to athletic director positions.
By MARTY O’BRIEN | mobrien@dailypress.com | 247-4963
YORK — Memo to future athletic director hopefuls in York County: It won’t hurt your résumé any to have some experience as an assistant athletic director. Laura Sutton and Susan Wiker move into athletic director’s chairs at two county high schools this fall after years as assistant ADs.
Sutton becomes the AD at Grafton, where she has been assistant AD the past nine years. She replaces Paul Kirby, who is retiring after 38 years in education — the past six as Grafton AD.
Wiker takes the Tabb AD job after spending the past three years as Sam Jackson’s assistant at York. She succeeds Connie Minnick, who moves into a new position with county schools after 11 years as Tabb AD.
“It helps hiring an assistant athletic director, because a school and a principal can draw on a lot of experience,” Tabb principal Laura Abel said. “Being an assistant athletic director gives them familiarity with the school division, the Bay Rivers District, Region I and the Virginia High School League.”
Kirby said he expects Sutton’s transition to be an easy one.
“Laura is very familiar with all of the basics of the job,” Kirby said. “She’s ordered and inventoried equipment, and helped out at all of the sporting events.”
Sutton played basketball as a student at York High and coached at county high schools and middle schools since 1992-93 school year. She guided Grafton’s girls to a district title in basketball and to two state swimming titles.
Wiker has coached York’s field hockey team since 1992. She also coached York girls’ soccer during its first 10 years as a varsity sport at the school, 1998-2007, guiding the Falcons into the 2002 state tournament.
“I learned a lot during these past three years as Sam Jackson’s assistant,” Wiker said. “I learned about patience and being prepared. Sam is very organized.”
Kirby was one of the county’s most successful coaches before his stint as athletic director. His field hockey and soccer teams at Tabb and Grafton were perennial district title contenders. He led Tabb’s boys soccer team to the 1994 Group AA state title, after finishing second in 1989 final.
Grafton principal Stephanie Guy said that Kirby was similarly successful as an athletic director.
“Paul has been phenomenal,” she said. “It’s great when a principal has a person in his position who does his job, and does it well.
“He’s a good human being, he has the greatest integrity and he has been a great athletic director,” she said. “He’ll be greatly missed.”
Grafton’s Laura Sutton and Tabb’s Susan Wiker promoted to athletic director positions.
By MARTY O’BRIEN | mobrien@dailypress.com | 247-4963
YORK — Memo to future athletic director hopefuls in York County: It won’t hurt your résumé any to have some experience as an assistant athletic director. Laura Sutton and Susan Wiker move into athletic director’s chairs at two county high schools this fall after years as assistant ADs.
Sutton becomes the AD at Grafton, where she has been assistant AD the past nine years. She replaces Paul Kirby, who is retiring after 38 years in education — the past six as Grafton AD.
Wiker takes the Tabb AD job after spending the past three years as Sam Jackson’s assistant at York. She succeeds Connie Minnick, who moves into a new position with county schools after 11 years as Tabb AD.
“It helps hiring an assistant athletic director, because a school and a principal can draw on a lot of experience,” Tabb principal Laura Abel said. “Being an assistant athletic director gives them familiarity with the school division, the Bay Rivers District, Region I and the Virginia High School League.”
Kirby said he expects Sutton’s transition to be an easy one.
“Laura is very familiar with all of the basics of the job,” Kirby said. “She’s ordered and inventoried equipment, and helped out at all of the sporting events.”
Sutton played basketball as a student at York High and coached at county high schools and middle schools since 1992-93 school year. She guided Grafton’s girls to a district title in basketball and to two state swimming titles.
Wiker has coached York’s field hockey team since 1992. She also coached York girls’ soccer during its first 10 years as a varsity sport at the school, 1998-2007, guiding the Falcons into the 2002 state tournament.
“I learned a lot during these past three years as Sam Jackson’s assistant,” Wiker said. “I learned about patience and being prepared. Sam is very organized.”
Kirby was one of the county’s most successful coaches before his stint as athletic director. His field hockey and soccer teams at Tabb and Grafton were perennial district title contenders. He led Tabb’s boys soccer team to the 1994 Group AA state title, after finishing second in 1989 final.
Grafton principal Stephanie Guy said that Kirby was similarly successful as an athletic director.
“Paul has been phenomenal,” she said. “It’s great when a principal has a person in his position who does his job, and does it well.
“He’s a good human being, he has the greatest integrity and he has been a great athletic director,” she said. “He’ll be greatly missed.”