Hempfield to interview athletic director candidates this week

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, May 17, 2020 | 10:54 PM

Hempfield Area School District is moving forward in its search for a new athletic director after Greg Meisner resigned April 3.

Meisner served as the district’s athletic director since 2005.

Meisner, 60, is a Valley grad who went on to play defensive line at Pitt and in the NFL. He was hired as Hempfield’s football coach and athletic director in 2005. He resigned as football coach in 2011 after going 17-50 over seven seasons.

Hempfield superintendent Tammy Wolicki said interviews will begin this week.

The Hempfield administration received 66 applications from candidates within and outside the district for the position and will interview 12.

The search committee consists of Wolicki, Assistant Superintendent Mark Gross and Human Resource Officer Bob Reger.

School board director Vince DeAugustine, who serves as the board’s chairman of the athletic committee, said he’s encouraged by the amount of interest in the position. He doesn’t know what 12 finalists will be interviewed.

Hempfield is looking for someone with three to five years of experience and knowledge of WPIAL and PIAA rules and regulations.

“Speaking for myself only, we need experience,” DeAugustine said. “Someone to come in and hit the ground running that has the experience. That’s super important.

“I don’t think we have the opportunity to develop an athletic director. I think we tried that 15 years ago, and I believe our goal now is to have someone come in as a parallel move and run the athletic department.”

DeAugustine said he is looking for an athletic director that supports the coaches.

“A lot of coaches think that you’re one coach away being fired,” DeAugustine said. “You want to know your athletic director has your back. Communication and support is important.

“Since we’re not hiring anyone until the June meeting, someone to make a lateral move as far as the size of the district, fifth largest school in the WPIAL.”

The Hempfield school board meets Monday. DeAugustine doesn’t expect the district to have a new athletic director in place until the June meeting.

Rich Bowen, Hempfield’s football coach and athletic operations manager, is acting as interim athletic director.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield