Katie Jo Stobert named Highlands’ new athletic director

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, August 22, 2023 | 3:32 PM

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Katie Jo Stobert officially was hired Monday night as Highlands’ next athletic director.

The school board vote was unanimous.

But she has been busy in the position for the better part of a month getting the Golden Rams’ individual athletes and teams ready for the 2023 fall sports season as well as doing advance work for the winter and spring seasons.

“I got in the mix early because we were in the swing of things already. The fall season was coming up fast, and there was a lot of work to be done,” said Stobert, a 2000 Highlands graduate who taught in the district for more than a decade and most recently served as the district’s dean of students for the middle school.

“I kind of dove in head first and got to work.”

Stobert said that after the hiring process was completed, she was offered the job, and the school board was notified to make sure everything was in place to have her begin her duties in advance of Monday’s vote.

“It was a long time coming of what exactly I wanted to do moving forward and coming from the classroom and administration here at Highlands,” Stobert said.

“I am glad to be able to serve in this role.”

Stobert accepted the athletic director baton from former Golden Rams AD Drew Karpen, who left the position in June after four years to serve as the athletic director at Plum.

“I met with (Highlands superintendent) Dr. (Monique) Mawhinney and thought that this might be a possibility for me with my love for sports and the students, and here we are now,” she said.

From teaching, coaching and serving as the dean of students, Stobert is familiar with the athletes that populate the Highlands team rosters, and she said she’s excited to see what the teams do in competition throughout this academic year and in the years to come.

“My son went through here, and I have three stepkids who are going through here, too, and all four were and are involved in athletics,” Stobert said.

“I taught most of these kids or have worked with them in other capacities, so there’s not too many of them I don’t know, unless they are new around here. It was really cool building those relationships a while ago and seeing them now, especially at the high school level.”

The Golden Rams girls tennis and boys golf teams already have begun play, with boys soccer, football and girls volleyball ready to kick off their seasons this weekend.

“My role as athletic director is one that, as a former teacher in the classroom and knowing these kids, I want that connection between athletics and academics,” Stobert said.

“I know who I need to see and where I need to go. There are a lot of kids to want to continue to play in college, and that is great, but in the big picture, we’re also working to make outstanding students who also are respectful and respected citizens in the community. It is something that is even bigger than athletics.”

Stobert is the first female athletic director in the history of Highlands athletics, and she now is one of five female athletic directors in the Alle-Kiski Valley, joining Valley’s Kim Johnston, Springdale’s Amanda Noel, Leechburg’s Angela Franke and St. Joseph’s Sally Ackerman.

Stobert was a three-sport athlete at Highlands, participating in basketball, soccer and softball.

She wasn’t able to fully take advantage of her high school athletic opportunities as she suffered ACL injuries her junior and senior years.

Stobert stepped in last fall with varsity and JV girls basketball team workouts and fall-league games when the program was in a sudden transition between the resignation of former coach Jason Kerr and the hiring of current coach Shawn Bennis.

A junior high girls basketball coach through last season, Stobert also served as the Golden Rams girls varsity and JV scorekeeper.

“There is so much going on right now with the fall seasons starting, but I am excited to be a part of it and see what our teams can do,” Stobert said.

“I am ready to ride the bus to the football game (at Ambridge) Friday.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Highlands