Lincoln has hired a new head athletic director, filling the position that left the athletic office understaffed last year.
Matt Wiles has had many roles throughout his career in education. He was a teacher in Beaverton for 10 years and an athletic director at Roosevelt. He had also worked in the Yamhill Carlton School District for 10 years, as a vice principal and athletic director at Yamhill Carlton High School and as the principal at Yamhill Carlton Intermediate School.
“[I am looking forward to] getting used to Lincoln’s culture, getting to know the kids, getting to know the parents and the coaches and learning the lay of the land,” Wiles said.
Wiles is getting to know the students at Lincoln but says that this takes time.
“As principal and a vice principal, I always had more contact interacting with students, but now that I’m just purely Athletic Director, I don’t have as many opportunities,” said Wiles.
Wiles explains how he translates his passion for sports into his career.
“I’ve always had a passion for high school athletics. If not playing them, I was involved with them somehow since high school … I’ve learned throughout the years and through experiences it’s something I really truly enjoy doing and being a part of,” said Wiles.
As Athletic Director, Wiles will work to make sure Lincoln’s athletics teams are running smoothly.
“Athletic Directors have many responsibilities when it comes to supporting a school’s athletic teams, from making sure players are registered, coaches are certified and the field of play is ready, to ensuring there are officials for games, tickets are purchased and transportation is provided,” Wiles said. “[We spend] a lot of our days confirming schedules, talking to other schools [and] getting information to pass along to coaches and parents.”
For Wiles, being an Athletic Director is more than just scheduling.
“I like seeing the kids practice [and] compete. I like seeing them being coached and then seeing them have success on the field of play. It’s a unique experience to see kids transform from the beginning of the season to where they go at the end of the season,” said Wiles.
