Mansfield City Schools’ new Athletic Director describes his responsibilities in a single word: supportive.
“I believe that my job is a supportive job. How can we work together to support kids and do all we can for them before they leave this building?” said Kevin Porter, who comes to Mansfield from Janesville, Wisconsin.
The board of education approved a three-year contract for Porter in June. Porter served 13 years as athletic director in two of Wisconsin’s larger school districts, La Follette High School in Madison and the School District of Janesville. Earlier, he was assistant athletic director at the University of Akron and Northeastern University in Boston and assistant director of facilities at the University of Cincinnati.
Porter has been working in his office at Mansfield Senior High with interim director Laurie Romano (see photo). He recently met with fall sports athletes and their parents. “Right now, I’m in a learning process,” he said. “What do we do well? What are our challenges? What are the strengths of our coaches? How can we support them?”
At Wickliffe High School in northern Ohio, Porter played basketball and football, ran cross country and track – including the shuttle hurdles relay. “My whole family were hurdlers,” he said with a laugh.
Porter’s athletic skills earned him a track scholarship to the University of Tennessee, where he graduated in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in education, business/marketing. He then received a master’s degree in sport management in 1995 from West Virginia University.
Porter’s wife, Kelly, and daughters Ryann and Bree will remain in Wisconsin for the coming school year.
Ryann, a high school junior, is a track standout in the triple jump, an event that is not offered in Ohio. She broke her own record with an effort of 38 feet, 4.5 inches on June 1 that earned her second place at the WIAA state track and field meet.
Bree plays basketball at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh.
“Being here without my family will be tough,” Porter said, “but we will stay in touch through Facebook Live.” And, he said, during the Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks, and some three-day weekends, “I’ll put a lot of miles on my car.”
Source, Photo: Mansfield City Schools
