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Two years ago, Myers accepted the job to replace one of South Hagerstown’s longtime fixtures. Now, he’s about to do it again ... this time at Smithsburg.
Myers, who replaced the retiring Mike Tesla as South Hagerstown’s athletic director in 2016, was named to become the AD at Smithsburg effective July 1, replacing Teresa Bachtell — another longtime fixture who will be stepping down at the end of this school year.
Myers’ move to Smithsburg was approved by Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Boyd Michael on Friday.
“A lot of people have been wondering why I’m doing this,” Myers said. “South is a big school and I’m going to a smaller school. But Smithsburg has all the same sports as South.
“At South, I was an assistant to Mike and learned a lot. He had been there 20-plus years when he left. Now I’m going to a job to replace Teresa, who’s been there for 25 years. With the experience I have picked up — and with the job the Teresa has done with the Smithsburg program — I can hit the job running.”
Myers becomes the second AD who will change jobs next year. Last month, Hancock’s Bill Sterner was hired to take over Clear Spring’s athletic program, replacing Lisa Shives — who also is stepping down after a long stay with the Blazers.
Myers, a Williamsport graduate, has spent 10 years as a teacher, coach and AD at South. He was the Rebels boys soccer coach before resigning in order to prepare for an AD position. Besides taking the required classes, he “interned” under Tesla.
“The time under Mike was great,” Myers said. “But Smithsburg is a new challenge. Teresa has been there for as long as I can remember ... I’m not sure who she replaced. I’m looking forward to it.”
Although Myers was immersed with South, he has a background of Smithsburg by working and attending county AD meetings with Bachtell over the last two years.
Myers was intrigued by Smithsburg and its image.
“I think the volleyball team and the baseball team have the same motto they display,” he said. “It’s ‘Tradition Never Graduates.’ At Smithsburg, it’s something they live by. They never seem to be rebuilding and the community is so close-knit and tight. It travels to support its teams. They love their teams. Smithsburg is strong year in and year out.
“The volleyball team has tradition. The softball and baseball teams are established. So is lacrosse. The football team is not as big as South’s with 100 players coming out, but they remain strong.”
Smithsburg also has been strong in track and field over the years. Volleyball and baseball has carried the mantle for the last few years. The Leopards have won eight of the last nine Class 1A state volleyball titles, and the baseball team has made several deep runs, winning the state title in 2014.
That’s not to say that South hasn’t had its successes during his 10 years at the school.
“South is just in a down period right now,” Myers said. “Some of the participation is down. But it will come back. There are a lot of young families in the area and that will help South build back up.”
It’s the same formula Myers is looking at for Smithsburg, too.
“There is the development right across from the school with young families living there,” he said. “Smithsburg is growing and will be stronger in the next 5-6 years. Lacrosse is trending up and girls basketball could get more help. It should help football, too.”
Myers admits Smithsburg was a program he “admired from afar.” He spoke of how Smithsburg played a recent lacrosse game at South.
“It was our biggest crowd of the year,” he said. “And everyone was wearing purple.”
The goal is to take the strong athletic program Bachtell helped create and make it better.
“I’m excited to try some things that I wanted to do at South,” Myers said. “I know that I might hear that ‘Teresa did this or that.’ I got that at a certain level when I took over for Mike. An athletic director is like being an architect. You have a foundation, you keep it and you try to build and make changes on it.
“Teresa has set the foundation with everything she has put in place. I want to improve it and look at it with a new set of eyes like I did with Mike.”
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