Current Parkview High School athletic director Mark Whitley, a longtime local high school coach and administrator, will be the new athletic director for George Walton Academy according to an announcement made by the schools administration this Tuesday.
The announcement comes after a lengthy hiring process in which GWA coaches met with several promising candidates during their campus visits. Whitley, a Monroe native, will take the reins of the Bulldog athletic program as soon as schedules allow.
We were fortunate to have a number of well-qualified candidates who applied for this position, said GWA headmaster Dan Dolan. Being able to find someone with Marks experience who also shared a commitment to all the things our school community values seemed like the perfect fit. Were blessed to have a strong team of coaches and athletic staff already in place, and bringing Mark on board just pulls the package together.
Im excited to come back home, said Whitley, who left the athletic director position at Monroe Area High School in 1999 when he moved over to Parkview. After 32 years in public education, this decision is all about God’s timing for me. Ive competed against folks in private education for many years now. Whitley went on to say that he knows private school teams, like others, face their own set of challenges. Im excited for that challenge, he said. I’m ready to see the GWA athletic program become what it has been, what it already is, and what it will be.
In addition to serving as Parkview High Schools athletic director for the last 18 years, Whitley is the football defensive line coach and helped lead the Panthers to GHSA 7A state football championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Hes also the strength and conditioning coach as well as the assistant track coach. Throughout his career, he has led a number of high school teams for both girls and boys sports.
