Jacob Dimond / jake@yelmonline.com
A new era is underway in Yelm High School’s athletic department, as longtime FFA adviser and agriculture teacher Matt Mounts has been hired as the new YHS athletic director and will oversee more than 20 athletic programs at the school.
The hiring of Mounts became official during a Yelm School Board meeting on Thursday, June 26, when five school board members unanimously approved new hires, leaves of absence, resignations, retirements, terminations and staffing changes. His position change specifically states “Teacher (career and technical education) to Athletic Director.”
“With my kids participating in athletics and FFA, I have found myself living in both worlds and balancing both is very difficult. My ultimate goal has always been to help young people be the best they can be, and taking the AD job still allows me to do that and be present for my family. I will still play a role in the Yelm FFA, lending my time towards developing kids to be their best and focusing on those areas I’m passionate about,” Mounts told the Nisqually Valley News. “I am looking forward to using the past 25 years of leadership development in the FFA and applying a lot of those concepts towards the athletic department at Yelm. I want to see kids experience success and find ways to push themselves beyond their limits. This is something I have always done throughout my career and now I get to do it through a new avenue.”
Former Athletic Director Rob Hill, who began his tenure in that position during the 2018-19 school year, told the Nisqually Valley News that he took a new position in the physical education department at YHS to allow him time to watch his daughter, Meridee Hill, compete collegiately for Eastern Oregon University’s soccer program, and to take care of his parents.
That move was also approved during a Yelm School Board meeting on Thursday, June 26, and his position change specifically states “YCS Athletic Director to YHS Physical Education.”
“It was just time for me to move to a different spot to serve kids,” Hill told the Nisqually Valley News.
“I definitely feel like I left it a better place than I found it, as far as the athletic department and programs go,” he said. “I’ll really miss the coaches. We have a phenomenal group of coaches, and I’ll really miss my relationships with them. The current building administration is absolutely the best I’ve ever worked with in 20-something years of education. They get it. They understand. It’s been great to work with them.”
While reflecting on his seven-year tenure as AD in Yelm, Hill was thankful for all of the memories made along the way, including two 3A football state championship appearances and one state championship victory, a YHS boys track and field team 3A state championship victory, numerous state champion wrestlers and track athletes, state appearances in dance and cheer, and an abundance of state tournament qualifiers in cross country, bowling and track.
“A lot of good things happened. Obviously, the big things were multiple state championships. Some good people were hired. A priority of mine was to make sure we had good people coaching kids, because that’s important,” Hill said. “We turned Friday nights into events for our community, rather than what it used to be. Facilities have improved a lot. I don’t know how much that had to do with me, but facilities improved a lot. I feel like there’s more respect for the brand than there used to be.”
Change is inevitable in life, and both YCS employees view their opportunities in new positions as a chance to grow and continue developing their profession. For Mounts, when the opportunity of becoming Yelm’s new AD came his way, the longtime FFA adviser knew he had a lot to consider.
“It definitely gave me something to consider when that opportunity came my way. I thought about it for a long time, weighing all the pros and cons, thinking about new challenges that would come my way. In the end, choosing that athletic director position is a challenge that would be fun, exciting and puts me in a good place to support my kids and their athletic journeys,” Mounts said. “I’ve been at Yelm Community Schools for 25 years, and I have attended hundreds of sporting events over the years. I announce football, wrestling and attend fastpitch and baseball. I’ve announced track and been to a number of different sporting events. I’ve always really enjoyed talking to students about their athletic journeys, upcoming games and events. I see this as a very exciting opportunity to have an influence and build upon the foundation that was laid before me.”
Hill added, “I’m excited to give this next chapter over to Matt Mounts. He’s got deep roots here in Yelm, and has been serving the community in Yelm. There’s no fear on my end that we’re going to go backwards. Matt will continue to grow what’s been started.”
