Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr., Superintendent of Schools, has announced the appointment of James L. Parker as the new Director of Athletics and Student Activities for Alexandria City Public Schools.
Parker’s appointment is part of a new vision for T.C. Williams that aims to expand the number and types of programs and opportunities offered at the high school level and increase funding through public-private partnerships under the leadership of T.C. Principal Peter Balas.
The Director of Athletics and Student Activities, who will be based at T.C. Williams High School and oversee all athletic and extracurricular student activities across the school division, will be responsible for developing a vision that is aligned with the ACPS 2020 Health and Wellness Goal and further boosts the school division’s reputation as a training ground for top-tier athletes.
Parker, who is currently the Director of Sports for the Amateur Athletic Union – one of the largest youth sports organizations in the United States – has experience in developing and managing high-profile national sports programs. Under his leadership, the Amateur Athletic Union has seen a 30 percent increase in membership, an 80 percent increase in the number of televised sporting events, and the creation of a social media department and an internship program along with sponsorship deals worth close to $1 million since 2007.
Student athletics and activities are an integral part of a well-rounded school experience. T.C. Williams already has a strong reputation as a school that offers unbeatable opportunities and partnerships both on and off the field. Our goal is to now take this to the next level,” Dr. Hutchings said.
Since 2007, Parker has been responsible for managing and overseeing 35 youth and adult sports programs, ensuring rules and regulations and compliance, managing a budget of $5 million, strategic planning, coordinating with external organizations and associations, and developing policies and procedures to help ensure the efficient operation of the organization.
Prior to that, he was a sports manager for Boys and Men’s Basketball for the Amateur Athletic Union from 2000 to 2007 and assistant director of basketball operations for Richmond Rhythm in Richmond, Virginia from 1999 to 2000. He has been an instructor for sports marketing at American Public University since 2011 and currently sits on the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors and the USA Basketball Assembly Board.
As our student population continues to grow, so too do our programs and the complexities involved in running an expansive and comprehensive athletics program and student activities. Our goal is to see T.C. take on a new vision and become a flagship school for all kinds of opportunities,” said T.C. principal Peter Balas.
The director of athletics and student activities will be supported by an assistant director of operations, who will be responsible for the daily workings of student athletics to ensure all events, teams and competitions are fully supported, and a coordinator of strategic outreach, who will support the director in creating new opportunities and partnerships and to enhance public relations around daily activities and events. Edmund “Berk” Stoy will be the assistant director of athletics and student activities of operations, while Michael David Latham, a former social studies teacher, baseball coach and golf coach at T.C. Williams will be the coordinator of athletics and student activities. He will continue to coach baseball this school year.
Parker has an MBA in sport administration from Webber International University in Florida and a bachelor’s degree in sport management from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
He starts in the role on August 20.