When an athletic coaching position opens at this school, the process of finding the right candidate is more than just filling a role, it’s about maintaining the standard for the program. From posting job listings to final hiring decisions, multiple steps are involved in selecting the best leader for student-athletes.

The First Steps: Posting the Job

One of the first steps in the hiring process is spreading the word about the open position. Athletic director intern and senior Aiden Post plays a key role in this, managing the online presence of the school’s athletic department. “I run the @tswathletics Instagram as well as posting the open job application on our school’s website,” Post said.
Once the job is posted, candidates begin submitting their applications, and the process moves into the evaluation stage.

Qualifications and Reviewing Candidates

While the minimum requirement to coach in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is simply being an adult and passing a fingerprint background check, Athletic Director Alan Lightsey looks for far more when reviewing applicants. “We look for people that are certified, people that have experience, and look at resumes. For example, right now we’re looking for a boys’ soccer coach. We have 12 people applying for the job,” Lightsey said.
Beyond reviewing resumes, Lightsey reaches out to contacts within the county’s athletic community to gather insight on potential hires. “I’ll talk to people that I know, especially if they’ve coached in the county elsewhere. I’ll talk to other athletic directors and find out about individual coaches. I’ll talk to other people that have coached in certain organizations with coaches, and just get a sense of who they like and who they don’t like, and then I’ll bring people in for interviews,” Lightsey said.

Making the Final Decision

While Lightsey plays a key role in evaluating candidates, the ultimate hiring decision falls to the school’s principal. “Every coach that’s in the building, they are employed by the principal. They’re not employed by me. I’ll be in the interview. I will call references, and then I report back to the principal, who ultimately makes the decision,” Lightsey said.

Challenges in the Hiring Process

Coaches take on a demanding role that extends far beyond game days. While Lightsey believes the hiring process is effective, he feels that some of the requirements placed on coaches could be adjusted. “I think that we require way too much, [MCPS] asks way too much of coaches before the season even starts, like all the different classes that they have to take, all the different classes that they have to take again every two years. I think some of that stuff becomes redundant, and it wears a lot of our coaches down.”

However, for athletes, the uncertainty of the hiring process can be frustrating. “The process has been pretty unclear, which has left us in the dark, but I trust Mr. Lightsey to make the right choice,” rising senior and three-year soccer player Shreyas Ganeshan said.

Looking Ahead

As this school searches for its next era of coaches, the hiring process remains a crucial part of shaping this school’s athletic programs. While there are challenges, this system aims to bring in coaches who not only have experience but also align with the school’s values and goals. With so much happening behind the scenes, hiring a coach is more than just a job listing, it’s about finding the right leader to guide student-athletes on and off the field.