Panel Formed 
To Find 
Athletic Director

Monday, December 9, 2013

— A search committee has been formed to find the next athletic director for the Fayetteville School District.

Fayetteville received 36 applications for the position prior to the Nov. 26 deadline, with 13 applicants currently employed within the district. Of those who applied within the school system, seven are current coaches.

They are boys basketball coach Kyle Adams, girls soccer coach Joe Thoma, head football coach Daryl Patton, golf coach Scott Williams, assistant football coach Tim Miller, assistant football coach and head track coach Drew Yoakum and Ramay Junior High football coach Craig Foringer.

Six more district applicants include high school assistant principals Byron Zeagler and Bobby Smith, Fayetteville AP math teacher Andrew Glad, Owl Creek Elementary teacher David McClure, Holt Middle School and Owl Creek physical education teacher 
Brandon Craft and Fayetteville High fine arts 
and creative expression program lead teacher Mark White. Former athletic director Barry Gebhart resigned on Oct. 25 following his arrest in connection with Internet stalking of a minor. Fayetteville Superintendent Vicki Thomas immediately accepted Gebhart’s resigation and the district posted the job opening with a 
Nov. 26 deadline to submit applications.

The Fayetteville school board approved Gebhart’s resignation at its Nov. 21 meeting. Steve Jacoby, Fayetteville High School principal, was named interim athletic director by Thomas during the search. Jacoby is part of an 11-person search committee that includes Fayetteville School District Human Resource officer Greg Mones, 
Woodland Junior High Principal Anita Lawson, Ramay Junior High Principal Matt Saferite, as well as various coaches in several boys 
and girls sports in the district.

Mones said all candidates are still under evaluation before the committee determines who to move along in the final interview stage of the search.

“We’re still kind of working through the process,” Mones said.

The committee hopes to have a recommendation to Thomas at the next scheduled school board meeting on Dec. 19.

At A Glance

Fayetteville Athletic Director Applicants

Name, Current Position

Kyle Adams, Head Boys Basketball Coach, Fayetteville

Kevin Billings, Student, University of Arkansas Recreation and Sport Management Masters of Education Program

Ron Bradley, Head Baseball Coach, Rogers State University, Claremore, Okla.

Louis Campbell, Head Football Coach-Athletic Director, Sheridan

Blake Cook, Head Football Coach, Springdale George Junior High

Brandon Craft, Physical Education Teacher, Fayetteville Public Schools

Kerwin Dees, Former Athletic Director, Lexington Christian Academy, Lexington, Ky.

Theodore S. Farah, Head Track/Cross Country Coach, Wilton (Conn.) High School

Craig Foringer, Head Football Coach/Health Teacher, Fayetteville Ramay Junior High

Daniel Gill, Associate Athletic Director, University School at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Andrew Glade, AP Math Teacher, Fayetteville High School

James Griffin, Vice Principal/Athletic Administor, Bolton (Tenn.) High

John Hayden, Athletic Director/Assistant Principal, Watson Chapel High School

Brian Huens, Athletic Director, Bakersfield (Cal.) North High School

Chris Jackson, Athletic Director, Rialto (Cal.) Carter High School

Jody Jenkins, Principal, Ozark High School

Dale Harpenau, Head Baseball Coach/Athletic Director, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Steve Janski, Head Football Coach/Athletic Director, Heber Springs

Julie Long, Head Girls Soccer Coach, Bryant

David McClure, Assistant Principal, Owl Creek Elementary, Fayetteville

Doug Mosley, Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Communications, University of Cincinnati

Tim Miller, Assistant Football Coach, Fayetteville High School

Gary Neal Jr., History Teacher, Branson (Mo.) Public Schools

Daryl Patton, Head Football Coach/Assistant Athletic Director, Fayetteville High School

Corey Roy, Athletic Director, Neosho, Mo.

Jeff Shaw, Head Cross Country/Girls Track Coach, Rogers Heritage High School

Bobby G. Smith, Assistant Principal, Fayetteville High School

Joe Thoma, Head Girls Soccer Coach/
Assistant Football Coach, Fayetteville

Tony Travis, Head Football Coach/Athletic Director, Pea Ridge High School

Terry Gene Vansandt, ALE Teacher, Mountainburg Public Schools

Ed Viera, Head Wrestling Coach/Assistant Football Coach, Maumelle High School

Mark White, Leader Teacher for Fine Arts and Creative Expression Program, Fayetteville High School

Scott Williams, Head Golf Coach/Science teacher, Fayetteville High School

Stephen Wood, Athletic Director, Greenbrier Public Schools

Drew Yoakum, Head Track Coach/Assistant Football Coach-U.S. History Teacher, Fayetteville High School

Byron Zeagler, Assistant Principal, Fayetteville High School