Manatee High AD Jason Montgomery promoted to oversee all county athletic programs

MANATEE -- The head of athletics at Manatee High School is being promoted to a new position at the district level, pending Manatee County School Board approval.

Jason Montgomery has been named district supervisor of athletics and physical education, a position approved by the school board in June to help manage middle and high school athletics.

Montgomery, 41, said he loves the job he has at Manatee High, but is looking forward to the new position.

"Hopefully, it'll take a little bit of the load off the principals and athletic directors," he said Thursday.

Montgomery will assist school athletic directors with scheduling, contracts, coach certifications, budget allocations, facility use and student eligibility, according to the district. He'll also coordinate district driver's education programs.

Montgomery will report at the district level to Cynthia Saunders, executive director of secondary schools.

"Over time it was one of the positions that was eliminated, then never filled," Saunders said in June when bringing the position before the board. "It is a very common position for most districts that are mid- to large-sized."

Montgomery earned a master's degree in education leadership from Northcentral University in Prescott, Ariz., and is pursuing a Ph.D. in sports administration from the same university. He brings nearly two decades of experience in athletics at high school and post-secondary levels to his new position, according to the district.

Prior to his tenure at Manatee High, he served as director of athletics at Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, Nature Coast Technical High School in Brooksville and Saint Catharine College in Kentucky. As women's basketball coach at McKeel Academy in Lakeland and Nature Coast Technical High School, he captured 208 career wins over 11 seasons and was named Coach of the Year by media and his peers 13 times.

Montgomery began in the district in February 2014. While at Manatee High, Montgomery hired head coaches in nine of 22 school sports. During the 2014-15 school year, Manatee High produced two team and three individual state champions and athletes on 19 of 22 teams posted cumulative GPAs of more than 3.0.

The athletic director position at Manatee High will be posted soon and Montgomery will assist in the search and transition for his replacement.

If approved by the board July 28, Montgomery will start his new role July 29. He said Manatee High will still be a priority until a replacement is found.

"I'll have my foot in both worlds until we get someone here," Montgomery said.

Fall sports practice starts Aug. 3.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter @MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee High AD Jason Montgomery promoted to oversee all county athletic programs ."