The chaotic life of a Washington athletic director

Zeiler talks about the AD life in the last year

Drew Lawson, The Times | Last updated Mar 25, 2021 12:58pm0

Drew Lawson | The Times count

Davenport athletic director Tim Zeiler stands in the hallways of Davenport High School. Zeiler has been a teacher and AD in Davenport for 16 years.

DAVENPORT – Tim Zeiler was going through the 2019-20 academic year just like he had his previous 15 years as the athletic director and P.E. teacher at the high school. Then, a little virus called COVID-19 hit, sports were cancelled, school was shut down and the last year has been unlike anything he ever expected to face.

"It put us all on our heels, because we weren't trained to teach the way we were being asked to teach," Zeiler said. "Kids deserve the best, and online is not the best."

Zeiler also had to figure out how to be an athletic director and help guide the district through athletic cancellations before a scramble to get in shortened sports seasons began in late January.

"It's been difficult. Not only have we had to follow these strict guidelines and make sure that these kids and the spectators follow the rules, we also have to be able to re-schedule and move things on the spot," Zeiler said. "We've had to move more games, and even when we're told we have games, we have to re-schedule. It seems easy to do...but every event, it's like an octopus with many tentacles. There's a lot of little spokes that need to be contacted."

Zeiler said it's been a challenge to convince everyone, whether it's students, parents or spectators, the importance of following the guidelines required to hold sports events. He noted the added difficulty for children who see district and state tournaments being held in places like Idaho with fewer COVID-19 restrictions and wonder why that isn't the case here.

"I feel like the kids are on a teeter-totter emotionally, where some days are good and others are hard," Zeiler said. "And it's not just the kids; it's the parents, it's the community, it's the heartbeat of America...I've been in education for 38 years, and these kids, I feel for them."

He especially feels for spring athletes, who have had competitions truncated or removed two years in a row.

"Unfortunately, the kids are the ones who are suffering," Zeiler said.

Zeiler has been the Davenport AD and a P.E. teacher for 16 years. He also spent 13 years as head cross country coach before moving to an assistant position this year as he works toward retirement in two years. This year, he also got to work with preschoolers and second-graders.

Before that, he spent 15 years in Reardan and had teaching stops in Warden, Wishram, Alaska and Nez Pearce, Idaho. He's coached boys basketball, cross country and track, seeing several teams to top three state finishes and top state academic finishes. He has seen many students go on to play in college, including his daughter Sydney, who plays basketball at Eastern Oregon University.

He plans to retire in two years and focus on other interests he has, including writing a children's book and spending more time fishing.

Zeiler looks forward to retirement, but before then, he wants to leave the education world on a high note where children are participating in "normal" activities and learning to come together to fix problems America is facing.

"We need to make the right decisions so we're good role models for our kids. There's been so many immature things said or done, and these kids see that," Zeiler said. "I worry about that down the road."

Amidst the chaos of the last 12 months, Zeiler said what makes his job worth it is seeing the joy, smiles and cheer having sports back has brought students.

"If I didn't see that, I don't think I would be doing this anymore, because it's been a very difficult year for all AD's, not just me," he said. "We've had some great kids, and that's why it's so hard on me, because I see the opportunities that other kids got, and these kids aren't able to do that. That really bothers me."