THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604240153
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Before a new head football coach is selected, Wilson High School will have to get an athletic director.
Dave Willett, who has been Wilson's athletic director since the school was merged with Manor, has submitted his resignation. He became Manor's athletic director in 1992.
A government teacher, Willett will continue in that position.
``I'll certainly miss many of the activities, but I want to spend more time with my wife and daughter,'' said Willett. ``On too many days, this is a 10- or 12-hour job and the duties just continue to increase.''
Willett has had a long affiliation with high school athletics in Portsmouth.
He was head coach of golf, cross country and indoor track at Cradock High School in a 16-year stint at that school. For five years, he was an assistant football coach for the Admirals.
In 1987, the Downtown Athletic Club named Willett as the Portsmouth high school Coach of the Year. While at Cradock, Willett also was chosen as Teacher of the Year on three occasions and received the Principal's Award.
When Bruce Phelps resigned at Manor to accept a position at Tallwood in Virginia Beach as student activities coordinator, Willett became athletic director.
Most of the current coaches at Wilson were chosen during his tenure.
Due to illness, Joe Ladisic has resigned as football coach. He also stepped down as baseball coach.
``I won't be in on the selection of the new football coach,'' said Willett. ``The new athletic director will be appointed first and that will be one of his first chores - to assist in the interviews for that job.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Dave Willett, also a government teacher, will continue in that
position.
KEYWORDS: RESIGNATION by CNB