Agoura’s first year AD growing into job

MICHAEL COONS/The Acorn Agoura High School Athletic Director Sara Richards

Sara Richards is enjoying her first year as athletic director of Agoura High School. The Oklahoma native didn’t necessarily expect to be in such a position just two and a half years after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma, but she’s thriving in the role nonetheless.

"It was a little overwhelming at the beginning," Richards said last week from her office within the Agoura gym complex. "But I’ve had a lot of support from veteran coaches and from past athletic directors that are still here. So that’s made the transition easier."

The athletic director post requires skills that include dealing with rules and regulations, but at the same time it’s necessary to enjoy working with kids in a hands-on way, said the new Charger AD.

"This office is a lot of paperwork, scheduling officials and things like that," Richards said. "So just getting organized and getting on track was the beginning … But ultimately, this job is all about students and helping them."

Richards and the athletes who play sports at Agoura share a common bond; they face demanding schedules and full days.

"Student-athletes on this campus are very busy and have hectic schedules," she said. "So we’d like for the program to run smoothly. We always try and remind our athletes that they are students first, and that grades and their academics come above anything else."

To maintain integrity in the classroom, coaches must cooperate with the mindset that studies come first. Agoura is known for having students who do achieve scholastically and the new Charger AD wants to keep that tradition.

"Agoura is very proud of their academic programs," Richards said. "And the coaches are very good about making sure that the students have plenty of time to do their homework and study for their classes."

Having played high school basketball in Oklahoma, Richards knows that the value of athletics in school can be instructive, complementing the classroom.

"I think the athletic program builds a very well-rounded student," she said. "They can take things that they learn out on the basketball court or out on the soccer field, and apply that to being a better student."

Richards took over the job of Agoura’s AD the same year that AHS assumed the presidency of the Marmonte League. (It rotates each year from school to school). Stepping in at that juncture wasn’t easy, but it’s been rewarding, she said.

Richards cites Royal’s AD Jim Wilber and many colleagues at Agoura, including water polo coach Jason Rosenthal, football coach Charlie Wegher, phys. ed and health teacher and former AD John Crow and assistant principal in charge of athletics Dr. Mark Capritto (among others) with helping make the switch from teacher to teacher/AD.

"It is a competitive league and it’s been really interesting getting to know the other principals and athletic directors at other schools," she said. "I’ve had to learn a lot and ask a lot of questions to kind of find out where we stand and how Agoura fits into all of it."

The new Agoura athletic director, who still teaches two classes of European history this year, was asked if she could see herself being a role model for her school’s coeds.

"I think that encouraging girls to come out for athletics and to be part of a program that will definitely help them throughout their lives, and into their careers, is something that I see being very important," she said. "It’s good for them to see you’re a woman, and you can do pretty much whatever you choose to."

Richards knows the turnover rate is high for athletic directors in this area—if not everywhere—but she plans on staying a while.

"Agoura High School has become a great family for me," she said. "It’s helped the transition from a very kind of low-paced, low-key atmosphere in Oklahoma, to the big L.A.-area. There really isn’t any other place that I’d rather be right now."