As the various sports teams of Wauwatosa West prepare for their respective seasons, one may wonder who makes all these sports possible. Who schedules the games, manages the games, and does all the behind the scenes work? That would be Nathan Delaney, West’s new athletic director. At first glance, one may not realize all the athletic director does. Mr. Delaney said, “There’s more going into a homecoming game than showing up at Friday night at 7:00 o’clock to watch the game.” He also works with the other athletic directors in the Woodland Conference, schedules coaches, and tries to increase academic standards. His overall job is to “provide a memorable experience for athletes.” This includes providing sufficient transportation to and from games. Last year, West spent about $100,000 on this.
This father of two is no stranger to Wisconsin; he was born in Menomonee Falls and moved to Sterling, Illinois where he was also an athletic director. He feels that moving back to Wisconsin is good for his whole family. “It’s not just going back to my roots; it’s going back to a place where I wanted to live, a place that has familiarity and opportunity.”
West’s new Athletic Director faces many of the challenges Mike Hetzel, West’s previous athletic director, had when he arrived. For example, when Mr. Hetzel came here, athletes didn’t have much of an identity. Delaney still feels that athlete’s abilities could be showcased more. Another challenge is that of raising academic standards for athletes, which he successfully did at Sterling High School.
Mr. Delaney’s work would never get done without the help of Candice Miller, an administrative assistant. Mrs. Miller keeps track of schedules, get buses, keeps track of clearance, and is the “go to person between teachers and parents.” Mr. Delaney and Mrs. Miller will hopefully prove to be a positive influence on the athletes.