SHEPAS NAMED AD AT HARDING

COLUMBIANA, OH- In a recent episode of YSN “Coach’s Corner,” DJ Yokley sat down with Rick Shepas, the newly appointed athletic director at Warren G. Harding High School. Shepas, a veteran in the realm of high school sports administration and coaching, shared his insights and vision for the new role, emphasizing his student-first philosophy and commitment to community building.

Shepas, who has had a storied career with many stops along the way, expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Warren G. Harding community. “When you look at what Steve Chiaro is doing with the school district, the brand new buildings, the way the buildings are kept, the pride that the community has in their traditions over at Warren Harding, I think they’re in a great place to do some special things,” said Shepas. He highlighted the school’s new center, which aims to blend athletic and academic excellence, particularly through innovative STEM programming.

At the core of Shepas’s approach is a focus on students. “Every decision is based off of what they’re doing to serve their young people in the community. That’s what I’ve always been about from day one in my career,” he emphasized. Shepas firmly believes that the well-being and development of students should drive every decision made within the educational and athletic frameworks.

Warren G. Harding boasts a rich athletic tradition, and Shepas is committed to reviving and building upon this legacy. “You have to embrace your past as you move towards the future, to maintain that standard that we’re talking about,” Shepas noted. He articulated a clear strategy for program development, one that begins with strengthening the foundation: “It starts with a top-down philosophy where you put the right coaches in place at the top of the food chain with those varsity sports.”

Shepas is known for his “velvet hammer” approach—soft yet firm. “You have an approach and you’re not going to go in and get in a bunch of people’s faces and tell them how it is. You have a velvet hammer approach,” Yokley remarked. Shepas’s method involves setting high standards while maintaining a nurturing environment. “The accountabilities on how you run your program is where the focus should be. If we’re buttoned up and we’re doing the very best that we can for our kids in the development, in the mental processes as well right now, the training process and then the nutrition process,” he explained.

For Shepas, building a successful athletic program is more than just fostering talent—it’s about creating a holistic culture that supports students on multiple levels. “You’d be surprised the esports population out in Warren. They’re getting more people involved in esports,” he mentioned, showcasing his inclusive vision that extends beyond traditional sports. He also stressed the importance of nutritional support: “I was thoroughly impressed that there’s an active kitchen, a live kitchen in each school,” highlighting how even meal times can be opportunities for growth and bonding.

Collaboration is key to success in Shepas’s eyes. “We need to share athletes. We need to share athletes without any coaches feeling either paranoid or nervous that any one of those coaches was going to try to force a kid not to play another sport,” he said. By fostering a cooperative environment among coaches, Shepas aims to provide a balanced and enriching experience for students.

As Shepas embarks on this new journey, he is optimistic about the possibilities. “I think you’re going to see a well-disciplined group of athletes come out of that athletic department. I think that’s going to have a great impact on the school,” he predicted. His goal is to instill a sense of discipline, respect, and excellence that extends beyond the athletic field and into all aspects of student life.

Shepas’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Warren G. Harding, and with his student-first philosophy and experienced leadership, the future looks bright for this storied athletic program. As he succinctly put it, “We’re going to do this the Warren way and move forward together on that with all of our coaches.”

With a commitment to honoring the past while innovating for the future, Rick Shepas is poised to help bring Warren G. Harding to new heights.

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