St. Mary’s Ryken is pleased to announce that Duane Atherton has been named the school’s new athletic director.
News Release, St. Mary’s Ryken High School
Leonardtown, MD- Mr. Atherton comes to SMR with over 28 years of teaching experience from the Calvert and St. Mary’s County public school systems in the area of physical education. He has also been on the SMR football coaching staff for 7 years as an assistant coach and the defensive coordinator for the team. In the local community, Mr. Atherton has also coached baseball, basketball, football, track, and wrestling.?
“I’m excited for the opportunity to work with the St. Mary’s Ryken athletic department and the entire school community,” said Duane Atherton. “The faculty and staff are extremely talented and devoted to supporting students for academic and athletic excellence. My philosophy consists of four points of emphasis: supporting the SMR mission of academic excellence and individualized student growth, implementing a pro-active approach to developing character, leadership, and spiritual growth at the forefront of the athletic program, leading each of the 40 SMR athletic teams through successful and competitive seasons by continuing to provide coaches and student-athletes with the necessary tools to compete at a high level in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. I look forward to working with such an inspiring group of educators and coaches.”
Mr. Atherton earned his bachelor’s of science degree in education with a concentration in coaching from The State College of New York (SUNY) Cortland.
“Mr. Atherton has been a valued member of our athletic department for several years, and we are thrilled that he is officially joining the staff as the new athletic director,” said SMR President Dr. Rick Wood. “He is very familiar with the mission and values of our community and the level of competition that is expected from members of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. Mr. Atherton will be a valuable asset to the athletic department by helping to strengthen our community relationships, supporting all of our student-athletes on and off of the field, and collaborating with the Donnie Williams Center staff to encourage more of our students to become active with new events and intramural sports on campus.”