Ron Simar, Director of Athletics

Mr. Simar brings to his position high school and college playing experience as well as a variety of coaching experience.  But as valuable as this experience, he says, is the opportunity to “make a difference in kids’ lives with respect to the way in which they value athletics.”  He believes in the school’s athletic motto “hard work, fair play, clean life”. In the academic setting, athletics can and must be an extension of the classroom with coaches as role models and teachers.

Mr. Simar is pleased with the wide variety of athletic offerings and hopes that students will continue to participate and take advantage of these opportunities. He fully expects each year to bring continued improvement on these teams both within the MAPL as well as in the many non-league competitions the teams face. Mr. Simar recalls his favorite Mercersburg athletic moment: “One of our football players, who had just made an outstanding game-saving quarterback sack in the last seconds of a big game, reached out his hand to help up the quarterback instead of doing the ‘everyone-look-at-me celebration dance’ that is so common these days.”

Heather Reichhart, Associate Director of Athletics

Ms. Reichhart has enjoyed watching all of the Mercersburg teams reach a goal or improve in some way.  She is happy for the players when they win the ‘big game’ but also when they give a team a ‘run for their money.’  It is especially rewarding for her to see a student come in as a JV player and, through hard work and dedication, move up and ‘make it’ on the varsity squad.

When she’s not on the field coaching, the best part of her day is when “kids stop in my office to chat or just say hi. I am happy that they feel that they can do that and that I have been able to make those connections with them.”      


Marilyn Houck, Head Athletic Trainer

Ms. Houck has been taping Mercersburg athletes back together for over 20 years.  While she enjoys her job greatly, each year she hopes, for the sake of the athletes, to see fewer and fewer students!  Fortunately for the players and coaches, she follows the philosophy of getting the athletes back to a safe level of play in a reasonable amount of time after an injury occurs.

Ms. Houck particularly enjoys watching the young athletes grow and mature throughout their Mercersburg athletic experience.  It is rewarding for her to be able to follow the success of some of the athletes she has worked with as they go on to play in college.
    
Danny Carroll, Assistant Athletic Trainer

Mr. Carroll joined Ms. Houck in 2005 as the school’s first full-time assistant
athletic trainer. While working closely with the football and wrestling teams, all Mercersburg athletes have benefited from his expertise. “I’m committed to the health and well-being of all of our athletes,” he says, “and to their safe return to competition once injury has occurred.”

Mr. Carroll enjoys working with the student-athletes and “watching their progressions as students, athletes, and people.”

Mike Collins, Athletics Facilities Supervisor

Mr. Collins has served as not only the athletics facilities supervisor at the Academy but also as an assistant ski coach. However, most students recognize him from his frequent presence at so many of the athletics contests. He is a steadfast supporter of the Blue Storm: He enjoys watching the Storm perform, improve, and succeed and recalls with a smile the 2005 baseball season when the team brought home both the MAPL and PA Independent School State Championships.

Jan Devlin, Administrative Assistant for Athletics