Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
Issue link: https://ballantynemagazine.epubxp.com/i/42111
teach a class and there are 30 e-mails waiting for me. There really is no typical day. That is what I like. I'm a jack-of-all- trades type. I like variety and in this job you get it every day." The school opened in August 2006, and Feeney has been there since the beginning, a shift from working for the Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) as the assistant director of athletics for seven years. "It was a little isolating for me," she says of her last job. "The fun part was going to watch a game to see how everyone set things up." "We have team moms for every sport and they organize pre-game meals. They just really are so supportive," Feeney says of Ardrey Kell's spirit. "I couldn't do it all. I couldn't set up meals for 29 teams." As to being a woman in a sea of male ADs, Feeney says it doesn't faze her and "shouldn't faze anyone." But she'd sure try. "We have 20 high school athletic directors in CMS and I know we all do the same thing — we all put in a lot of hours, we all care for our students and we all try to provide the best equipment, uniforms or facilities," she says. "Every school is different, but we all have those WINTER 2010-2011 core values and we do it for the kids because we remember our high school experiences and how neat they were." Feeney says she grew up a jock in a largely all-male neighborhood in Indiana. It was a good training ground for Ball State, where she played basketball, fast-pitch softball, field hockey and badminton. It's a well-rounded outlook she extends to her athletic program. "An AD has to be open to ALL the sports," she says. "I would never want someone to think I'm not fair to one or another." Her well-rounded efforts have paid off with the school capturing a Wachovia Conference Cup last year for its overall program. As to being a woman in a sea of male ADs, Feeney says it doesn't faze her and "shouldn't faze anyone." "The job is putting in hours and loving what you do, so I don't think gender has anything to do with it," she says, admitting she might be harder on female athletes. "I'll say, 'You don't understand; 30 years ago we shared the same uniform in high school for all three sports. Be proud of what you're doing.' I want them to know we had people before us who blazed a trail." Feeney says it'll be awhile before the impact of the economy is seen in the school's athletic participation, but maintains that protecting middle school athletics — and all athletic programs — is a priority. And while managing expectations for college scholarships remains a challenge, Feeney stresses that it returns to fostering well-rounded students. "We always stress that academics come first. That's why 'student' is in front of the 'athlete' word," she says. "You instill in them what's important and everything else will follow suit." She adds, "I'm into the holistic thing. I want that well-rounded student who's great academically, works hard athletically and is just a good, quality student." She recently spoke to a marketing class about the role of ADs. "I said, 'Next time you go to a game, cheer but look around — look at the trash can that's overflowing. Look at the booster parents selling concessions. And look at the police maintaining security. Look at other things besides what you would probably normally look at because that's what ADs do. "We don't get to enjoy the game that much," she noted. "We are making sure the game is enjoyable for everyone else." Kevin Christmas's last name suits him. The 41-year-old embodies the ease and warmth of the holiday that shares his name. Kevin Christmas The Family Guy Kevin Christmas Charlotte Catholic High Kevin Christmas's last name suits him. The 41-year-old embodies the ease and warmth of the holiday that shares his name. He walks with a relaxed gait. He smiles easily. You trust him immediately. Students smile back at him willingly in the hallway. Family photos of wife Liane CELEBRATING TEN YEARS 2000-2010 and children Jack and Georgia Lee (twin seventh-graders) and fifth-grader Lindsay haphazardly dot his bright-red office among dozens of team photos. He's been an AD for 10 years. "I graduated from Elon College in '91. Moved to Charlotte and started teaching 4- and 5-year- olds at Park Road Baptist Church Child Development Center, and I'd drive by Charlotte Catholic every day," he explains. "I stopped BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE 79