For most students, game day means pulling up their ticket on the GoFan app at the entrance to the game and getting a bulldog stamp on their hand. Behind this simple process lie hours of planning, preparation and effort that make the entire game experience possible. From coordinating security to allocating fields, Jesse Smith, WCHS’s athletic director, is the mastermind behind making sure all sports teams and events run smoothly.
According to @Dawgssports on Instagram, over 72 percent of students, from the 2023 to 2024 school year, participated in a sport as of the third marking period, making athletics a crucial aspect of WCHS. With so many student-athletes, making sure that all of them on both the varsity and JV levels get a chance to play requires months of planning.
“The scheduling process for the next year begins in December and [runs through] the spring,” Smith said. “There are thousands of contests planned during this time, and it is a huge undertaking as there are so many things that have to be considered and taken into account.”
Two items that always must be factored into a contest are referees and security. Referees are randomly assigned to a contest by the MCPS Athletics Office, but there are often inconsistencies in the schedule, requiring Smith to step in and make sure each game is covered. Conversely, security is not provided for every event; therefore, it must be requested ahead of time. Large rivalry events, senior nights and football games are a few of the larger events that require the most security to ensure safety for all of those attending.
“During the summer, I begin looking at our schedule with administration, and we discuss games we feel may need more security than others,” Smith said. “From there, I put together a schedule used by administration, event workers and security that assigns the personnel to each game.”
Last school year, multiple fights broke out during or after a football game at a few neighboring MCPS schools, making a security presence essential for most contests, but especially football games. Moreover, varsity football games also call for the most logistical coordination.
“From getting the field spaces for the setup [for games], getting the stands and concession areas ready for the fans, to managing any special event that might go on during that time,” Smith said. “Not only are the [varsity football] games the biggest events we have throughout the school year, they also involve the most moving parts.”
Before any team can consider the idea of a game, practice has to take place. However, there are more teams than fields, particularly for fall sports, leading to teams sharing a field with two or three teams.
“[Varsity girls soccer] usually practices on the baseball field, but we occasionally have to share the field with JV boys’ or girls’ soccer, ” WCHS junior captain Katelin Chew said. “Typically, the day before games, we get the opportunity to practice on the stadium field. But when we practice there, we typically share the field with football or poms.”
Teams have been practicing in the same places for years on end. Teams like tennis, baseball and softball make allocating field space easy as they consistently practice in their clearly designated areas.. Other teams have a more challenging time figuring out their practice space, which requires Smith’s assistance.
“There are [always] things that need to be worked out. For instance, during basketball season, we have four teams using two gyms,” Smith said. “In such a situation, I have the coaches coordinate their schedules. If [coaches] get stuck, then I will come in and mediate. Priority is always given to our varsity teams in season, then to our JV teams because varsity teams are competing for a championship of some type.”
Smith’s contributions extend beyond logistics; he facilitates strong team cultures. While coaches take the lead in shaping their team, Smith supports their efforts in countless ways, making WCHS athletes truly special.
“I love the fall because it means I get to play my favorite sport with my best friends,” Chew said. “Our season goes by so fast, and traditions like our beloved beach trip and senior night, which are key to our strong team culture, could not happen without the help of Mr. Smith.”
