DAYTON--Since she was hired in November, Dayton School District's athletic director, Vicki Luper, has had her hands full.

Although she works on a part time basis, Luper wears many hats, including pitch-hitting for High School Principal Kristina Brown, when Brown needs extra help.

And, as Dayton's chief athletic booster, she has a visible presence on game days.

"I enjoy being back in a small school," Luper said. "In a small community athletics are a big part of the community feel. I think that's really important. I'm really thankful for the opportunity."

While she is happy to be in Dayton, Luper said there have been some challenges with jumping into a newly established athletic combine.

Luper said she has had to familiarize herself with the planning process behind the combine, get to know all the students and staff at both schools, make sure both communities are informed in a timely fashion and help find coaches for the individual sports programs.

There are also some transportation challenges with getting kids back and forth to practices and games, she said.

"The kids like it," said Luper about Dayton's athletic combine with Waitsburg schools. "They understand it gives them an opportunity to participate."

Luper said teacher Dan Nechodom has just been hired as head coach for Track and Field, and interviews are underway for middle school and high school assistant coaches. Interviews are also being held for assistant coaches for baseball, and for girls' softball.

"Then we will be ready to start spring sports, on Feb. 25," she said.

Luper was born and raised in Lewiston, Ida.

In 1986, she received a bachelor of arts degree in Physical Education and Health from the University of Idaho.

She taught and coached, mainly on the west side of the state.

It was while teaching in Washougal, Wash. that she experienced an athletic combine, when the Washougal School District combined with the Camas School District, for girls' soccer.

Luper said that combine gave the students an opportunity to play, until the districts could grow their own programs, which they did.

After eleven years of teaching and coaching, Luper said she began casting around for a new challenge.

She enrolled in a class at Clark Community College, which was the catalyst for achieving a master's degree in Athletic Administration.

Her first administrative job was in Sultan, Wash. She also worked in the Oak Harbor School District before moving back to Lewiston, in 2018, to be closer to her family.

Luper said she received a tip through the Association of Washington School Principals about the job opening in the Dayton School District, interviewed, was hired, and started working on November 13.