There will be a changing of the guard at the helm of the Oak Harbor High School athletic program next school year.

Athletic Director Nicki Luper resigned after 11 years and will be replaced by Jerrod Fleury, who has been an assistant principal at Oak Harbor High School since 2014.

Nicki Luper

Luper is most proud of the relationships she built with students and coaches during her time at OHHS.

“They make the job special and worth every minute,” she said. “I have been in a lot of schools, and I have to say the students here are the best. They have and will continue to accomplish great things in this world.

“I also believe our coaches and faculty play a significant role in the success of students. It is rare to have as many coaches on staff that also teach our students. When talking with other Wesco AD’s, this is not the norm. It provides a great opportunity for coaches to build relationships that extend beyond the classroom.”

Plenty of fun and games as child

Surrounded by five siblings in Lewiston, Idaho, Luper grew up playing games on a daily basis, thus setting the foundation of her career in athletics.

After playing volleyball, basketball and track and field in high school, she went to the University of Idaho and was a member of the track team. A knee injury eventually ended her competitive days, but she continued her passion for sports by coaching in high school and college.

She was an assistant principal and athletic director for seven years at Sultan before coming to Oak Harbor.

“The job in Oak Harbor provided me an opportunity to work in a larger school and I was impressed with Dr. (Rick) Schulte and the progress the district was making in terms of facilities. Although the professional opportunity has been good, it has been challenging in terms of the distance I am from my family.

“Although I will miss many people at OHHS, it is time to put my family first.”

Luper is not sure what the future will bring.

“I may get away from the education field for a while and try some things I have always been curious about,” she said.

Will miss chance to achieve more

Luper accomplished a great deal while in Oak Harbor but regrets losing the opportunity to implement some new ideas.

“Athletics is an ever-changing landscape and yet has strong traditions people want to see continue,” she said. “With that mix, I think you have to be flexible enough to make changes but keep traditions that build history and pride within the school and community.”

Luper is also worried about the future of school-based athletic programs with the increased emphasis on club teams.

Studies show that more and more athletes are suffering overuse injuries when playing one sport or playing too many at one time, she said. Also, athletes are often forced to choose between a club or high school team.

“This impacts both teams and not always in a positive way,” Luper said. “I also think parents and student-athletes need to be realistic in their quest for athletic scholarships and what they expect during and at the end of their college experience.”

Athletes who choose club teams “miss a large part of their high-school experience,” Luper said.

Many helped along the way

Luper has a long list of those who helped her succeed at OHHS: athletic secretary JoAnn Wichers, the school custodians and the SUB and stadium coordinators.

“They are flat out amazing,” she said. “They take great pride in their work, and it shows.”

Luper said the Wildcat Booster Club members “go above and beyond to support athletics.”

“It is my hope that every parent of a student-athlete would give an hour or two each season to support the booster club. If everyone gives a little, a lot can be accomplished.”

Jerrod Fleury

Fleury has a passion for athletics and the benefits that come from participating in competitive sports.

Now he would like to help student-athletes enjoy these same dividends.

Fleury brings to the athletic directorship a history of success as an athlete, coach and administrator.

This background, he said, provides “a unique skill set that will help the athletic department at Oak Harbor High School continue to grow.”

Fleury grew up in the Lakewood area of Tacoma and attended Lakewood High School, Tacoma Community College and Pacific Lutheran University, where he earned a degree in physical education and health.

He played football, basketball, baseball and soccer in high school, then concentrated on soccer in college.

Coached college and high school

Fleury has an extensive background in high school and college coaching, including leading the soccer programs at Tacoma Community College, Central Washington University and Pacific Lutheran University.

He received conference coach of the year honors at Tacoma and Central and is a member of the TCC Hall of Fame.

In 2008 he began officiating basketball and is the veteran of six state tournament championship games. He also calls NCAA/Community College contests.

One of Fleury’s goals is to increase the school’s social media presence to improve communication with coaches, parents and the community.

As athletic director, he would like to develop a culture and expectations for coaches, players and parents and a vision that supports both the middle school and high school athletic programs.

“This vision is created with feedback from coaches and emphasizes a commitment to competing, fundamentals, character and creating a community,” he said. “This vision will serve as a connection between all the athletic programs.”

Ideas to help Wildcats improve

To help Oak Harbor High School increase its athletic success, he plans to develop a greater cohesiveness between youth/middle school sports and the high school, provide more training opportunities for coaches, continue to grow the strength and conditioning program and encourage the best athletes to play multiple sports.

When all is said and done, he hopes to have built a “comprehensive athletic program with a vision for success, philosophy for developing student-athletes and a program that supports and provides students with a positive experience.”

Fleury wants teams that the community can be proud of, ones that are competitive, hardworking and display sportsmanship.