The CHIEF September 2023

New Athletic Director: Mr. Neisler Interview By: Lauren Russow

Mr. Neisler is the Athletic Director, Cross Country and Track Coach at PTHS! He graduated from St. Xavier College and ISU. If he were to describe PTHS in one word, he would call it “student-focused.” He became interested in working here partly because he was looking for something different and our school’s student-focused motto caught his attention. Before coming to PTHS he worked at U-High as a math teacher, Track, and Cross Country coach. During this school year, he is looking forward to having new experiences and learning opportunities. His favorite memories during his career have been the basketball supersectional and working with the broadcasting team. Mr. Neisler enjoys building relationships with the students and faculty, the community that surrounds our school, and to watch the sporting events. When asked why people should be involved with the Cross Country/Track and Field team, Mr. Neisler said that it will teach students how to commit to something even if they do not necessarily want to, and it gives them the opportunity to be a part of a team that runs on an individual basis. In running based sports like Track and Cross Country, even though there is a large team, the runners compete against themselves in a sense to get a better time. This holds them accountable for what they do and can inadvertently help students learn a lot about themselves and how they manage different situations. Mr. Neisler predicts that in the sports season a sense of hope will arise because it is the start of these sports after a long break, so it gives athletes and the community a fresh start to the sports season. The sporting events at PTHS he is the most excited for are any games hosted at our school. Being the Athletic Director has more to it than just sitting and watching the games. Sometimes during home games Mr. Neisler is called away to go help work the concessions or the ticket windows, which he does happily. He enjoys being able to be around when help is needed and likes to hang out during the games. Life when our Athletic Director was in high school is different from the students' current experience. Mr. Neisler recalls that there were no iPhones when he was in high school.If he wanted to talk to a friend and make plans he would have to physically talk to them or call on land line, so he did not get the ease of access that students have today to talk to his school friends outside of school hours. Mr. Neisler’s hobbies are walking his two dogs, mowing the lawn and watching The Mandalorian with his wife. He also has a pet cat. His favorite band is Switchfoot and his favorite sports team is the Cardinals. His tips for freshmen to have a successful school year are to stay positive, keep an open mind, give their best effort and give everybody, whether it is an adult or a classmate, grace.

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