Skyline names Cupp new athletic director

By Chuck McGill -- cmcgill@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- Just three days before the first day of practice for fall sports, Skyline High School has its new athletic director.

Bill Cupp, an assistant athletic director at Warren County High School for the past four years, was approved as the Hawks' AD at a School Board meeting Thursday. Cupp replaces Mike Patierno, who has manned the position since Skyline opened two years ago.

"I'm very excited," Cupp said. "We have a lot of returning athletes and we had very successful teams last year with regional playoffs in basketball with the boys and girls and the football team had a good year. Many other teams have tremendous athletes too."

Cupp will also forfeit his teaching position at Warren County in Business Education, which he taught for the last seven years.

Cupp said he expressed immediate interest in the position last week when the job was posted, and took his application and resume to Skyline Principal Andrew Keller. With the fall sports season quickly approaching, Cupp knew Keller would make a quick decision.

Cupp said is ready for what his first year as athletic director will throw at him.

"It's something that you have to be passionate about," he said. "It's a lot of long nights. It's more behind-the-scenes work, but I really enjoy it. The last four years I've gained a lot of experience. It's prepared me pretty well."

Cupp worked for two years as assistant athletic director at Warren County under Buck Smith, who now overseas athletics for Warren County Public Schools, and two years under current Warren County AD Jim Grooms.

"He's always wanted to be an AD," Grooms said of Cupp. "He's worked hard. He'll do a great job over there at Skyline. I just knew it was matter of time before he got an AD job.

"He knows it's all about the kids. He gets along with the coaches and administration, faculty and parents. He does the right thing. He's prepared himself real well for this. They are getting a real good man and we are losing a good man."

Cupp will be teacher-turned-student over the next three days as he crams for the upcoming school year.

"Fall sports start Monday," he said. "I'll work all weekend to get caught up."