The Central Valley school directors last week approved a job description for their first high school athletic director, and the job was posted Friday.

Superintendent Dan Matsook said Tuesday that two applications have been submitted, and he added, "I've heard through the grapevine that some others might be interested."

The new athletic director will face the task of blending Monaca and Center Area's sports programs as the two high schools prepare to consolidate next year. The two districts merged this summer, and the elementary schools were consolidated for this school year.

The new athletic director will have to hit the ground running. The board wants to have coaches in place for next school year as soon as this fall's sports are completed.

Center athletic director James Vendemia will not be part of the mix. He has been offered a job as a principal in the Peters Township School District, and the Central Valley board accepted his resignation last Thursday. Sam Cercone is Monaca's athletic director and its head football coach. He previously expressed interest in the job, but it's not known if he has applied.

If Mr. Cercone did get the job, that would address the question of "What do we do with two football coaches?" The Central Valley athletic director will not be allowed to be a coach.

"The job is too big, too time-consuming," Dr. Matsook said. "There would be a conflict in terms of managing time."

That's typical among Class AAA schools, the classification Central Valley will be assigned next year. It has an enrollment of 2,449, according to the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit, about the same size as Blackhawk and Hopewell Area and slightly smaller than Ambridge. It is expected to have about 800 in the high school when classes are merged.

"At a smaller school, you can handle it because there's not as much going on," Dr. Matsook said. "We have an opportunity to do things the right way, and we hope to set that position up for success for whoever gets it."

The athletic director also will be director of transportation, which is not a huge job because the service is contracted out and is most demanding in the summertime.

The board also approved a second, part-time position for a person to coordinate middle school sports and assist the athletic director. That person will be allowed to coach.

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