Photo Courtesy of New Athletic Director 2022-2023 Zac Wheeler. 

  As the first female San Luis Obispo High School athletic director Marci Beddall steps down at the end of this school year, a new athletic director will be joining the staff for the 2022-2023 school year.

Beddall shared in a letter to student athletes and parents, “I am currently pregnant and expecting a baby girl in early August. I do not feel that I could provide the level of care and support for our teams, coaches, and athletes that I expect of myself.” After maternity leave, she will return to SLOHS as a teacher on special assignment.

Taking Bedall’s place is Wheeler, whose previous job was the Director of Health and Physical Education for the state of Missouri. Wheeler graduated from Morro Bay High School and is excited to return to the Central Coast. 

  Expressions talked with Wheeler about taking over as the new Athletic Director for SLOHS. 

  Expressions: What is your background with athletic positions?

  2022-2023 SLOHS Athletic Director Zac Wheeler: I’ve always loved coaching and working with athletes on both the athletic and academic side. Although I am extremely happy to be returning home to SLO, I have had some amazing experiences in coaching and athletics in 4 states at both the high school and university level. I have held school and district athletic director positions, as well as spent over 10 years as a varsity basketball coach. At the college level, I have worked with 3 different division 1 programs, focusing on student-athlete academic support, men’s basketball player development, and strength and conditioning. I have also worked at local SLO summer sports camps. If you have ever attended a Bob Cantu Basketball Camp, chances are you have seen me around!

  Expressions: What are you most excited about working at SLOHS?

  Wheeler: As a coach and educator, working with students has always been my WHY. I would have to say being back on campus is what I am most excited about. I have missed being around athletes and coaches and being a part of daily life on campus. We have a great staff of coaches, so I am excited to get to work with them on where we want to take our programs and how we can work together to build an environment that each and every student wants to be a part of. SLOHS has a great athletic tradition and I am excited to see where we can take that tradition and not only uphold it, but build upon it. If we are being honest, being able to go over to Firestone and get a tri-tip sandwich on my lunch break is pretty exciting for me too. Maybe we fundraise and put in a Firestone on campus? 

  Expressions: How are you going to make sure that all sports get equal representation?

  Wheeler: In order to accomplish our goals of a student-centered program, we have to focus on the constant support of each and every one of those students. That being said, having equality amongst our programs goes far beyond a sport. Each team, each coach, and each athlete are of equal importance in our programs, but before that, all of us as members of our campus are of equal importance. We will always aim to be a school that not only shows equality for all, but is welcoming for all. Our strength will always be in our numbers and what those numbers represent. It takes all of us with a collective mindset to embody the school culture we want to see. We then as an athletics staff back that up with equal funding for teams, equal opportunities for ALL students to be involved in our programs, and not only allowing but promoting student voice advocacy of what’s needed in our athletics programs to ensure an inclusive environment for all.