Seitz is named AD at Golden Gate

Pete Seitz had a simple wish when he became a teacher 20 years ago.

"I never wanted to be one of those teachers who got burned out," he said.

He doesn't have to worry about that anymore after being named the new athletic director at Golden Gate High School, replacing Jim Ragusa, who took the job when the school opened in 2004 and will remain on staff as a faculty member.

Seitz has been teaching at Golden Gate for the last two years.

And now, he will turn his attention toward building a tradition of success in the athletic program by bringing a vision, infectious enthusiasm and most importantly, experience.

"I was an assistant football coach for years, an interim head football coach, a head baseball coach and a girls softball coach for a while," said Seitz, 41, who spent 18 years at Lely before arriving at Golden Gate. "I'm pumped up. It's a great opportunity to do something different ... Other than actually having the title athletic director or activities coordinator, I've done everything from coach girls and boys. I've been a club sponsor, been a class sponsor. I've had to raise money.

"I've never had to do it for the whole program," he said. "I always was concerned with baseball and football and softball. So now I just take it as kind of opening up a bigger door with more things to do."

Seitz

Seitz's contract doesn't officially began until July 24. But he said the transition has gone well so far.

"The last month I've been probably double-dutying a lot," Seitz said. "He's (Ragusa) been a big help ... and if I have any questions he's more than willing to help. So, it's a good thing for everybody involved and I can help him back up here."

One thing that will make the transition easier is the experience of the head coaches, Seitz said.

Seitz also said the Titans have all coaching positions filled for the 2006-07 school year.

"They're all veteran coaches," he said. "I don't think there's going to be any problems that way. But anytime somebody takes something over, there's going to be some people who feel things should be ran a certain way. Change is good, but not everybody agrees with change."

"This is a unique situation, because most times when they open a new school there's always a certain group of people who get forced to go where they didn't really want to be," Seitz said. "This school doesn't have that. Everybody is really on the same page academically and athletically, so that's really nice."

Golden Gate's 2005 district championship in boys basketball has been a step in the right direction for the entire athletic program, Seitz added.

"That's unheard of for a second-year school," he said. "We're getting better across the board. In just about every sport we had our first year, we were better our second year and that's what it's all about."

Seitz is coming into the position with a mind-set of: "What can I do to keep the ball rolling?"

Golden Gate principal Bob Spano said Seitz's familiarity with the district will be one of the biggest assets he brings to the position. Seitz is a 1982 graduate of Barron Collier High School.

"He's been a head coach, an assistant coach, a teacher in the district," Spano said. "So, all of those pieces come with an administrative experience and I think he's going to be able to jump right into the role. Even though he hasn't started officially yet, he's jumped in and been doing some things up front which is really nice."