Adam Feeley will be taking over the position of athletic director for the Picayune School District after the former AD, Kristi Mitchell, took the position of principal at Picayune Memorial High School.

Feeley has been with the district since 2011 and has served in multiple coaching roles during his tenure, including working with running backs and quarterbacks for the varsity football team who made an appearance in the 5A state championship game this past season.

Feeley also coached the boys track team. He said being the athletic director will allow him to broaden his focus.

“Being an athletic director gives me a chance to not just oversee football and track, but also be involved in all the sports in our district and help kids be successful in those aspects,” Feeley said.

Feeley is taking over in the midst of a pandemic that has turned the sports world upside down.

Summer workouts have begun for the majority of programs at the high school, while still adhering to MHSAA guidelines in order to keep athletes out of harm’s way.

The challenges are numerous for Feeley as he takes over, but progress is being made while still keeping everyone safe.

“Being in limbo is tough, but I’m happy we’ve opened sports up a little bit with summer workouts. Being able to get on campus is a great thing and I know they’re happy to be back,” Feeley said.

Feeley said he has a support system around him along with several people to go to for information or advice.

The success of past athletic directors holds weight for the new man in charge, so the opportunity to take over the position hasn’t been taken lightly.

“It has been very overwhelming at times and it’s been rewarding seeing yourself in a role where you saw people you looked up to and admired. Having to fill that position they once held has a lot of pressure and stress with it,” Feeley said.

Feeley said the plan is to bring all the coaches together for a meeting in the near future to continue fostering positive relationships between everyone on staff.

There are athletes who play multiple sports throughout the year, so the understanding between coaches and what a player needs is important.

Meetings can facilitate those discussions and possibly help the athlete achieve more on the field and in the classroom when the coaches are on the same page.

“We’re going to bring everybody together and make sure we’re working tougher to give athletes the best chance to be successful,” Feeley said.

Feeley said the hope is that as restrictions ease more community events can be held at high school facilities in order to facilitate more involvement from those in the area.

It’s a little difficult during a pandemic to have those types of functions, but over time Feeley wants to use sports as the background for conversation and for people to come together.

“A lot of (people in the) community are alumni and we need them back supporting these programs. The more we can bring people closer together the better, and I think sports is the best avenue for bringing people together,” Feeley said.