After 13 years, Larry Dukes will be stepping down as the Head Athletic Director.

This comes from what Dukes calls, “a change in a different direction.”

“I think that [the position of] Athletic Director has a shelf life,” Dukes said. “I have been doing this for 13 years. It is time for someone with new ideas.”

Although Dukes is stepping down as Athletic Director, he will still be around JC as head of the new FLEX program.

The Athletic Director job was listed in November, and the applicants were narrowed down from over 30 applicants to 6 to 10 through an initial screening, according to President Richard O’Hara.

“We formed a Search Committee, which is composed of some current parents, alumni, [Head Athletic Trainer Erik] Fabriziani, former players, and a former board member,” O’Hara said.

After being presented to the Search Committee, the applicant pool has been narrowed down to four finalists, who are now being interviewed by the Search Committee.

“Then, depending on [the Search Committee’s] recommendations, we will bring [the finalists] to campus for a day, maybe the top two,” O’Hara said. “They’ll meet with [representatives of] coaches, athletes, parents, faculty, staff, and the administration.”

After collecting feedback from the school and the Search Committee, the new Athletic Director will be appointed.

“The target is the first week of February to make an appointment,” O’Hara said.

The new Athletic Director will start July 1, and unlike in the current system, will report directly to the President instead of the Principal.

After working at JC for 13 years, Dukes said that the best part was “no doubt, working with the students [and helping] them to get what they want from the Athletic Department.”

Kathy Deaver is the Online Chief for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.

Mitch Hopkins is a News Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.