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TORONTO -- Born and raised in the Gem City, Mark Ferrell knew he wanted to become Toronto High School's next athletic director when the job became available in May.
He did not need any convincing or motivation. He wanted the job, and Toronto rewarded him with that opportunity. He began his new position during the second week of June.
What Ferrell did not anticipate was the impact COVID-19 would have on high school sports. It has been a challenge, to say the least, for a first-year AD.
"I got thrown into the fire. It's been rough this year, but it's what I like to do," Ferrell said. "There are a lot of uncertainties with the canceling of spring sports to the way winter has gone with cancelations and teams shutting down."
Following graduation from West Liberty State in 1993 and serving as a substitute teacher the following year, Ferrell officially returned to his alma mater as a full-time teacher in 1995, teaching intervention special education ever since.
During his tenure, Ferrell also has dabbled in the sports world. He, at one point or another, was the head golf coach and an assistant for baseball, boys basketball and football. He last coached in 2015.
"I know a lot of the coaches and ADs around the valley through sports," he said. "I have pretty decent relationships with a lot of the principals and administrations, so it made it a little easier (to become an athletic director) that way."
Ferrell took the reins over from Chelsey Fletcher, who now is an assistant professor of physical education at Bethany College. He mentioned Brian Perkins, the junior high AD, former high school director Bill Stone a few others as those who helped him along the way.
A typical work day for Ferrell involves teaching from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., take a lunch break, teach again until roughly 3 p.m., then work on athletics. When there are no games to attend, Ferrell generally arrives home around 4 or 4:30 p.m. But, just because he left work does not mean his day is over.
"This winter, I really haven't been able to take any days off because of schools shutting down and not being able to play," he said. "We're just trying to get the kids games. We're just trying to get as many in as we can now because of the uncertainty. After Christmas, we don't know if it's going to be shut down or anything like that after everyone gets together for the holidays. We just have to hope for the best."
Ferrell added that, during autumn and football season, he was able to take Sundays off. It also helps that, if he needed to drive to the school due to an emergency, he can walk to his office because he lives right across the street. During working hours when there is a game scheduled, Ferrell has to do more this season than any other AD would during normal years -- rather, any year that has come before 2020.
"I'll go in (the gymnasium) early and make sure to mark tape on where the fans need to sit," he said. "I'll get the hand sanitizers out and everything else set up. I'll make sure the chairs are spaced out and get water ready for the coaches and players. We're getting observed by the state inspector Friday night for our game with Catholic Central, so that'll be interesting.
"It's a long process to get a game ready. It's kind of a habit by now. I have a game checklist and make sure everything's checked off."
Getting a game ready can be long and challenging at certain points, but Ferrell has that down. Arguably, the toughest part is when a member of a team tests positive for the coronavirus.
That is something he hopes to never deal with, although he's had to do so multiple times already.
"I have to notify the coaches, contact my principal and superintendent and let them know we have either a kid who tested positive or is just in quarantine," Ferrell said. "Then I have to notify the health department and let the parents know about the situation. I just have to take every precautionary step necessary."
The football squad had to shut down and cancel its season finale. Toronto then decided to shut all of its athletics down for two weeks for precautionary reasons.
The basketball teams then had to shut down again for two more weeks right around Thanksgiving. The boys squad has been fine ever since, but the girls team played one game before shutting down operations a third time.
They were scheduled to return to practice Wednesday. If they did not, then it was because of the snow storm.
Whether it is rescheduling games or discussing the steps involved with COVID-19, Ferrell speaks with his coaches every day. Ferrell said he and boys head coach Sean Tucker talk probably 10-15 times a day.
It is a day-to-day operation right now for Ferrell. Hopefully everything will change when the calendar flips to 2021. Then, maybe Ferrell can finally take a well-deserved day of rest.
"It was a total surprise," he said regarding the impact of COVID-19. "I never experienced something like this before. It seems like it changes every day. You just have to learn to do your thing and go with it."
Ferrell has three children: Bryce, 23; Lauren, 21; and Drake, 19.