TAHOE CITY and#8212; Anticipating a busier work schedule the 2009-2010 school year, Joanne Mathis recently stepped down as athletic director at North Tahoe High School.

and#8220;Itand#8217;s too time consuming to be athletic director,and#8221; Mathis said. and#8220;My first priority is to the schools.and#8221;

Since North Tahoe middle and high school administrations are combining next school year, Mathisand#8217; current role as high school registrar also will include middle school academic responsibilities.

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Mathis served as the Lakersand#8217; athletic director the past two years. She took over the position from Principal Bill Frey, who filled in as athletic director when head football coach Scott Everist stepped down in 2007 after two years at the helm.

Frey, who also temporarily filled in as athletic director after Ed Turnerand#8217;s resignation in 2003, said he hopes to find someone on the schooland#8217;s staff to assume the position.

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and#8220;Iand#8217;m going to talk to a couple of staff members and see if anyone is interested and#8230; we definitely want to have an athletic director in place before Aug. 1, because the (Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association) has meetings that month,and#8221; said Frey, citing the importance of getting acquainted with other athletic directors and NIAA staff.

In the meantime, Frey will continue to serve as the Lakersand#8217; athletic administrator.

Athletic administrators, Mathis said, mainly are in place to guide coaches or student-athletes from a legal standpoint.

Athletic directors, she said, handle a number of duties, including gathering paper work such as schedules and rosters, communicating with the media and public, keeping tabs on NIAA rules and ordering transportation, among more.