With a new year comes new members to the Archer community. Madison Witt is the athletics assistant to the Athletics Director Kim Smith. Not only is Witt new, so is the position. She started her job this past August and oversees all communication between coaches, players and parents. She also meets the various needs of all of the sports teams at Archer. The Oracle spoke with her about all the components of her job and past experiences.

Why did you want to become an athletics assistant?

Madison Witt [MW]: I myself, was a student athlete, for a majority of my life. I went to USC for undergrad and was a diver on the swim and dive team there, so I’ve always been around athletic departments and different sports. Diving is a little bit different because it is a club sport. In high school, I was a part of the club and got recruited through club teams. I didn’t really have an experience as far as high school athletics are concerned, and I wish that I always did. So, I just wanted to join an athletic department and help girls have as good of an experience.

Why were you drawn to Archer?

[MW]: With Archer, I saw the mission and everything that the school stands for, and it aligned with my morals and what I want for my career path. I got to talk to Coach Smith during my first interview, and we got along really well and I felt like it was exactly where I needed to be.

How has your experience been so far?

[MW]: It has been awesome coming here. I was definitely really nervous. We had new faculty orientation, so it felt like I was going back to my first day of school coming on campus and everything again.  It is just me and Coach Smith in the athletics department, but it has really been a welcoming environment to come into, and all of our fall sports have been doing so great. It has been really fun to meet everyone and watch everyone excel so much in such a short amount of time.

What does your job entail?

[MW]: I’m here to support anything that Coach Smith needs or the coaches or the athletes need. A lot of what I have to do is transportation related because we don’t have all the facilities that other schools might have. We have a lot of buses going to and from practices, to and from games and everything like that and I fully coordinate all of that. I have to [communicate] with both the teams and the families just sending out mass emails and [there is a] lot of scheduling. [There is] a lot of working with coaches making sure that they’re supported and they have everything that they need for their practices and all of their games. That is a majority of what it is so far. And anything that coach Smith needs help with or any sport that any of the girls need uniforms.

Has there been a specific moment or something that stood out to you that has encapsulated your experience at Archer so far?

[MW]: We are in the playoffs for a lot of the sports, and our sixth grade [volleyball] team is currently undefeated. I think that is really awesome. A lot of their games have been here. I help all of our home games, and it mostly has been volleyball for the season right now for the middle-schoolers. Watching them, they didn’t even have a coach at the beginning of the season, so I was their coach their first practice here. But now they are undefeated, and they are going to finals on Thursday. Watching them start from where they did and go all the way to where they are now— it is so cute to see them all get so excited when they get their points and they win their games. Watching them has been a really fun.

 If you have to choose one word to describe your time at Archer so far, what would you say?

[MW]: I would say inspiring. Getting to see everyone here work together has really made me want to be the best I can possibly be at my job, to help provide the best experience that I can for all of you. And seeing how well together all you girls are — it is crazy to me how some of you are only in middle school or high school [and] just seem like you are so together. Seeing all of you become the best possible versions of yourself really makes me want to do better and be better for everyone here.

What are you most looking forward to in the future?

[MW]: I hope to one day be in Coach Smith’s position. I think getting to learn from her — she has been an awesome mentor and an awesome leader. She doesn’t necessarily feel like a boss and getting to learn from her this year as my first full time job in an athletic department — I know I have a lot to learn. I am really looking forward to being her right-hand man and helping her out throughout the year.