Jade Morris is taking the reins as the first female Athletic Director in Williston’s long history.
Morris began her tenure at the start of this year, following the retirement of Mark Conroy, who had served as Williston’s Athletic Director for the past 24 years.
Morris served in the athletic programs at Boston College as the Assistant Director, Athletic Stewardship and Donor Relations, and the Senior Associate Director for Student-Athlete Development from 2013-2022. She also worked at Belmont Day School as the Associate Athletic Director from 2022-2024.
Morris is excited for how her new role will be able to inspire girls on campus by showing them what’s possible.
“I am honored to be the first woman Athletic Director at Williston and honored to be following in the footsteps of such respected leaders before me,” she told The Willistonian. “Growing up, I didn’t see many women in leadership roles in sports, so I hope my journey can inspire young girls to dream big and pursue their passions, whatever they may be.”
Morris’ arrival comes at a time, many say, when there has been lack of support for Williston home games. Shiv Patel, a six-year senior from Easthampton, believes there is an opportunity for Morris to amend this issue.
“I think as well as keeping the consistency of the athletic program, there can be a shift in support for the athletic teams on campus,” he said. “For example, it would be cool to schedule more big games when people are free, like the white out game, to increase support.”
Laura Vachet, Director of Academic Success at Williston, and parent of current senior Will Vachet, also agrees that attendance of games is an issue in the community, especially with girls sports teams.
“Williston already has strong women’s sports programs that draw prospective students to our campus, [and] I’m hoping that this change will increase visibility and attendance for women’s sports such as women’s volleyball and basketball,” she said. “It would be great to get higher turnouts similar to football and men’s basketball.”
The support for the Girls Basketball team has been historically low compared to the boys team.
Other athletic concerns have focused heavily on gender and its correlation to budget and recruiting. Stella Michalski, a six-year senior day student and varsity athlete, believes there is a gender bias in the Williston athletic program.
“I think the Williston athletic program has some bias towards the boys programs, especially with recruiting players,” Stella said. “I think there are also some funding issues. For example, the softball team does not have a dugout, while the baseball team does.”
With a female perspective supporting the athletics program, Morris says she is committed to supporting both boys’ and girls’ teams equally.
“To create an equal athletics program for boys and girls at Williston, I will ensure that both teams have access to the same facilities, resources, and training opportunities,” Morris explained. “We will promote and celebrate girls’ sports equally through school media and events, ensuring their achievements are recognized.”
She added, “by fostering a supportive and inclusive culture within the department, and involving parents and the community, we can ensure balanced support for all athletes. This approach will promote fairness and success across all teams.”
This new hire has led to a lot of excitement among faculty and staff, especially at a time when female athletes are reaching unprecedented success at the highest levels, and these accomplishments are being broadcast more widely than ever.“The timing is right since women athletes like Caitlin Clark and Gabby Thomas have stolen the spotlight with their achievements,” Vachet said.