Sometimes, the search for the perfect leadership fit, ends up already being on your own team. And that's exactly where Little Miami Schools found their next leader for the Athletic Department's second full-time assistant athletic director. Pending Board of Education approval, The District will elevate beloved longtime coach
Rob Mason into the administrative role of assistant athletic director, while also being tasked as the Middle School athletic director.
On July 27, Jordan Lanham resigned from The District to pursue career interests in a field outside of education. With only four days until the fall OHSAA 2022-23 calendar was to kick off, The District posted the vacancy and immediately initiated the replacement process. The posting garnered extensive attention both internally and externally, but in the end, the Panthers chose to promote a veteran Panther in Coach Mason.
"Coach Mason's other-centered focus on student-athletes, his tireless work ethic, and his longstanding dedication to the Little Miami community made him an easy selection for the interview team," said athletic director
Matt Louis. "Rob has also coached a number of Little Miami teams at various levels, and spent countless hours in the classroom with our student-athletes too. We could not be happier for him personally, and know he'll have a profoundly positive impact on the Little Miami community for a long time to come."
A native of northeast Ohio, Rob was a student-athlete himself and the 1989 graduate stared at Massillon Perry High School in Massillon before migrating southwest to the greater Cincinnati area. Following high school, in 2001 a pastoral opportunity at a local church brought Mason and his family here. Then, Coach Mason was promoted into the role of regional director at Visions Matter where he was tasked with providing care for people with mental and/or physical disabilities. Leading a team of more than 100 employees, Mason and his team provided opportunities for life enhancement through friendships, employment and community events.
Mason led the Visions Matter company for a decade, until he departed to become an achievement catalyst leader for Truenorth Achievement Centers in Lebanon in 2014. At Truenorth, Mason's role was focused on helping clients by personally coaching them through their own personal journey into the professional world.
And in 2017, Mason joined Little Miami Schools where he's remained since. At LMHS, Mason has carried the title of paraprofessional, but everyone in the Little Miami community knows Rob for the amazing person he is. In the classroom, he assisted students and teachers with learning assignments, supported the staff by coaching students through one-on-one academic progress, and also coached many Panther athletic teams.
Also, Mason's Little Miami coaching career began in 2012. Since then, he's coached Panther student-athletes as an assistant coach within the Middle School track program, and also coached basketball at LMMS. At the High School level, Mason has been an assistant coach on the Panthers varsity softball staff, and also supported the football program as the running backs coach for varsity team in addition to his appointment as the head coach for the JV football team.
"I love Little Miami," said Mason. "My two daughters graduated from here. We live here. This is a dream job for me!" That love and passion for the green and yellow Panther Nation is certainly what set Rob apart from all other applicants.
In his new position, Coach Mason will be the Little Miami Middle School athletic director, in addition, he'll support the High School programs too. Daily duties will include hand's on support of The Department's Mission of
The Complete Student-Athlete, and many other administrative duties that fall under the umbrella of The Department's
Structural Design.
In closing, congratulations, Coach Mason! Panther Nation is ecstatic about your new appointment, and know the student-athlete's of Little Miami will certainly be the beneficiaries of your partnership with The District. This fall, Mason will execute a hybrid role until the fall season concludes, and then he'll move into his new position full-time starting with the winter sports season.
Let's go Panthers!
