- November 25, 2024
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After eight years, Kenny Seybold has stepped down as Matanzas’ athletics director, the school announced Thursday.
Seybold, who has been splitting time as athletics director and assistant principal, will now take on a full-time role as assistant principal.
Bob Nocella will take over as Matanzas’ athletics director. Nocella previously was Flagler Palm Coast’s athletics director for three years, 2001-2004. He was an assistant principal at Matanzas last year.
“We are trying to do some different things at Matanzas,” Nocella said. “It’s something I have done in the past, and it’s something I enjoy doing.”
Seybold’s new role will allow him to be more involved in the school’s curriculum and professional development for the teachers next year.
Seybold had been the school’s first and only athletics director. He essentially built up Matanzas’ athletics program from scratch, including a time when the football team didn’t have a pump for footballs and the basketball team played at Indian Trails Middle School’s gym.
“It’s been a tremendous experience,” Seybold said Thursday. “I’m not going to kid you, the early days and the first year or two were difficult.”
Seybold recalls one of the school’s first basketball seasons, when pizzas were ordered to sell during the game.
“We were trying to scrap together any dollars that we can,” he said.
It all seemed like a good idea, but the parent who was assigned to work the concession stand never showed up, and so the 10 pizzas were there to be sold without any napkins or plates. Seybold remembers pizza sauce dripping everywhere.
“It’s been very rewarding watching what has been built here at Matanzas,” he said. “There are a lot of comical stories and a lot of really fun memories.”
In his new role as a full-time assistant principal, Seybold said he will be more focused on teacher and student development.
“I’ve had great coaches and assistant coaches, and it’s really what they are doing, it’s not what I’m doing at all,” Seybold said. “I just try and make what they have to do a little bit easier. This program got to where it is not because of me.”
Nocella said he will pick up the athletics program where Seybold left off.
“Matanzas has a nice athletic program now due to Kenny, and it’s not going to be a tough situation,” he said. “It’s not like it’s taking something that’s a disaster and starting all over. I think it’s a good opportunity for me, and we can hopefully go along without skipping a beat.”
“Matanzas has a nice athletic program now due to Kenny, and it’s not going to be a tough situation,” he said. “It’s not like it’s taking something that’s a disaster and starting all over. I think it’s a good opportunity for me, and we can hopefully go along without skipping a beat.”
