The Many Faces of CHSAA Leadership- Amy Peters
This week we continue our series of articles highlighting the many faces of leadership throughout the CHSAA membership. Our hope is that by taking a small glimpse into the window of their leadership background, you will gain a greater understand of why they are such strong advocates for the vision and core values of the Colorado High School Activities Association.
This week we sit down with first-year Lake County School District Athletic and Activities Director, Amy Peters. While this is Amy’s first year in the position, she brings a youthful energy and passion for sports, including the life lessons they teach and the relationships they help build, that will help her to grow student athletes and programs.
You are a first-year District AD. Can we start there? What are some of those first-year Athletic Director challenges you are facing?
My greatest challenge is balancing the endless to-do list and work demands with my family and personal life. I’m still learning how to do this job well without sacrificing my outside relationships.
Conversely, what do you love most about being the district AD?
I love mentoring other coaches and athletes and celebrating the successes of our programs. I have received so much encouragement and support in this position from the community and the district administration, and I am excited about getting this small school back to high levels of achievement and involvement.
What led to you taking on this position?
I have been coaching cross country running and track & field in Lake County for 21 years. I was named 2021 Colorado Cross Country Coach of the Year. When our AD position opened last summer, I felt like it was time to take my coaching experience to the next level and begin mentoring other coaches and programs.
What should we know about the Lake County Community?
Lake County is a wonderful place to live, with unique and accessible recreation opportunities and, at the high school, we have had a long history of athletic success. We are 35 minutes from the nearest town, which helps us to be a more close-knit community. This is a very safe community, where everyone knows everyone. We are the highest incorporated city in the United States. Sitting at 10,152 ft., Lake County is a great community for runners (unless you are looking for a tempo run on a flat surface). As a runner, I must tell you that we are home to the Leadville Trail 100 Run, better known as the “Race Across the Sky.” It was a race started back in 1983, that embraces some of the most extreme terrain in Colorado- from elevations of 9,200 to 12,600 feet. As for the high school, we have 258 amazing students, which classifies us as a 2A CHSAA school.
Let’s talk about you. Can you tell us a little bit of your origin story?
I grew up as a child of Air Force parents, which means we moved around a lot, and no place outside of Colorado ever felt like home. At some point, my grandparents retired in Colorado Springs, and now my parents are retired in Colorado. When my husband was looking for teaching jobs in Colorado, he found a great job in Leadville, and it has become home for us.
What activities did you participate in when you were in high school?
I attended a high school that was situated along the gulf coast of Mississippi- a school that, by Colorado classifications, would be considered a 5A school. I was Cross Country runner, swimmer, and because we didn’t have traditional weather season, soccer was a winter sport that I participated in. I was also a member of the Track & Field team, where I ran the 1600M and was a 2-time state champion, and I even broke the state record.
Did your participation in high school athletics continue in college?
Yes! After high school, I went on to attend Hillsdale College, which is a Division II school located in Michigan, about six miles north of Ohio and 90-minutes from Detroit. I participated in Cross Country, swimming, and Track & Field. I went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree with majors in Mathematics and Christian Studies.
So, you were a three-sport college athlete. What was that experience like?
Well, I chose to participate at the Division II level because I still wanted to do it all. I really enjoyed getting to be a part of multiple team experiences, which I believe helped to enrich my overall college experience. The team bonding’s, eating together, and traveling together all led to the creation of great relationships and great memories. It also allowed me to develop a love for fitness and competition. Now as an AD, I want kids to think about being a college athlete, and how at the Division II level they can do multiple sports. I would also say that doing multiple sports helped me to stay in shape and gave my body a break. At the Division II level runners are less of the commodity that they might be at the higher level.
Do you still compete?
I continue to compete in triathlons. I was a member of the World Age-Group Triathlon team that competed in Australia in 2018. I was slated to compete on the same team in Canada in 2020, before Covid shut things down.
As the Athletic Director in a smaller community, I am sure that the decisions you make can be amplified to some extent. What are some of the challenges you face in your role?
Like every job there are always challenges, but the thing that is probably the most challenging for me is how public my position is. In a small town, sports are huge, and everyone has different opinions on them. Although I respect people’s opinions and want to do what’s best for our kids, school, and community, it is sometimes very hard to try and please everyone. I’m a people pleaser, so this can be difficult for me at times.
What impact has Title IX had on you personally, and on your profession?
I am so thankful for Title IX! The opportunity to play and excel in sports provided me a positive identity through high school and college, helped pay for college, and set me on a path of lifelong fitness. I still compete at the national and international level as an age group triathlete, and I love sharing my experience with the female athletes I know and coach. I hope it will inspire them to achieve great things.
What is the significance of women serving in your current position?
When I attended my first Athletic/Activities Director conference, I realized just how outnumbered women are in this field. The female athlete has unique challenges, and I think it is important for more women to step into the AD role as examples and mentors to the next generation of women in sport. That said, sports have opened so many doors for me. From high school, to college, and even now as an age-group athlete. I don’t want athletics to only look like a male thing; there are great opportunities for women as well. Sports are an opportunity to everyone. I am thankful that I am a very confident personality who is ready to take my place alongside other women who serve in this very important role. With so many girls participating in sports, I look forward to being another resource and a voice for them.
Can you name someone that you would consider a mentor?
Doug Blakeney, my high school Cross Country coach. So much of who I am as a coach mirrors who he was as my coach. He was a very creative and fun coach. I came into the program about halfway through a 13-year run as a state championship program, so we were highly competitive, but he always found a way to make it fun. Running can be monotonous, so he created donut runs, scavenger hunt runs, for us as ways to break things up. As I coach, we don’t have anywhere to get donuts, but we do have ice cream runs and scavenger hunts.
Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
I am new in this role, but I am excited. I am thankful for the opportunity’s sports have given me and I am thrilled at the opportunity to pass it on to students at Lake County. Sports have been a game-changer for me, and I would like to see the same impact for our kids today. I would also say that sports can be one of the best ways to get involved. I am on a mission to get kids involved.
Our conversation took us in many directions, but they all came back to a love for sports and a strong desire to share that love within the Lake County community. We look forward to all that Amy Peters will do in her district, and for the larger CHSAA sports community. I also want to congratulate Amy on being inducted into her own high school’s sports Hall of Fame.
