Rob Lathrop stepped in for Tom Schweer as the new director of athletics for Metea Valley this school year. Mr. Lathrop has been in the education field for over twenty years, and his vast array of experience is sure to guide Metea to success.

Metea Valley has prided itself in equipping the students with the best staff possible and the administration is excited to welcome Lathrop into this grouping as the school’s new athletic director. Lathrop is equally as excited to take on Metea. “One of the fun things about coming into a building that’s fairly new is that we’re still in the process of building those traditions and I now get to become a part of that process,” said Lathrop. The duties of the athletic director are more of a behind the scenes act, but still gratifying none the less. “My favorite part of my job is after school when I go out to the fields and watch the practices and competitions. That’s kind of when you see the fruits of the labors of what you do in the office during the day come to life,” said Lathrop.

He started off as a science teacher and the athletic director at a middle school in Bolingbrook, then advanced to the Bolingbrook high school athletic director and dean, and then was the district athletic director at Reed Custard high school before coming to Metea this fall. Although he’s obviously been involved in education for quite some time, he originally got his degree in accounting at Augustana before going back to school to get his education degree at Northern Illinois University and then furthering his education with a masters from Governors State.

The shoes of Tom Schweer are big ones to fill, but Rob Lathrop has more than enough qualifications to be a good fit.

By Allison Hunt