By Jerry Clark

Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2012, 3:28 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, August 22, 2012

After spending 12 years coaching field hockey at Bucknell University, Heather Lewis returned to Pittsburgh in 2011 to tend to some family matters and pursue opportunities in athletic administration.

An opportunity came up for Lewis in the form of the athletic director position at Seneca Valley. She put in her application, interviewed, and was offered the position. She gladly accepted.

"There are a lot of nice and talented people here," Lewis said about the coaches, players and administration at the school. "I am a proponent of education and education through sports. "

Lewis becomes the first female athletic director to hold that position at Seneca Valley. She replaced Greg Caprera whose contract expired in June.

Lewis' philosophy is one of hard work and giving maximum effort in the classroom, and having that translated over to the field.

"Young kids have to understand that there area couple things they can control," she said. "They can control their effort and their attitude. If they understand that, it will help them be a good representative (of the school and community) and good people."

Lewis added that she was not surprised at the recent success of the athletic teams during the past couple of years. Many teams have played for and won WPIAL championships, something Lewis would like so see continue under her watch.

"I think championships are necessary goals," Lewis said. "There are good people here, so I am not surprised at the recent success."

Lewis said her promise to the school is to be excellent, and demand excellence in academics, athletics and socially from everyone.

"Promise leads to prominence," she said. "That's what's it's about excellence and success."

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