New CNE AD emphasizes leadership, participation
By Dick Maloney
There is no “job” description for a high school athletic director. There is a “jobs” description, and it is lengthy:
Scheduling for teams from the varsity level down through junior high. Hiring and retaining coaches. Procuring equipment. Ordering uniforms. Arranging transportation. Confirming eligibility, and knowing the rules governing it. Preparing and maintaining facilities for competition.
Clermont Northeastern High School’s new athletic director acknowledges all of those, and one that encompasses all of those – leadership.
Andrew Marlatt officially starts as CNE athletic director, for grades seven through 12, Aug. 1, but he is already on the job, preparing to take over from T.J. Buckley. Marlatt’s background is extensive. At the high school level, he has been dean of students at Dublin Scioto High School, athletic director at Germantown Valley View High School, and social studies teacher and football coach at Loveland, Sycamore, Kings and Fairfield high schools, and head football coach at Loveland.
He was also the senior director of football recruiting and operations at University of Wisconsin, and special teams coordinator and safeties coach at Miami University. Outside of athletics, he has worked in business and was founder and owner of Grid Iron Camps LLC.
“And now I’m here,” he said during an interview in his office in early June. Marlatt said he felt a connection with Clermont Northeastern Superintendent Tim Sies, who in addition to his experience as an educator, was a college athlete, having wrestled at Ohio State University. “So I felt like there was just a good fit and was fortunate enough to get the job.”
Marlatt played football at Miami and professionally with the Dallas Cowboys (preseason), the London Monarchs of NFL Europe and with two franchises in the Arena Football League – so he understands both the challenges and the rewards of being a student-athlete, and wants to use that experience to grow the Clermont Northeastern program.
“The part that you cannot forget as an AD is that leadership part for the student-athletes and trying … to live each day the life what I call the life of an athlete, being healthy from a nutrition standpoint, being healthy from hydration, strength and conditioning,” he said. That will be a primary focus. Marlatt wants to make Clermont Northeastern’s strength and conditioning program “the best it can possibly be,” through sports-specific training to make student-athletes stronger, more flexible and more durable.
“Whether it's in-season, offseason, preseason, and you don't have to be in a weight room to be doing strength conditioning, and then combine that with good nutrition, adequate sleep, proper hydration, and that I call living the life of an athlete.”
Academics is also a priority. “Putting family first, putting the team before an individual, all of those things that will help teach lessons to those young student athletes that they can take for the rest of their life and utilize,” he said.
Clermont Northeastern teams compete in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference National (small-school) division. Rocket teams were third overall in the SBAAC National All-Sports standings in 2023-2024. They won four straight All-Sports trophies from 2018-2019 through 2021-2022.
The district has varsity-level teams in academics, baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls bowling, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls golf, boy and girls soccer, boys and girls track and field, boys and girls tennis, volleyball and boys and girls wrestling.
Because of the school’s size, many student-athletes compete in multiple sports – which Marlatt said he will continue to encourage.
“As much as possible, play a second sport and maybe even a third sport, which is very difficult. But sports will complement each other,” he said. “And do it for fun, do it. Because it's probably the last time in your life you're going to be able to have that opportunity. Do it for the value of CNE high school athletics. But also realize each sport is going to make you a better athlete overall and that's going to benefit your primary sport.”
Though new to the district, Marlatt understands the importance of athletics not only to the school, but to the community at-large, and hopes to get out and meet with community partners and leaders in the coming weeks.
“I have a lot to learn about CNE. I've got a lot to learn about the people here, but I'm excited about that. I already feel the pride in their athletic department. So it's my job to maintain that and take it hopefully to the next level.”
