New Ulm Sports Central - Preserving and Sharing New Ulm Area Sports History

Posted June 6, 2012 New Ulm Journal

By Jim Bastian, Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM - Alan Woitas, a 2006 graduate of Sleepy Eye St. Mary's High School and a 2010 graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St.Peter, is the new Athletic Director at New Ulm Cathedral.

He replaces John Vetter, who is retiring in July from that position after 25 years.

"I am pretty excited about the opportunity," said Woitas, who graduated from Gustavus Adolphus as an education major with a concentration in math. "It is a great school and they have a lot of good things going for them. I just hope to be able to continue the tradition there."

Woitas has taught math the last two years at CHS.

"I will still be teaching math part-time at the seventh and eighth grade level in addition to being Athletic Director," he said.

Woitas said that being a math teacher in addition to being the AD will be a heavy work load.

"It will have its challenges to it," he said. "But my dad Bruce has been able to do it for the last 20 years at Sleepy Eye St. Mary's. I am kind of looking forward to having that connection with the students in the classroom. I know that it will be a lot of work learning all the tricks ot the trade."

Woitas said that he and his father had talked in the past about himself becoming an Athletic Director.

"We had talked a little bit about it," Woitas said. "I know that he is going to be a very beneficial person as I make this step into being an Athletic Director. He'll be able to help me out with a lot of things.

"He did not push me one way or another in making this decision, but he definitely said that it is a great opportunity and something to consider."

Woitas said that he wants to continue the great tradition that John Vetter has maintained at Cathedral.

"He has established a lot of positive things in the sports system," Woitas said. "There are a lot of quality coaches in place right now. I hope to continue that and keep moving all of the sports programs forward in a positive way."

And Woitas, who has been an assistant head boys' basketball coach at Cathedral, said that being the Athletic Director will not be a road block in the future if a head coaching job opens up.

"When I took the AD job I wanted to make sure I would still be able to coach," he said. "That is one of my passions and I enjoy doing it, so I would not want to give that up. We have it set up that if an opportunity would come up I would definitely look into doing that."
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