After taking a couple of weeks off for winter break, we are back and looking forward to continuing our series. For those that are new to this feature, CHSAA has created an opportunity to share the individual stories of our female members. Whether they are administrators, advisors, coaches, or teachers, they represent leadership and excellence within their school, district, community, and Colorado. This series is meant to help all of us to get to know our leaders, to better understand their individual journey, and to inspire the next generation of leaders. Look forward to new interviews being posted each week.
This week we are talking with Diane Shuck-Gray, Douglas County High School Assistant Principal and Activities/Athletic Director. Diane is a 33-year veteran educator who served 17 years at her previous school and nine years in Activities at DCHS, and is now in her second year as AD. With an admin license from UCCS, a master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, and an undergraduate degree in education from George Mason University, Diane is a highly qualified school administrator who will be among the first to tell you that longevity and success in education are about relationship building.
Can you share your career path with us?
I began my education career as a part-time Physical Education teacher and the principal came to me and asked if I wanted to sponsor Student Council to make me full-time. Of course I took on that responsibility and it truly shaped my career of servant leadership. I coached girls soccer for six years and had incredible success and developed so many strong relationships with my players that I am proud to say carry on today. While coaching, I became very interested in athletics and went back to school to get my Masters in Sports Administration in hopes of one day becoming an Athletic Director. I shadowed an amazing AD prior to me and when I was selected to follow him upon retirement, I was so thankful for the guidance he provided. I just changed things technologically but the systems he put in place were awesome. As the days and years passed, the job continued to evolve, and I put more into developing more processes that developed the student leaders of my programs. I am so thankful for this experience as the people in Activities and Athletics are some of the most caring and genuine people I know. Now that I have entered back into the Athletics world after being out seven years, it is still the same job and grind but with a different lens. The people are still as hard working and kind as ever and yes, parents are still behaving similarly. I love serving people and kids and seeing them succeed in whatever their passion in life is. Whether it is in the arts, athletics, activities, or school, it is MY pleasure to serve them in achieving whatever that goal is.
Talk about any sport or activity that you participated in during your college years.
I was a college soccer player at George Mason University. I was a four-year starter, and we were in the top-10 of Division 1 all my years. They were the defending National Champions the year before I got there. I was an All-Northeast player my junior and senior year. I was a two-time Division 1 All-America selection and played a stint with the Girls Soccer Youth National Team.
What do you love most about your job?
The kids – hands down. They are why I work 12–15 hour days, 7 days a week. They need positive role models in their lives and unconditional love daily to help shape them into caring humans after they leave us. I hope to ensure that any student (athlete or activity kiddo) knows I loved them like they were my very own children. My own boys (Jared – 28 and Tyson – 24) would tell people who asked how many siblings they had, and they wouldn’t bat an eye at saying 1400 (referring to all the students in the school who I cared for).
I would also be remiss if I didn’t share how much I love the people in athletics and activities. As I said before, they are the most giving and caring people around. They sacrifice so much (even their own family time for other people’s children) and ask nothing in return. Families need to realize how blessed they are that there are so many giving people in their children’s lives. Also, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and guidance of the CHSAA family. They helped me raise my boys when they were little and attending so many events and they shaped them into amazing young men as well. They are some of the most amazing HUMANS in this world and I am so thankful to call them my friends and family.
What are some of the challenges you face in your current position?
Time…it is the hardest thing to manage to ensure you are giving enough to each group, your family and to yourself. We tend to go, go go and forget that the job will be there the next day. Balance is the key and after all of these years I still don’t have a good handle on this. I can handle hard tasks thrown my way but, in the end, time is the one thing that I won’t get back with people, family and friends. I hope others learn to let things go and walk away when it is time to go home. The only other thing is the amount of “tasky” things that need to be done daily. I would love to be able to be in classrooms and the gyms, on the field and other areas but sometimes the little things consume the hours in the day. I try to prioritize things and just go when it is time. However, I have loved EVERY minute (well almost every minute) of my time as an athletics and activities director.
Who are some of the difference-makers in your life?
My mom and dad – I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance of my mom, Marty Mankamyer and stepfather (really my dad) Jack Mankamyer. Just google that name and you will see the incredible guidance I received growing up. We were a family of 7 kids that loved hard and worked even harder. Nothing was free or given to us and we learned at an early age that if you want something you must work for it. My mom volunteered for 2-plus years for the US Olympic Committee and my father ran the family crew. She showed me how important it was to get involved in State and National organizations and give back to them as it will only make sports better. My dad loved me unconditionally and was so proud of the athlete and educator I became. Both of my parents supported me through my GREATEST accomplishments and my toughest challenges. Along with my brothers and sisters who made me tough but have a kind heart.
On the education side – Greg Pierson – Principal at Air Academy High School who hired me. He is who I developed my leadership style from. Clear but kind was the way he did business, and I love his fun ways of celebrating people. Also, Mike Lynch (Sr) – the Athletics Director at Air Academy High School prior to me taking over. He was so organized and on top of things. He showed me how to keep the crazy under control. Another mentor was Paul Angelico. Although he was my 10th grade Student Council sponsor, when he went to CHSAA, he taught me so much about how to deal with people and reaffirmed to me that I can do hard things. Other mentors would have to be Rhonda Blanford-Green, CHSAA Commissioner, Jenn Roberts-Uhlig (her kindness is something I strive to be each day), Sharon Lauer (Discovery Canyon Campus Athletics Director) was my go-to with ideas and thoughts, Christine Bullard and Leslie Moore – they were trailblazers for women in the athletics world. They took me under their wings and helped me achieve by showing me the way around a male dominate profession. There are so many, but I will leave it at that for now…sorry to anyone who I have missed.
Can you share with us one mistake you may have made early in your career and what you learned from it?
Oh, gee there are so many…but each mistake was a learning process for me. I think my biggest regret was becoming “married to my job” early on in my athletics career. I felt that I had to prove something to the men (being a female even though none of them made me feel different) that I could be just as good as them. So, I worked twice as hard and long and didn’t need to. It wasn’t a competition and I see that now. I am thankful I didn’t miss any of my boys’ events or big milestones in their lives, but as I look back, I would want to snuggle my boys a little longer and read a couple extra books to them at night versus coming home at 9 pm because I had to get something else done at the office. I know I made a ton of mistakes along the way, but my parents always told me to reflect and learn from them and try not to make them again. Hopefully as I have gotten older that I don’t prioritize my job over my boys and my amazing husband. Life is too short and sadly the job will go on without you and the next person will come in and do it as well and possibly better so enjoy the ride and give it your best but give yourself some grace when you are not at your best.
What is the significance of women serving in your current position?
I think the women bring organization and a “mother’s love” to this position. I see things through that lens of love and kindness and hug the kids that need a hug, tell the others they have done well when they think they were terrible and cost the team the game. Athletics and activities offer kids the opportunity to explore and grow and if we don’t help cultivate and foster that in them, we are failing at our roles. Winning is great, please know I am very competitive, but I want kids to learn that winning comes from doing all the right things and then it will all come together. Cutting corners will cause you to come up short. I often share with the kids I work with the secret to the State Championship teams I have been around in my career, and it is fairly simple – do the right things and work hard. It is going to be tough at times and you might question yourself but, in the end, hopefully the high school experience was something they will cherish forever. I wish there were more women in this role, but I understand the sacrifice that is required, and a family comes first. I have been so thankful for all the women I have worked with in this role as they are some of my best friends and are amazing human beings.
What needs to be done to open doors for more women to be in your position?
Great question and I don’t know. The opportunities are there and offered but not enough are either taking the risk to go for it or wonder if they can do the job. One thought is to possibly to set up a system to have an assistant AD that supports them, so they have more time at home and don’t feel guilty not being able to get the job done and spend time with family. I think we need more women out recruiting others as I know they can do the job. Women have that unique ability to balance so much and ensure it all gets done.
What is one bit of advice you would share with young women?
YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH! Be you and don’t try to be anything else. I love working in this profession and I don’t care who is across the table, on the other line as we are all working toward the same goal. It is one of the most rewarding jobs there could be as kids and families love sports and activities and when you have the chance to help shape kids to find their passion and be successful in whatever that looks like is truly one of the best things ever. I am who I am today because of the young lives who have made me a better person with their interactions and lessons they have taught me.
How do you see yourself impacting the next generation of female leaders?
I just hope they see that it can be done. Women are strong people and can do whatever they put their minds to. When I started in administration 25 years ago, I would never have thought I would still be doing the 10–14 hour days, weekends and breaks but it has been the best love affair I could have every asked for. My life has been truly blessed by all the adults and kids who have walked the halls of the schools I have been in and when I retire, I will look back and remember what a great ride it was. I hope that future women will continue to excel in this role and work alongside the many amazing men who too were stereotyped early on in their careers (as dumb jocks or football coaches who were put out to pasture). It takes a very dedicated and hard-working person to do this job and women belong in this profession.
What makes Douglas County High School and the Castle Rock community such a special place?
I absolutely LOVE the Castle Rock community. I am beyond impressed at the support we receive from our businesses, restaurants, and families (some whose kids graduated many years ago) whenever we ask for assistance. We have a long tradition of proud Huskies in Castle Rock and they come out to support our athletics teams whenever we are playing our crosstown rival. With our annual Make-A-Wish campaign, our kids have figured out how to raise $75,000 annually to support that amazing organization. That is incredible and it all comes from the support of this fun community called CASTLE ROCK! If you ever get a chance to attend the DC Rodeo and Fair Parade in July or the Castle Rock Star Lighting in November, you will see how proud these families are of this amazing town and community. I feel so blessed to have been so welcomed into it and I enjoy spending my days up here and being a part of something so awesome.