Eric Anderson To Assume Athletic Director Duties

The Wenatchee School District has announced that Wenatchee High School Principal Eric Anderson will assume the administrative duties of Athletic Director starting July 1, 2024. 

Current Athletic Director (AD) Jim Beeson will retire in June after ten years at the helm of Panther Athletics. The AD position and Panther athletics play a vital role in Wenatchee High School culture and the community. However, due to budget reductions and the need to stabilize enrollment, the district has decided to wait to hire an external candidate for the AD position at this time. An activities coordinator will be identified among existing staff to assist Eric with the day-to-day operations of athletics.

Eric is in his ninth year as principal at WHS and brings established relationships with students, coaches, and the community to the role. He also served as the athletic director at Rogers High School in Spokane, Washington, for four years. 

He will engage with the community and parents to gather feedback on areas of growth they're looking for in the athletic program. He will work to build a solid foundation for athletics and enhance the program's culture at Wenatchee High School, building pride and affinity in Panther Athletics. The district hopes to strengthen the athletic program with the help of community partners now and in the future, which will benefit Wenatchee youth. 

The AD hiring process will take place when the financial landscape is more favorable. Until then, the district will leverage its current administrators and support staff to create stability and help grow the program.

"We are confident that Eric's experience and expertise will be a great asset to our athletic program during this transition time," said Superintendent Dr. Kory Kalahar. "We are excited to have him take on this new role and look forward to seeing the positive impact he will make."

The Wenatchee School District would like to thank Jim Beeson for his years of service and dedication to Wenatchee Panther Athletics and our student-athletes. Jim was named the District 6 Athletic Director of the Year for 4A schools in 2018 and Big 9 Athletic Director of the year in 2017. Jim has always gone above and beyond during this tenure with students' success in mind. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.