From science teacher and football coach to activities director to athletic director and assistant principal, Mr. Jason Feuerbach has played key roles on campus since its opening in 2005. After 16 years of being a part of the faculty, Feuerbach has accepted a position as an associate commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation Sac Joaquin Section (SJS). He will be starting there next month. 

“I have a great opportunity to further my athletic administrative career through a different job, and I’m going to pursue it,” Feuerbach said. “[I will] have a role in the administrative functions of the section office, including transfer eligibility of student athletes, helping manage playoff and championship events, helping out with any athletic directors in the section and training the new ADs.”

With the new position, instead of overseeing the athletics department for only one school, Feuerbach will be a top member in charge of athletics for almost 200 high schools in the Sac Joaquin Section. The promotion to associate commissioner will lead his main office to be stationed around an hour away in Lodi, California. While the promotion is exciting for Feuerbach and his family, the decision to move on is bittersweet.

“I have been here since August 2005, so [since] the day we opened our doors,” Feuerbach said. “The staff [has] become my second family. The relationships I have with a lot of the teachers on campus are kind of like brothers and sisters. When you see them every day for 16 years, you become close to them. Whitney has been phenomenal; I have met my wife and some of my best friends work here, so it’s been a memorable experience and something I will never forget.”

Though he will no longer be working here as a staff member, he will still hold an involved position at the school.

“My wife [language arts teacher Mrs. Tiffiny Feuerbach] is still going to work here [and] my kids are still going to school here, so I will still have ties here, but in a different role. I can be the dad [now],” Feuerbach said. 

The impact of his exit will not only be felt by his family, but by the students and staff as well. As someone who has stood by Feuerbach since the school’s beginning, Mr. Erich Means is among those who will be affected the most. 

“He and I have gone to activities director leadership conferences together in San Diego and Reno. He was at my wedding, and I was at his. For the last 16 years, we have done a lot together here. For all of that time, both of us were and still are a big part of the school. It’s been amazing, [and] he is one of my best friends,” Means said. 

Jordyn Jochims, a student athletic intern who worked under Feuerbach last year and will continue to intern this year, was shocked by the news of his departure. 

“It’s super sad, but he is going to do great things at his new job and make such a huge impact for the CIF,” Jochims said. “He has helped me so much with my softball career at Whitney; he’s helped with my recruiting process, made me email, call and fill out questionnaires so that I could get ahead of the game. He has impacted everyone inside and out of the athletic department; he was honestly the best person for the job.”

Additionally, her sister Jillyin Jochims, also an intern, shared how Feuerbach has impacted her throughout her years on campus. 

“Feuerbach has helped Jordyn and I a lot these past years with advice on college, life and sports; giving us supplies we needed to succeed our goals; researched colleges for us; supplied food when we were hungry and helped us grow as athletes and as students getting ready for the next steps in our life,” Jillyin said. 

The sudden news makes the process of hiring a new athletic director in its early stages, which is more difficult now that a new school year has begun. In the meantime, athletic secretary Mrs. Carrie Schlenz will continue to help with daily operations during the fall sports season.

“The impact will be felt. More people will have to chip in, even the small things; which is great because more people will be involved, but that’s assuming people will actually [do their part],” Means said. “There are a lot of factors that will somehow go into filling the void left by him. There will for sure be an adjustment — and I haven’t the foggiest idea of what that adjustment will look like.”

Additionally, Means cleared the rumor that he will be the replacement athletic director. 

“I don’t think the athletic director is the right fit for me. It’s hard at this stage in my life because I’d want to [lead] like he did, and I know that that would be insanity. My family would not appreciate it,” Means said.

 At the same time, he recognizes the importance of the opportunity. 

“I am very sad [Feuerbach] is leaving, but I am so excited for him and his family and the opportunity he has. He had to do it for himself to grow,” Means said. 

While the change in occupation is something different for Feuerbach, it is a grand step up that will come with new experiences for him and his family. 

 “The hardest thing about saying goodbye is not saying goodbye to the facilities or anything like that, but goodbye to those relationships and to the people. [However], I’ve been an athletic director for 10 years, and this is my chance to accept a new challenge,” Feuerbach said. “[I am looking forward to] everything that goes with [the job] — learning the new processes and protocols and getting to meet different people and high school programs. It is the administrative side of sports, but it’s sports every day all day.”

He hopes to make a lasting impact through his diligence and passion for the programs, students and staff. 

“The one thing people will tell you is that I work really hard. I care about Whitney High School. I care about the people here, whether you’re a student or adult, and I work hard. I think hopefully those will be my legacies when I leave,” Feuerbach said. 

The position of assistant principal has been posted on EdJoin, the website for school employment used by Rocklin Unified School District, and Whitney High Student Media will continue to report on the story as news develops about the assistant principal and athletic director roles.

Means said, “The things Feuerbach created here won’t fade away. The things with activities and ASB are things that he created and are continuing. A lot of the ideas and ideals for Whitney Athletics were implemented by him. It’s hard to replicate him and what he’s done, but we can continue to use the foundation he’s created. He’s got an amazing legacy that he’ll leave behind here.”

by KAITLYN EL-SAYEGH & SOFIA MCMASTER