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Roaring Fork High School names Jade Bath new athletic director

Joshua Carney
Glenwood Springs Post Independent

After two years of shadowing former Roaring Fork athletic director Marty Nieslanik as the working AD and the athletic secretary, current Rams girls basketball head coach Jade Bath is set to assume full duties as the new Roaring Fork athletic director this fall, Roaring Fork Principal Drew Adams announced Tuesday.

Bath, who led the Rams to a 9-11 (4-5 3A Western Slope League) record in her first year at the helm of the girls program, takes over an athletic department that she’s been around since she was a little girl, helping current boys basketball head coach Larry Williams back when he served as the Rams’ athletic director in the ‘90s.

Now, she gets the gig all to herself after learning under Nieslanik over the past few years.



“If you would have told me two years ago that I would be the girls head basketball coach and the athletic director at Roaring Fork High School, I probably would have laughed at you,” Bath said. “This is a dream come true; this school has meant so much to me and my family over the years. I remember as a little girl helping Coach Williams when he was the athletic director by cleaning the gym floor for basketball games, or running out on the field in football games to grab the kicking tee. Ever since I was a little girl I’ve had a passion for all Roaring Fork sports. I bleed blue and gold.

“When I interviewed for the athletic secretary job two years ago, I remember saying that if they hired me, I’d retire here. Now, I think that’s more true today, considering where I’m at. To be honest, this really hasn’t hit me yet. I’m just excited and honored that they decided to hire me and give me this opportunity.”




With her hire, Bath becomes one of the youngest ADs on the Western Slope and one of the few women, joining Eagle Valley’s Tami Payne and Aspen’s Martha Richards.

“I didn’t know that,” Bath said. “That’s actually really cool. That’s awesome, honestly. I’m really honored to do that, and it shows that as long as you have a passion for sports, the kids and the community, you can reach this level. I have big shoes to fill here at Roaring Fork.”

Taking over for Nieslanik, Bath hopes to get the Rams back to prominence in athletics moving forward, which is an area that the former Roaring Fork basketball player feels the Rams have been passed in over the years.

“I want all the teams to succeed,” Bath said. “We want to get the whole athletic program back here at Roaring Fork, which I feel has taken a back seat here in the past several years. My number one goal is to get the community involved again and get the athletic programs back up and running, giving the kids something to go out for and represent their schools in a positive way.”

jcarney@postindependent.com

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