There’s a new athletic director at Shawnee Mission South High School.
Mark Mahoney, who is currently chair of physical education at Olathe Northwest, will replace John Johnson this summer as the Raiders’ athletic director.
Mahoney said he’s worked to finish his administration degree for the last three to four years and becoming an athletic director was his next goal.
Mahoney is set to become the fifth athletic director in the school’s history as he prepares to take hold of the reins from Johnson, who has worked at SM South in some capacity for the past two decades.
That short list of past athletic directors, Mahoney said, shows the stability and culture SM South has fostered in its 56-year history.
“I know that Dr. Johnson is an absolute rock star of a human being and an athletic director,” Mahoney said. “I will never be him — I don’t plan on being him — but I know he’s built such a great foundation that I can step in there and just make little improvements if I need to. I’m very lucky that I’m walking into such a great situation.”
Mahoney said he’s excited to work on relationships with coaches and student athletes in his new role.
He’s been at Olathe Northwest for 15 years, and has taken on various roles, including PE teacher and softball coach.
He also currently serves as the school’s director of football operations and is also the Olathe School District’s high school PE coordinator.
While he says it’s bittersweet to be leaving Olathe, the SM South community is already welcoming him with open arms, he said.
Principal Todd Dain said Mahoney’s experience shows a “tremendous amount of success” at several levels, including as an assistant and head coach.
Dain said he credits that success to Mahoney’s ability to create a vision, steer relationships and enhance the culture — all of which falls in line with everything SM South believes in and stands for.
The athletic director role is both time and energy consuming, Dain said. This should be no issue for Mahoney, Dain said, as he “has an unquestionable level of energy and enthusiasm that will be key in driving Shawnee Mission South forward.”
“His work ethic is going to fit in perfectly with that role, along with his vision and his passion for young people,” Dain said.
Mahoney will officially become athletic director this summer, once Johnson officially retires.
