Aaron Stecker will leave Cedar Rapids Kennedy, join Bound this summer

CEDAR RAPIDS — This wasn’t a decision borne from burnout.

Instead, Aaron Stecker said, it is “the right opportunity, the right time, in something that’s in the wheelhouse of something I’m passionate for.”

After 24 years at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, including 16 as the athletics director, Stecker will leave in June to become a director and “AD in Residence” for Bound, a digital platform based around high school activities.

“It’s going to be a hard job. It’s going to take a lot of work,” Stecker told The Gazette on Tuesday. “But there is going to be a different kind of flexibility and will allow more of a work/life balance.

“My personal life won’t be dictated as much by the calendar.”

Stecker will join Bound on July 1, two days after his 52nd birthday.

According to a release Tuesday by Bound, Stecker “will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with a roster of school districts and conferences invested in the Let’s Go Bound plan.

“They will help train staff on using the platform, work on creating a cashless ticketing experience, assist with fundraising and sponsorships, and serve as a sounding board for ADs, coaches, school administrators and more.”

Bound is stationed out of Ames. Stecker will not relocate from his home in Cedar Rapids.

“I’ll work from home, and I’ll travel to schools to work with ADs and their assistants,” he said.

Stecker has served in education for 29 years. He was at Ackley-Geneva for two years, Hillsboro (Mo.) for three before arriving at Kennedy.

“Aaron has been a fantastic AD to work for,” Kennedy football coach Brian White said. “I am absolutely thankful and loyal to that man.

“First of all, I’m happy for him. Then you stop and think, ‘Who is going to fill those shoes?’ It’s a gigantic hole to fill. It’s impossible to follow a legend. Look at Kennedy athletics, what he brought to us ... it’s going to be tough for the next person.”

Linn-Mar AD Tonya Moe said, “I’m going to miss him greatly, his friendship and his mentorship.

“I support him 100 percent. A lot of people don’t understand the toll this job can take. Hopefully he’ll be working closely with the ADs (of the Mississippi Valley Conference) at Bound.”

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Stecker was asked what he considered his biggest achievement at Kennedy.

“I think the continuity of culture,” he said. “For the most part, we’ve been able to bring in high-level educators, and we’ve been able to keep them.

“We’ve been able to avoid turnover in high school athletics.”

Brian Petersen, AD at Roland-Story, also will transition from school administration to Bound. They will join two other former Iowa high school ADs — Scott Garvis and Todd Gordon — as ADs in Residence.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com