Staff Spotlight

Chris West, Athletic Director

Mr. West has been a dedicated member of the Windsor Charter Academy staff for the past two years! He served first as a high school English teacher and now is our athletic director. As athletic director, he supports the middle and high school athletic programs, as well as high school clubs and activities.

Before joining Windsor Charter Academy, Mr. West served as superintendent of schools in northeastern Pennsylvania. Prior to those roles, he served as an assistant to the superintendent, high school principal, and language arts instructor. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Moravian College and a Master of Science in Educational Administration from The University of Scranton.

Mr. West’s journey into education was not a direct path. When entering college, he enrolled as a pre-med major. Realizing that he was uninspired by a path in medicine, he sought a new direction. As a high school student, he had three teachers who made an impact on his life. When he realized the significance of the impact, and how it shaped him, he realized he wanted to dedicate his life to making an impact on others. A college professor encouraged him to consider a degree in English, which he pursued, and then he launched his career in education.

As one may guess, Mr. West has been a lifelong athlete; he began playing baseball at the age of eight. In high school, he was a two-sport athlete, playing basketball for two years and baseball for four years. At Moravian College, he played as a varsity starter, winning the Division 3 Mid-Atlantic Conference Championship his freshman year.

After graduating from college, Mr. West continued to be involved in athletics. He served as a basketball coach for three years, then as a head varsity baseball coach for three years. During his peak coaching career, he served as an American Legion baseball coach from 1994 to 2001 and then as a Head Senior Babe Ruth Baseball Coach from 2004 to 2013.

In 2019, Mr. West and his wife made the decision to move from Pennsylvania to the Front Range. After serving as an English teacher at WCA, the athletic director position opened up, and it was an ideal fit. Mr. West believes that athletics is more than just playing sports; it’s more than just competing. Athletes learn important lessons like building grit and perseverance, developing teamwork skills, and fostering relationships. Friendships with teammates are friendships like none other; they are life changing and often span decades.

In his spare time, Mr. West enjoys being the “very best hockey dad” that he can be to his son Zach! He also enjoys cooking Italian food and seafood. With a true knack for the written word, he also enjoys writing poetry. On any given Saturday morning, you might find him mountain biking on his favorite Colorado trail - Devil’s Backbone!