High School Sports

Jarrod Bitter, a former University of Houston baseball standout and member of the San Diego Padres organization, has been named new T.K. Gorman High School athletic director, TKG principal Jim Franze announced Thursday.

The last six years Bitter has been the head baseball coach, assistant football coach, school administrator and teacher.

Bitter joined the Gorman faculty after playing baseball three seasons in the Padres organization and three years with the University of Houston. Bitter was drafted by the Padres in June, 2000. He is a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School and the University of Texas at Tyler.

Bitter is taking over for athletic director Mary Schick, who is stepping down after six years in the position. Schick has served at Gorman since August of 1998 as coach, athletic director and teacher. She will remain on the faculty and coaching staff.

“Though we are very pleased with the vision coach Bitter brings to the Gorman athletic program, we are very thankful for the work Mary Schick has done as athletic director at Gorman for the past six years. She has served this program well in terms of organization, accountability and growth,” Franz said.

He added, under Schick’s leadership, the school has added one of the few wrestling programs in East Texas as well as significant facilities upgrades in field lighting and gym renovations.

“Coach Bitter brings to our athletic program a strong sense of community, a wealth of experience in all levels of sports and connections with many in the field of sports of East Texas. We are very thankful for his willingness to serve the school in this way,” Schick said.

Gorman celebrates its 50th year as an educational institution in East Texas this fall. Even in its first year, in 1958-1959, Gorman offered athletic opportunities for students, beginning with basketball, cheerleading and track its first years, adding football in 1961.

Gorman is a Catholic secondary school of 410 students serving grades 6-12. The school competes in Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Class 4A.