‘Going through the process, it just felt right in the end’ — Rhoads returns home as Lakota West athletic director

LIBERTY TWP. — Austin Rhoads never truly left Lakota West.

The hallways, the fields, the expectations — all of it remained part of who he was. Now, after building a reputation as one of Southwest Ohio’s respected athletic administrators, he’s returning to lead it.

Lakota Local Schools announced Tuesday that Rhoads, a 2001 Lakota West graduate, has been named the school’s next athletic director. Pending board approval on April 27, he will begin the role Aug. 1 ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Rhoads returns after serving as athletic director at Springboro since 2016, bringing more than 20 years of experience in education and athletics.

“I am excited and honored to return home to Lakota West and give back to a school and community that has meant so much to me,” Rhoads said. “I look forward to working alongside our students, coaches and families as we continue to build on the strong tradition and winning culture of Firebird athletics.”

The opportunity emerged following the retirement of longtime Lakota West athletic director Scott Kaufman, a mentor and close friend. Kaufman will be taking a role within the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

The decision, however, was anything but simple for Rhoads.

“It’s been kind of an emotional journey,” Rhoads said. “I’ve had such a great experience at Springboro, but it just kept drawing me back to Lakota West — being a student there, a coach, a community member. Going through the process, it just felt right in the end.”

Rhoads described Springboro as one of the best places he’s worked, making the choice even more difficult. Only one opportunity could have pulled him away.

“There was only one position that I would leave for,” he said. “And this is it.”

Rhoads’ path to this moment developed over two decades, shaped by both success and unexpected turns.

After graduating from Lakota West, he played college baseball at Indiana University and later at Miami before an arm injury shifted his focus toward coaching.

That transition brought him back to Lakota West, where he spent eight years coaching baseball, including serving on the staff of the Firebirds’ 2007 state championship team.

He later became head coach at Princeton High School and spent eight years teaching in Hamilton before moving into administration at Sycamore Community Schools.

The move also coincided with a change at home.

“I went from coaching a GMC championship team to coaching T-ball,” Rhoads said. “It was a little different, but it opened up a new chapter.”

That chapter eventually led to Springboro, where he spent nearly a decade overseeing a large, competitive athletic department.

During his time at Springboro, Rhoads guided a program that consistently competed at a high level across multiple sports, including deep postseason runs in girls soccer, girls basketball and baseball.

The experience prepared him to return to the demanding environment of the Greater Miami Conference.

“I was a GMC guy my whole life,” Rhoads said. “Then coming to Springboro and learning the GWOC, you realize how similar they are. When you win in those leagues, you’re competing for state championships.”

His work earned recognition across the region, including the Southwest Ohio Athletic Directors Association Horizon Award in 2019.

Lakota West principal Scott Laman said that combination of experience and vision stood out.

“Mr. Rhoads will bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to Lakota West as he builds on the strong foundation of Firebird athletics,” Laman said. “He is forward-thinking and deeply committed to supporting our student-athletes, not only in competition, but also leadership and personal growth.”

Rhoads’ connection to Lakota West runs deeper than his professional résumé.

He was inducted into the Lakota Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 for his accomplishments in baseball and football. He still lives in the community, and his son is now part of the program as a freshman baseball player.

“It’s close to home,” Rhoads said. “It’s where my family is. It’s where I’ve always had ties.”

Those roots helped shape the perspective he now brings back — one centered on relationships, culture and the overall student-athlete experience.

Rhoads is quick to point to Kaufman’s influence, both personally and professionally.

“Scott has been a friend and a mentor to me,” Rhoads said. “When I had no experience, he was the guy I went to. He’s laid the groundwork here.”

The task ahead is not about replacing that legacy, but continuing it.

“You don’t go in trying to fill those shoes,” Rhoads said. “You build on what’s been started and do it your own way.”