Lifelong passion for athletics, education leads Klingele to opportunity to be next QHS AD

QUINCY — Kris Klingele’s career path and family responsibilities led her away from the field of play.

Now, the Quincy High School assistant principal is ready to get back into the fray.

Wednesday night, her return to athletics became official.

The Quincy School Board approved Superintendent Todd Pettit’s recommendation that Klingele, a former student-athlete and coach, be named QHS’s next athletic director. She will transition from one administrative job to the other on July 1, but her work in preparing for the move is already underway.

In fact, you might say she’s been prepping for it over the past couple of decades.

“It’s going back to my roots, going back to my underlying passion,” Klingele said. “It’s my passion.”

Klingele will replace Matt McClelland, who spent three years as AD and is slated to become the next director of the Quincy Area Vocational Technical Center, when she becomes the first female athletic director in district history.

“Each step has prepared me for this step,” Klingele said. “I’m ready. I’m ready to help coaches. I’m ready to be there and support the coaches in any way that I can.”

Klingele began teaching physical education at Quincy Junior High School in 2002, but her work as an assistant coach with the QHS track and field program actually began while she was a student teacher. While teaching at QJHS and later as a driver’s education instructor at QHS, Klingele served as an assistant coach in track and field, volleyball and cross country.

She stepped away from coaching when she became a dean of students at QHS. At the same time, Klingele became a fan, supporting her daughter, Mackenzie, and son, Reis, in their athletic endeavors.

“I’ve been a parent, so I’ve been on both sides — the parent side and the coaching side,” Klingele said. “I was even part of booster clubs for football and volleyball.”

With her daughter about to graduate from the University of Iowa and her son headed off to the University of Central Missouri, Klingele’s schedule isn’t as chaotic, which allows her the freedom to invest time and energy into the QHS athletic department.

“They’re out doing their thing in college and in the world, and that gives me a chance to do me for a moment and do what I absolutely love,” Klingele said.

A four-sport athlete in high school — she graduated from Liberty in 1994 — who started taking gymnastics lessons when she was 3 years old, Klingele has always maintained athletics are an extension of the classroom.

“I’m a firm believer in student first, athlete second,” she said. “That’s always been my motto even when I was an athlete.”

Klingele also is a firm believer coaches need support.

“I look forward to talking to the coaches,” Klingele said. “I want to find out what their needs are. What do you want from me? What can I do for you? Ultimately, that’s what an AD is supposed to do. It’s helping and guiding them or being their sound barrier. It’s whatever they need.”

Klingele already has a built-in relationship with many of the coaches, having worked alongside wrestling coach Phil Neally and football coach Rick Little in academic capacities. She also taught the likes of Marty Smith, who is an assistant football and wrestling coach.

“There are so many connections and going back to creating those relationships again is special,” Klingele said.