Former A&M Defensive Back Hired as SMCA Athletic Director

Michael W. Kipp will join St. Michael’s to serve as the new Director of Athletics. Mr. Kipp comes to St. Michael’s with extensive experience in coaching. Dr. Dolan said, “Mike Kipp is a proven leader and someone who will be able to look carefully at our programs and determine which are working well and which need attention.  I know that he believes in and supports our vision of athletics as part of the overall student experience and that he is fully committed to our concept of developing the whole student."


Most recently, Mr. Kipp has worked as a coach in the Blanco and New Braunfels (4A) independent school districts, beginning in 2006.  

His coaching experience for 3A, 4A, and 5A teams includes positions as head football, head powerlifting, head track, head baseball, head softball, football defensive coordinator, varsity assistant football, varsity assistant basketball, varsity assistant track, varsity assistant softball, middle school football, middle school basketball, and middle school track.  He has coached more than 25 athletes who went on to play at the collegiate level.  He also played as a linebacker for Texas A&M University.

Mr. Kipp also served for nine years as Athletic Director at San Marcos Academy, a private Christian boarding school with students from around the world.  At San Marcos Academy, he was credited with turning around a faltering athletic program and building a newly successful one.

After one of his football players suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury, Mr. Kipp resigned his position at San Marcos Academy to start the nationally recognized, non-profit Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Organization.  He said that on average, two Texas athletes per year sustain catastrophic spinal cord injuries while playing football.  The Gridiron Heroes organization has been featured on a segment of HBO’s Real Sports and in two award-winning documentaries—one directed by Peter Berg, director of “Friday Night Lights.”

Mr. Kipp earned a B.S. in Exercise Technology from Texas A&M University, Texas Teaching Certification in History and Physical Education, and John Maxwell Team Certification (in Leadership, Coaching, and Speaking).
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