SPORTS SPOTLIGHT
LESLIE SLOVAK RISD ATHLETICS’ VERY BEST By Maggie Kennedy, Richardson Life Magazine Intern
It has been an honor and privilege to work alongside Leslie for the past nine years. She is passionate about the role athletics can play in growing our student athletes. Her leadership ensures an environment anchored in excellence and high expectations. This allows our coaches to thrive as they instill a commitment to team and love of competition in our athletes. RISD is a better school district because of Leslie’s servant leadership. – Tabitha Branum, RISD Superintendent
Leslie Slovak
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ISD Athletic Director Leslie Slovak knew that she wanted to impact student athletes from the time she was about thirteen years old. “I knew in eighth grade that I wanted to be a teacher and coach,” says Slovak. She started down that path as a collegiate volleyball player at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) before she became the head volleyball coach at Berkner High School.
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Slovak has spent the last eight years as the first female athletic director in the RISD school district. Before she became athletic director, Slovak spent 15 years as assistant athletic director under now-mayor Bob Dubey. The initial decision to leave Berkner High School and move on to an administrative position was a difficult one to make: “Leaving my kids at Berkner was tough and not being around kids every day was a tough
decision.” But she knew it was an opportunity that wouldn’t present itself often. And Slovak felt that eventually she would like to be an administrator to make a difference for student athletes in an even broader way. Slovak's love for collaborating with students led to the creation of the SALT program, RISD’s Student Athlete Leadership Team. Once a month, Slovak meets with 16 selected student athletes from all four high school campuses. The inspiration behind SALT was Slovak’s desire to interact with students on a regular basis again. She goes on to say, “I love getting to know our kids and watching them succeed not only in athletics, but in the classroom and in life.” Although Slovak knew of student athlete leadership organizations on
