Mississinawa Valley’s Dusty Yingst chosen to lead Greenville’s athletics department

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GREENVILLE – Very few job opportunities could have tempted Dusty Yingst into leaving Mississinawa Valley, but he found the perfect situation at Greenville City Schools.

Yingst was announced as Greenville’s new athletics director during the school’s board of education meeting on Thursday night. He will replace Randy Swisher, who is retiring this upcoming summer.

“I’m extremely excited,” Yingst said. “It was an opportunity that presented itself and an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”

Yingst, a 2004 Covington High School graduate, has served as an athletics director for five years. He spent four years at Bradford before moving on to Mississinawa Valley for the 2015-16 school year.

“My time here at Mississinawa has been great,” he said. “Had this opportunity at Greenville not presented itself, had Mr. Swisher not retired and it had not came open, I wouldn’t have even thought twice about applying anywhere else or looking to move on from here. This place has been fantastic. The people here are great. The students, they’re hard workers. A lot of great people here in this community.”

The chance to become a full-time athletics director is one of the things that drew Yingst to Greenville.

Working at smaller schools he’s had to fill multiple roles. At Bradford he was the athletics director for four years, a study hall monitor for three years, the transportation supervisor for one year and an assistant football coach for one year. This year at Mississinawa Valley he’s served as athletics director, dean of students, transportation supervisor and also has filled in as a substitute teacher.

“I’m excited for the opportunity, excited to move on and really advance my career as an athletic director,” the Bowling Greenville State University alumnus said. “In this area if you want to continue to be a full-time athletic director the (Greater Western Ohio Conference) is the place to be.”

While he’ll have fewer job titles at Greenville, Yingst knows there will be more sports and more events to coordinate as he moves to a larger school.

“Obviously now you’re dealing with more kids, you’re dealing with more coaches, you’re dealing with more parents, so that transition, getting used to that will be an adjustment,” he said. “And then obviously there are more sports that are offered at Greenville than what I’m accustomed to with soccer and tennis, swimming and diving.”

One of Yingst’s top priorities is to start meeting people within the Greenville athletics department. The first head coach he met was varsity football coach Aaron Shaffer, whom he talked to following Thursday’s board of education meeting.

“So far the individuals that I’ve met in the short time, just a few meetings and interviews that I’ve had, it’s been positive so far, getting a positive vibe from those individuals,” Yingst said.

“Getting to know the head coaches in each individual sport is going to be one of my top priorities and evaluating each program and where they’re at, where they want to be and how can we get there together.”

Whether it’s a team that’s rebuilding or a perennial state contender, Yingst hopes to help each program reach its full potential.

“Improvement is always there, no matter how successful you may or may not be,” he said. “There is always room to improve.”

Another one of Yingst’s top priorities will be getting involved with the Friends of Harmon fundraising campaign, which seeks to build a new athletics complex for Greenville High School.

“That goes to the top of the list,” Yingst said. “Getting involved in that, getting to meet the people and sit down to talk to the people that are involved in that project.”

Yingst won’t officially start at Greenville until Aug. 1, but he wants to start familiarizing himself with the school and community before then. He’ll also stay busy with his duties at Mississinawa Valley through the end of June and the expected birth of his second child in a couple weeks.

“That’s going to be a busy time,” he said. “Have a little one on the way, spring sports and then this transition. It’s going to be a busy time of year for us.”

While there will be some adjustments to make, Yingst is glad he won’t have to move his family from their home in Bradford, which is his wife’s hometown.

“Staying close to home, you know not having to move our family for an opportunity and still being close to our extended families was very intriguing to me,” Yingst said about the appeal of Greenville, “and to be a full-time athletic director and not having all the other responsibilities that I’ve taken on over the last five years.

“It’s going to be fun.”

Mississinawa Valley Athletics Director Dusty Yingst has been chosen as Greenville’s new athletics director. He will begin his new position on Aug. 1.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Dusty-Yingst-WEB.jpgMississinawa Valley Athletics Director Dusty Yingst has been chosen as Greenville’s new athletics director. He will begin his new position on Aug. 1. Kyle Shaner|The Daily Advocate

By Kyle Shaner

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Kyle Shaner may be reached at 937-569-4316. Follow me on Twitter @KShanerAdvocate or get updates on Facebook by searching Darke County Sports or Advocate 360. For more features online go to dailyadvocate.com.

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