After 24 years, Rapp retires as Adams AD
Counting team state championships and state finals appearances was never a priority for Jason Rapp.
The long-time Rochester Adams athletic director preferred to weigh success by the studentathlete experience of each and every boy and girl that threw on a Highlander jersey.
The state titles and program success was just a bonus.
“Measuring the success of an athletic program by state championships is chasing fool’s gold,” said Rapp, who officially retired from his athletic director position on Nov. 6 after 24 years on the job. “State championships shouldn’t be an expectation and are most often once in a lifetime journeys resulting from coaches doing things the right way and kids buying in — with some breaks along the way.”
In his time heading up the Adams athletics program from 1996-2020, Rapp saw his teams capture eight state titles and finish runners-up another 20
times — in 13 different sports. The Highlanders regularly compete in the Oakland Activities Associations’ highest divisions and achieve a great amount of success.
“I’ve said for years the hallmark of Adams athletics is consistent competitiveness,” Rapp said. “Opponents know they will face hard-working and well-prepared teams when the
Highlanders show up to play. This is a testament to our coaches and collectively, I can’t imagine a better group exists anywhere.”
Rapp graduated from Gull Lake High School, outside of Kalamazoo, and attended Western Michigan University from 1985- 89. He met his wife, Susan, a Rochester native, while in college.
Rapp went on to earn a master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State University and began his career working for the Charlotte Coliseum in North Carolina and as the event coordinator at the Lexington Center ( Rupp Arena) in Kentucky.
In 1994 he returned to Michigan and began coaching and teaching part time at Adams. Within two years, he accepted the athletic director position at the school. At the time of his retirement, he, along with Troy Athens athletic director Bob Dowd, were the longest tenured ADs in the OAA.
“The formula for success at Adams is no revelation — hire quality people, provide guidance and support when needed and combine that with knowing when to get out of their way,” Rapp
said. “Our coaches have high expectations for their athletes, while maintaining proper perspective. This balance is what educational athletics is all about.”
Rapp served as president of the Oakland County Athletic Directors Association (OCADA) in 2001- 02 and was the OAA president in 2013-14.
He was selected OCADA Athletic Director of the Year in 2013-14 and was recently named the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Region 11 AD of the Year for 2020.
With all the success his Highlander programs have achieved over the years, there are a few highlights that stand out to Rapp, such as the school’s first and only football state championship back in 2003. But it wasn’t necessarily the final outcome at the Silverdome that first comes to his mind.
“It really became a community event,” he said. “I’ll never forget walking out of the tunnel before the kickoff and onto the field with the team and looking at the (stands) behind the Adams bench and they were full. The whole town of Rochester came out. I remember the school marquees at Rochester and Stoney Creek high schools, wishing Adams luck in that game. That was very unique I thought.”
He is perhaps most
proud of his involvement with the Crosstown Charity Bowl football game in 2015, pitting his Highlanders against Rochester High School. The players and cheerleaders from both schools donned jerseys in honor of a veteran or member of the armed forces. More than $10,000 was raised for Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization that supports veterans and military families.
“In three years of college athletics and all my time at Adams, with all the bowl games and all- star games I’ve been to, from my personal experience the Charity Bowl was one of the greatest events I’ve ever been associated with,” Rapp said. “Just the reactions people had that night, it was really great.”
But it’s not just the success and accomplishments on the field of play that comes to mind, it’s those random phone calls he receives every so often that made the job so special.
“I remember a phone call I received many, many years ago from a parent thanking me for acknowledging her son in the parking lot after school,” he said. “I have a picture of Reggie White with a quote attached to it that sat in my office for many years. It says ‘ The true measure of a champion is not in how many medals or trophies you own
but how you affect the lives of others.’ I always think of that mother calling me and it made me realize that’s what is important, not the state championships and all the other stuff.”
Brian Hassler has been hired to replace Rapp. Hassler comes to Adams from Madison Heights Bishop Foley, where he spent the last 23-plus years as an athletic trainer, teacher, coach and athletic director.
“I will always be grateful for the opportunities I was given at Foley, from starting as an athletic trainer in 1997 to ending as the athletic director,” said Hassler, who started his new position on Nov. 9.
“I am excited to build upon the athletic program at Adams and am thankful for all that Jason has done to establish the Highlanders as one of the top athletic programs in the state.”
Serving 24-plus years as an athletic director is a testament to the dedication Rapp has had for the school and community as a whole. Not many athletic directors last that long.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, to work in athletics, since I was probably in sixth or seventh grade,” Rapp said. “(Adams) is a great school. The coaches and kids are so great to work with, so in that respect it’s a great environment to work in.”
Tony Patritto, the head football coach, is one of those coaches. He said Rapp is a class act who always took pride in doing things the right way.
“In an era where bending the rules is common, Jason was a leader in making sure we could be competitive without compromising our character,” said Patritto, who was hired in by Rapp back in 2003.
“He put the interest of our student-athletes first, and did so much more for Adams than was in his job description.”
Rapp said the next chapter in his career has yet to be determined, but what has been determined is that he will surely miss the job, which allowed him to build so many important relationships over the years.
“I enjoyed being at the building,” he said.
“I didn’t mind being there on weekends — with the people. That’s what it’s all about, relationships. I enjoyed projects, trying to upgrade the facilities and things of that nature. There’s so much to the job, people have no idea. The contests are just the tip of the iceberg.
“There is so much to do to make it all happen. You meet so many people.
“I’m very fortunate to have been at a school like (Adams) for as long as I have. It’s been tremendous.”