PHOTO/TROY HULL

West Charlotte athletics director Titus Ivory has roots at the school. His father, also named Titus, was a star football player with the Lions and one of the first two African Americans to play in the Shrine Bowl.

West Charlotte High’s always felt like family to Titus Ivory.

The school’s new athletics director was a two-sport star at North Mecklenburg but his West Charlotte ties are strong. Ivory’s father, also named Titus, played football at West Charlotte. His aunts and uncles attended the school as well. Ivory figured West Charlotte was his destiny.

“Honestly, I wanted to go here before they moved that (school attendance) line,” he said. “I know God put me in a better place at North Meck, but my family heritage is here. As proud as I am to be a Viking, I know that Lion is down deep in me and I want to see this place get back to that status.”  

Ivory, 38, has an opportunity to do that at West Charlotte, where athletic programs have struggled to engage with the student body and community at large. On Monday, the first-time athletic director was interviewing prospective volleyball coaches. He admits the job requires a learning curve.

“It’s a pretty big one,” said Ivory, an all-Big 10 basketball forward at Penn State who led the Nittany Lions to the 2001 Sweet 16 . “There are demands and situations where you have a lot of invested interests in your institution. West Charlotte is a very proud, very prestigious high school here in Charlotte, so you’ve got a lot of people pulling at you from different areas, but all with the intentions to make this one of the best places in Charlotte.”

West Charlotte has fans in the corporate community. The Carolina Panthers and Lowe’s led $2.1 million in renovations and upgrades to the school’s athletic facilities. The Panthers donated $200,000 to install artificial turf at Jack Martin Stadium while Lowe’s provided landscaping and concession area improvements. ESPN gave $25,000 to resurface bleachers.

“The new field will provide West Charlotte with increased flexibility for its athletic programs and a safe, more durable playing field,” said Riley Fields, the Panthers director of community relations. “The Panthers are also pleased team partner Lowe’s has provided additional support that will enhance school pride and the game day experience for visitors to the stadium.”

Said Principal Timisha Barnes-Jones: “It models for our students the power of collaboration and partnerships. The new track and field helps to restore a sense of pride in our students and in the community.”

The upgraded stadium, which debuts Friday when the Lions take on West Mecklenburg, is generating buzz on and off campus.

“It brings a new freshness,” Ivory said. “It brings a new beginning. Folks have done a great job and we’re very appreciative. The football team’s excited; the whole school is excited. I’ve had people reach out to me who were alumni here or weren’t alumni who want to see the new atmosphere. It’s got everything stirred up in a positive direction.”

Partnerships on and off campus are key to rebuilding the West Charlotte mystique, said Ivory, who played professional basketball in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. From former athletes to current students, their support is integral.

“I see a principal who has a clear vision,” he said. “I think she’s got people this year who want to buy into her vision. I think it’s always going to be a work in progress. You can’t change the whole culture overnight, but that’s our plan and purpose, piece by piece, brick by brick with the help of the alumni, with the help of the current students. We have to do it as a community family.”

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