For Martinsville athletic director Kip Staggs, family time signals retirement

Before he announced his retirement on April 2, Martinsville high school athletic director Kip Staggs attended the birthday party of his two-year granddaughter. That was until the job pulled him away to an event. That’s the life of an athletic director.

The cost of an unforgiving sports schedule. “That was a pretty strong moment for me,” Staggs said. “We as ADs, regardless of it's at Martinsville or wherever, sacrifice so much because we're always attending an event, home or away, and we're always managing the event.

When you do that, it takes you away from other things that you may or may be able to do. " A career that spanned over three decades in public education will end at the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year. The closing chapter of a 35-year run, rooted in sacrifice and sports memories, will soon shift to family life.

“My best starting five has been my family,” Staggs said. “And now my family has grown with grandkids and significant others … Now it’s time for me to step back, be a little more present with them, be a little more present with their kids, help them along their journey. And so, that’s part of the reason for retirement at this time when I could really continue if I wanted to.