VYPE: When did you take over as AD, and what was your professional background prior to this position?
Nick Pettit: I took over in June 2025. Before Capitol Hill, I was an Assistant AD, Boys Soccer Coach, and Special Education Teacher at Deer Creek High School. I also spent a year as the Assistant AD of Ops at Southern Nazarene University from 2022-2023. From 2012-2018 I coached college soccer at Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwest Baptist University.
VYPE: What is new in the athletic department, and are there any plans for future developments?
NP: We are opening a brand new high school campus at Capitol Hill in August of this year. It will be exciting to have all new athletic and academic facilities for our students. We are looking at develop plans to involve more of our community and sponsors.
VYPE: Why is community support essential to an athletic department?
NP: Community support is the bridge between a student-athlete’s potential and their reality. It provides the resources—the coaching, the facilities, the travel—that teach these kids discipline and teamwork. When the community invests in us, they aren’t just funding a scoreboard; they’re investing in the next generation of local leaders, business owners, and neighbors.
VYPE: What should parents of incoming freshmen know as their student-athletes prepare to compete at the varsity level?
NP: That the standards are high. Classroom attendance, grades, and practice attendance is required. Keep an eye out for communication from high school coaches and administration in terms of summer activities and upcoming season notes.
VYPE: Which community partners and sponsors have supported your student-athletes this season?
NP: Supreme Auto Body Shop. They have been such a resource for our student-athletes at Capitol Hill. We could not have done a lot of what we’ve done this year without them.
VYPE: Given the changing landscape of high school athletics, what is your perspective on the current state of prep sports in Oklahoma, and how can the experience be improved for students?
NP: I think that there is a system that can be created to make all classes competitive and equitable to where we minimize blow outs and create a competitive environment for all classes and student athletes. It will take a collective effort from everyone involved.
VYPE: What is the biggest challenge you face as an athletic director in 2026?
NP: Trying to change a culture little by little. We have a fantastic group of coaches, and our student athletes are buying in little by little. Our standards are changing, and we are doing our best in making sure that our students leave here as champions in life.
VYPE: How do you enjoy spending your free time away from school?
NP: I love going home and spending time with my wife and three kids. Family time is my top priority, and I love seeing my kids succeed in their activities.
VYPE: What advice would you give to a first-time athletic director taking over a program?
NP: Pace yourself. I know you want to conquer it all, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Plan, pace, and utilize your staff and resources in a manageable timeline to get your plan done.
VYPE: What is your message to the senior class of 2026, and what would you like returning students to know?
NP: There are life lessons you can learn from athletics. Take in what your coaches pour into you. They care and love you. We want you all to be champions in life and believe in you.
