HUNTERSVILLE — Father Christopher Angermeyer, a parochial vicar at St. Mark Church, finished his first year coaching the St. Mark School girls’ JV soccer team with a win against Grace Covenant in Huntersville.
When school Athletic Director Greg Davidowitz learned Father Angermeyer had played goalie up through high school, he asked the priest to be the assistant coach.
“I never formally coached soccer but did coach basketball at the seminary,” Father Angermeyer said. “It was a great blessing being with them, seeing them grow as human beings, and watching them be able to complement each other and grow in holiness and virtue. They progressed as soccer players and learned to play as a team.”
The girls liked having a priest coach them, he said.
“It was cool for them to experience a priest in that way, because everyone thinks about us like we are in some kind of box,” Father Angermeyer said. “Like we are exactly a certain way and don’t have interests and hobbies, but that is entirely not true.”
They called him Father, not coach, and even in 90-degree weather, he wore his cassock through long practices and two-hour games that all began the same.
“We always start in prayer, which is one of our big foundations,” he said.
All the priests at St. Mark Church make it a point to attend at least one game for every team.
“We try to have a presence in each domain. We keep telling them that the game is where we show that we are virtuous,” he said. “It helps the kids, they love when the priests come.
But I am very proud of them and the whole experience was a great joy.”
— Lisa M. Geraci
CHARLOTTE — St. Matthew School has named veteran educator Tonya Eaton as its new principal, effective July 1.
Eaton brings nearly three decades of experience in Catholic education, serving as a teacher, principal and diocesan leader. She holds a master’s degree in School Leadership from St. Louis University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
“I am excited and blessed to serve as the next principal of St. Matthew Catholic School,” Eaton said. “Throughout my years in Catholic education, I have been grateful for the opportunity to help students grow academically and in their faith. I look forward to partnering with the faculty, staff and families of St. Matthew as we continue the tradition of educating saints and scholars.”
Eaton previously served as Director of Educational Services for the Diocese of Des Moines, supporting schools in curriculum development, professional learning and student services.
From 2011-2014, she was principal of St. Patrick Catholic School in Perry, Iowa. She led the led the school as it grew from 85 to 125 students, strengthened academic programs and built community partnerships. In 2014, she served as the first principal of St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School in Ankeny, Iowa, guiding the school through its early development and growth until 2019.
She then returned to her roots, working with students scoring below grade-level in math and reading and the teachers who support them as an interventionist/student support teacher at St. Anthony Catholic School in Des Moines. There, she was also a member of the St. Anthony Leadership Team.
“It was clear from our first conversations that Mrs. Eaton has a real love for her faith and a genuine joy in working with children,” said Dr. Greg Monroe, the diocesan superintendent of schools, “and she will be a great fit for our school system with her past experiences and skillset.”
The search for a new principal at St. Matthew began Jan. 1, when Kevin O’Herron, who served as principal for 27 years of the school’s 33-year history became assistant superintendent of schools for the diocese. Suzanne Beasley, who stepped in as interim principal, will continue her leadership as assistant principal.
“I am grateful to Mrs. Beasley for her steady leadership as interim principal over these many months, and to the search committee for the time, prayer, and discernment they gave to helping us land the next principal of St. Matthew,” Monroe said. “I look forward to working closely with Mrs. Eaton as we build on the great legacy and traditions of St. Matthew and keep pursuing excellence as we look to the future.”
— Trish Stukbauer