Pete Moye’
Sports Button

The Cerritos College athletic department held a conference for athletes participating in the 2011-2012 school year on Friday, Aug 19, which also introduced the new Athletic Director, Dan Clauss.

In one of the only times he would be able to speak to all the athletes at the same time, Clauss spoke on areas such as: academics, uniforms, and transferring.

Clauss is a former defensive line coach for the Cerritos College football team under Head Coach Frank Mazzotta.

“He is a good guy and he is very efficient in what he does,” Mazzotta said.

For three years, Clauss was the assistant coach and a full-time faculty member at Grossmont College, before getting the Athletic Director job at Cerritos.

“I was at a coaches meeting and Frank Mazzotta came up and told me that I should apply for the athletic director’s job,” said Clauss. “I didn’t know the position was even open and he said that I had three days to get my paperwork together before the position closed. I talked with my wife, Lee, and thought it would be a great opportunity because we both enjoyed our time with the college back in ’03 and ’04.”

Clauss has said he plans on focusing on the Athletic Director position rather than stay coaching like some Athletic Directors before him.

“I actually held the job for three years in the mid-1990’s, along with coaching the football and golf teams. Back then that was normal,” Mazzotta said.

Mazzotta is one of three staff members who has held the position previously, along with the football team’s offensive coordinator, Dean Grosfeld and Head softball coach, Kodee Murray.

After Dan Smith left the position in 2008, co-Athletic Directors Grosfeld and Murray both were in term for last season’s 77 athletes’ accepting scholarships, which was a school record.

Murray was also apart of the hiring committee and was pleased with Clauss throughout the process.

“Although he looks relatively young, he is going to come in on fire, ” Murray said.

Clauss is taking over as director of an athletic program that has had 16 teams advance to the post season last year.

Also a program that has had nine state champions in the past five years, three All-Americans and five players who acquired all state honors.

“I am very excited to get to know the athletes’ and watch the games this season,” Clauss said.