M.C. Sikes Is a Trendsetter for Piedmont as Athletic Director

It’s common for educators in small schools to wear many hats.

Mary Catherine Sikes does just that in her various duties at Piedmont Academy. Known as MC, the 27-year-old is entering her fifth year at the school and during that time she has needed her youthful energy to stay ahead of her long list of duties.

Her role as the school’s athletic director does set her apart from many peers in the coaching profession. First she certainly is one of the youngest athletic directors in the area as well as the state. Sikes also realizes she is a trendsetter as a female athletic director.

“It is stressful, but there is a lot that goes into athletics that people don’t see,” Sikes said. “I’m so blessed to have a strong group of coaches that can help me when I have to delegate certain aspects of a normal athletic director job.”

Sikes also serves as the athletic trainer for the sports teams at Piedmont. This is an area she has a true passion for.

“I absolutely love being an athletic trainer,” she said. “I am at my happiest at the end of the day when I get to start doing rehabs and treatments, getting kids ready for practices and covering games.”

Her job as athletic trainer provides a perspective which is unique.

“Athletic training is that odd profession where you get to see the true final outcome from your work,” Sikes said. “There is no better feeling than seeing an athlete play for the first time after you’ve spent weeks or months with them after an injury. The student-athletes at Piedmont are my kids. I would do anything to protect and take care of them.”

Sikes is from Macon and attended Tattnall Square Academy from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. It was then on to Georgia College in Milledgeville for her bachelor of science in athletic training. Sikes then attended Mercer University as an athletic training graduate student where she worked with the 2014 Southern Conference women’s soccer championship team and earned a Master’s in Education Leadership.

In high school Sikes was in marching band and was the drum major starting her freshman year. She was also a member of the track program and was a sports medicine student and manager for various sports her senior year at Tattnall Square.

During her tenure at Piedmont she has worked as athletic trainer, athletic director, head of literary (for the 2017 region and state championship), track coach and basketball cheerleading coach. She has also taught anatomy, physiology, biology and ethics. She works in the school computer lab (duel enrollment classes and Spanish).

She helps maintain the athletic fields although she jokes she is too short to reach the pedals on the tractors.

Sikes takes her role as athletic trainer seriously as she watches over the student-athletes.

“Athletic training encompasses many aspects of the health care system who are must have a national certification and a state licensure to practice,” she said. “We provide primary care, injury and illness prevention, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. When most people think of athletic trainers, they think of working out or taping ankles, but we are in charge of all the medical needs for our student-athletes.”

Working with athletes to prevent injuries is also important.

“At Piedmont, I do a lot of rehab and modalities for student athletes with injuries, but I also focus a lot on prevention of athletic injury and do preventative treatment,” Sikes said. “I think my biggest duty, however, is constantly being prepared for the worst case scenario. Athletic trainers have to continue their education each year in order to provide the best care in an emergency. We know how handle heat stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, concussions, open fractures/dislocations, and spinal injuries such as holding c-spine for 45 minutes until EMS arrives.”

Family is also an important part of Sikes’ life. Her mom, Barbara Sikes, is from Macon and her father, Daniel Sikes, grew up in Eatonton. She describes her grandmother, Mary Brown, as a saint.

“Between her and my mom, I think I was destined to be strong-willed and in charge,” Sikes said.

Her cousin Jessica Webster currently lives in Memphis but they grew up with each other almost every day and are as close as siblings. Sikes said her nieces Lilly (5) and Magnolia (2) are her “mini-me’s.”

Sikes enjoys playing the piano and has been doing so for two decades. She sings in her church choir and is a huge Atlanta Braves fan.

“If I’m not at the Braves game you will see me trying to secretly watch on my phone,” she jokingly said.

In terms of being a trendsetter as a female athletic director Sikes takes it all in stride.

“I try not to think much about being one of the few female ADs in the GISA, but it is a job that needs more female representation,” she said.

Her numerous duties can be time consuming and exhausting. Sikes jokes while she may be 27 she feels like 52. In the end she believes all the work is certainly worth it.

“I also love the friendships I’ve made at Piedmont,” she said. “The coaching staff, both past and present, is like family. I’ve been able to develop great relationships with not only the coaches, but also the spouses and kids. Whenever I have stressful days, I know they will be there for me.”