Andrews – Frank Maennle has been involved in western North Carolina education and sports for almost his entire life.
He moved to Andrews when he was 14, graduating from Andrews High School in 1974. In 1979, he went back to Andrews as a teacher.
In 1983, he moved east to Swain County High School, where he worked for 30 years in numerous positions, including athletic director, head basketball coach and assistant football coach. Then in 2017, he returned to the Wildcats as head basketball coach.
The journey came full circle last month, when he took over as Andrews’ athletic director.
“When Mr. (Lance) Bristol talked to me about coming back and taking the basketball job at Andrews, he talked about bookending that 30 year career at Swain with my first four years at Andrews and my last four years at Andrews,” Maennle said. “That’s gone now, but I’m really excited about this opportunity and continuing on at Andrews.”
Maennle takes over for James Phillips, who stepped down in June after three years at the helm. In a text message to the Cherokee Scout, Phillips said he stepped down to be able to spend more time with his family and continue to develop the Wildcats’ football program. He remains the head football coach as well as strength and conditioning coach and testing coordinator, positions he has held since 2015.
Under Maennle, the Wildcats’ basketball team went 51-40 the past four seasons, including back-to-back, top-three Smoky Mountain Conference finishes in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. His son, Matthew Maennle, who was previously Andrews’ junior varsity coach, will take over as head coach.
As basketball coach in Andrews, Frank Maennle was always impressed with support from the community.
“(The parents) trust you with their child, they allow you to work with them,” Maennle said. “It’s just a great situation in that community. The kids, they love to work hard. It’s a blue-collar bunch of kids, and I really enjoy it.”
Though he was athletic director at Swain for 16 years, things have changed in the eight years since he has held that position, though two things haven’t. He still loves sports and being around kids, something he’ll continue to be able to do in this position.
“I found when I was over at Swain that it brings you in contact with so many more kids, so many more student-athletes,” Maennle said. “I love kids, I love working with them. That’s been my life since 1979.”