Caroline Heeter (Class of 1997), athletic director of Oakcrest School in Vienna, was named independent schools athletic administrator of the year by the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, a recognition of decades of dedication to building a thriving, mission-driven athletics program. She received the award at the VIAAA state conference in Virginia Beach last month.
For Heeter, the honor is personal as an alumna who remembers a different athletic landscape as a student. “When I was here, we only had four sports: softball, tennis, basketball and soccer,” she said. “We were a small school, and we needed everyone just to field teams. We lost a lot of games, but we had a lot of fun.”
That spirit of camaraderie defined her early experience. Without dedicated facilities, teams often traveled around Washington searching for open fields to practice. “We didn’t even always know where we were going,” she says. “But it didn’t matter. We loved playing.”
Heeter returned to Oakcrest in 2002 as a P.E. teacher and coach, and just a few years later — at age 25 — was appointed athletic director.
Under Heeter’s leadership, Oakcrest’s athletic program has expanded significantly. What began as four sports has grown into a robust offering that includes volleyball, swimming, lacrosse, golf, track and field, and more — along with a strong emphasis on middle school development, with the collaboration of Middle School Athletic Director Margaret Sweatman. “We essentially doubled everything,” Heeter said. “A lot of that came from being willing to start small, build around student interest, and find the right coaches who wanted to grow with the program.”
The VIAAA award acknowledges the evolving role of athletic administrators — not just as program managers, but as leaders who shape school culture, support student well-being, and build community. Heeter sees that role clearly. “Athletics is often the face of the school,” she said. “It’s how people first encounter us. We are often cited for good sportsmanship, and opponents often say they always love playing us because our teams never give up.”
