LONE TREE

One year ago, Joe Donovan returned home to become head football coach at Lone Tree High School.

This month, he added athletics and activities director duties to positions that also include teaching physical education at Lone Tree and coordinator at the Lone Tree Wellness Center.

Donovan replaces longtime athletics director and boys basketball coach Tom Squiers, who retired at the end of the 2022-23 school year.

“I’ve always wanted to be one,” said Donovan, sitting behind home plate in the bleachers during a Lone Tree softball game last week.

Actually, his newest job at Lone Tree isn’t that new. He coordinated athletics at Highland High School while he was football coach.

Donovan’s move to Lone Tree last year didn’t actually involve a physical move because he already lives there. He first coached football as a volunteer assistant at Lone Tree nearly 30 years ago and his daytime duties keep him shuffling between the high school and the city’s wellness and recreation center.

Since taking over Squiers’ job earlier this month, Donovan is busy serving as the school administrator at both the softball and baseball fields while Squiers serves as public-address announcer for the softball games.

Donovan will remain as Lone Tree’s head football coach. The Lions begin their season Aug. 18 at Parkview Christian in Illinois.