April 17, 2024
Plano Independent School District is excited to announce the appointment of Coach Lonnie Jordan as the new Athletic Director for the district. Coach Jordan comes to Plano ISD with a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in leading athletic programs.
Image of Lonnie Jordan.
Most recently, Coach Jordan served as the Athletic Director for Highland Park Independent School District, where he successfully led a team of more than 70 coaches and support staff, and created a vision and culture for the entire athletic program. During Coach Jordan’s tenure, the district saw increased participation across all athletics programs as he embraced and enriched longstanding athletic traditions in the community.
“We are excited to welcome Lonnie Jordan to the Plano ISD family as our new Athletic Director,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Theresa Williams. “He is known for his commitment to student success and his experience as a coach and mentor makes him an ideal candidate to lead Plano ISD’s athletics programs and support the development of our student athletes.”
“We’re happy to have Coach Jordan join the Plano ISD team,” added Deputy Superintendent Dr. Selenda Freeman, who oversees the Athletics Department. “After an extensive selection process, we feel very fortunate to have him lead our athletic programs. I’d like to extend a very special thank you to Cliff Odenwald who is serving as Interim Athletic Director while Coach Jordan transitions to his new role.”
Odenwald is the former UIL Director of Athletics, who also served as Plano ISD’s Athletic Director from 2003 to 2007.
Coach Jordan’s appointment has been met with enthusiasm from the Plano community and local leaders.
“I’ve known Coach Jordan for many years and am thrilled PISD students in Richardson will have the opportunity to benefit from his commitment to excellence in athletics and student development,” said Richardson Mayor Bob Dubey. “Through his dedication to character, sportsmanship, integrity and academic achievement, he fosters a culture of success. His ability to mentor at all levels of athletics programming will go a long way in ensuring students in our community thrive both on and off the field.”
Coach Jordan replaces Jeff Smith who served in the role of Plano ISD Athletic Director from 2020-2024. “I believe Coach Jordan is an outstanding choice to serve as the next Director of Athletics for Plano ISD,” Smith said. “He brings a great amount of experience as a coach and athletic administrator and possesses strong people skills and an expectation of excellence that will benefit Plano in big ways. Above all, Coach Jordan is a man of high integrity and character who will always place kids at the heart of every decision that he makes.”
Kimbrough Stadium namesake Tom Kimbrough, who served 10 years as the Plano ISD Athletic Director, added, “I’m so happy to see Lonnie join our staff. He has worked directly with many of my best friends and every one of them gave him high praise for his character, organization and ability to work with coaches, administrators, teachers, parents and students.” Kimbrough stated, “I have no doubt our coaches, administrators and parents will love working with Lonnie.”
When asked about his new role, Coach Jordan shared, “I am extremely excited to join the Plano ISD family. I look forward to working with coaches, athletes, administration and the community to continue the great work that has been started. I genuinely want to support our coaches as we build programs that provide great experiences for all athletes and compete at the highest levels. Plano ISD has a proud athletic tradition and I look forward to embracing that history as we move forward to accomplish new and exciting things.”
Coach Jordan comes to Plano ISD following his work in Highland Park ISD and in Richardson ISD, where he served as Athletic Director and Athletic Coordinator respectively. As Athletic Director, Coach Jordan managed all district athletic budgeting and programming, including facilities renovations, and served as a member of the superintendent’s cabinet. Prior to moving into athletic administration, he served as Head Football Coach at Richardson ISD’s Lake Highlands High School and managed all phases of the budget, facilities, support staff, programs and coaches at the high school and in two feeder junior high schools. Prior to his Richardson ISD experience, he served as Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Lone Oak High School. He has a total of 29 years of experience in high school athletics.
