Teeter keeps the balance in recreation division

By Charles Whisnand

Appeal Sports Editor

When thousands of youths and adults take part in activities offered by the Carson City Recreation Division " sometimes on a nightly basis " the organization of all these events is no small task.

And the organization of all these events " from the scheduling to the on-site supervision " has been entrusted to Jeremiah Teeter, Carson City's recreation supervisor. It's a tall task for someone who's just two years removed from high school and still attending college, but Teeter already has plenty of experience in recreation.

In November, Teeter will have worked in Carson City's recreation department for five years and he took on the full-time position as recreation supervisor in May. Teeter began working in the recreation department in high school officiating basketball games and working in the concession stand during softball games.

The 2006 Carson High graduate, who played basketball and baseball for the Senators, is still involved in the hands-on work of officiating youth and adult basketball games and volleyball matches.

Teeter attended Western Nevada College the past two years and will transfer to the University of Nevada this fall. Since Nevada doesn't have a recreation program, Teeter is majoring in business management.

But there's no doubt that Teeter wants to make recreation is life-long career. "That's the plan," Teeter said.

And Teeter knows where he wants to make his life-long career. "Hopefully I'll be working here," he said.

Teeter's ultimate goal is to take over for the man he's working under, Joel Dunn, Carson's City's recreation program director. "It's kind of the plan," Teeter said. "The plan is for me to take over for him."

For now, Teeter is going to accept the challenge of being a full-time student while holding down a full-time job. But Teeter can only accept so much of a challenge. He will take the minimum load for a full-time student of 12 units this fall and admits the plan is to earn his bachelor's in five years.

"It's challenging," Teeter said. "It's going to be a little more difficult with the travel. But I'll work it out."

When describing his job, Teeter, who works with 45 employees, said, "It's a fun job. It's a lot. It's a big challenge we've got."

Teeter said a normal day for him runs from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. as people are constantly calling him about programs that are offered. "I'm pretty much on the clock all the time," he said.

And virtually every night, Teeter is on site at a program offered by the city. "You'll always find me at the programs. I'm hardly ever here," said Teeter, referring to his desk in the recreation office adjacent to the gym in the Carson City Community Center.

Teeter said his Nevada classes will be during the day, which will enable him to continue in his duties at Carson.

"We don't have all the resources to do it all," said Teeter about what the city offers. "We do our our best and people keep coming back."

Among Teeter's biggest challenges is being the on-site supervisor for the softball games at Centennial Park.

"I pretty much supervise a 1,000 people a night out there," he said. "It's a hassle sometimes but it works."

But Teeter stressed that virtually everyone who participates in the programs conduct themselves well.

"People are great. I haven't had any major problems. We haven't had any fights when I've been out there," said Teeter about the programs he's supervised. "And people always know to talk to me when something is going on."