Shannon Permenter, the Leopards’ offensive coordinator and head track and field coach, has been named the school’s interim athletic director and head football coach, the Victoria Advocate reported.
Permenter, 48, was named to the position when Rodney Dowell became the district’s dean of students for its Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP), according to Van Vleck Superintendent Christie Dement.
Permenter met with the athletes briefly before school ended and plans to follow the summer strength and conditioning schedule set up by Dowell.
“I think that’s a big deal,” Permenter said.
“We’re trying to make this transition as smooth as possible. I think it will be fine. I know the kids really well. It’s a great group of kids. I want to keep that as stable as possible.”
The Advocate reported that Permenter came to Van Vleck from Sweeny when Dowell became athletic director and head football coach before the 2021 season.
The Leopards have gone 13-9 the past two seasons, winning the District 14-3A, Division II championship in 2021 and advancing to the bi-district playoffs both years, the Advocate reported.
Permenter has previously been a head coach at Boling for four seasons. He had a 22-21 record that included two playoff appearances.
Permenter plans to continue running the same offensive formation as the last two seasons.
“We’re pretty multiple,” he said. “We’re about 50 percent under center and 50 percent in the gun. We just call it the multiple wing-T.”
Van Vleck will open the 2023 season at Ganado.
