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Longtime Panama Central School Athletic Director Retires

By Sara Holthouse 2 min read
Panama senior Brandon Keefe recently signed a celebratory signing form to attend St. John Fisher University and throw for the Cardinals track and field team. Pictured, in front, from left, are: Dan Keefe, Brandon’s father; Brandon Keefe; and Helen Keefe, Brandon’s mother. In back are: Aaron Wolfe, Panama superintendent; Chris Payne, Panama athletic director; Pam Warner and Dave Becker, Clymer/Sherman/Panama track and field coaches; and Scott Costantini, Panama principal. Payne served as Panama’s athletic director until the end of the 2023-24 school year.

PANAMA -- Panama Central School has recently filled the position of athletic director along with hiring a new physical education and science teacher.

Former athletic director, Chris Payne, retired at the end of the previous school year, but Superintendent Aaron Wolfe said that he continued to help out and fill the role for this year.

"He served us for another year which we were very appreciative of," Wolfe said. "He truly believes in the Panama blue and he showed us that by being willing to help us this year."

Payne has also been substituting and continued coaching for the school this past school year. The athletic director position is set to be taken up by another Panama teacher for next year, Ed Nelson. Wolfe said Payne has been mentoring Nelson over the past few months to help make it a good transition.

The school has also recently hired a few new teachers.

"We recently hired several new teachers, including Madeline Bowen to be our physical education teacher and Beth Styers for s," Wolfe said. "We've also hired two other teachers and two new bus drivers."

Besides a new athletic director and physical education teacher, other athletic department focuses for the school have been on the recent problems with drainage and weeds in the baseball and softball fields.

"Our property is a high to low elevation so we have had issues particularly in the baseball field with drainage," Wolfe said. "Weeds have been presenting a challenge too, especially after the wet spring we just had. It has been a challenge to keep our fields dry enough to play on."

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