CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa – Tom McKinney, a six-time Far East cross country champion coach with 14 years of coaching experience at the middle- and high-school levels, was selected as DODEA-Pacific athletics coordinator, DODEA announced Monday in a news release.

McKinney, 45, of Chamberlain, S.D., has taught and coached at Seoul American and Kadena since entering the DODEA system in 2001. In addition to coaching championship teams in two sports, McKinney has also directed Far East soccer tournaments since 2007.

He will now oversee the overall DODEA-Pacific athletics program, featuring competition in Japan, Korea, Okinawa and Guam districts, with 13 high schools in 14 sports and end-of-season Far East tournaments.

McKinney is a career educator with more than 15 years of teaching physical education, health and science. He holds a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from South Dakota State and a master’s in adaptive physical education from Nebraska.

After two years of teaching and coaching at Seoul American, McKinney transferred to Kadena and built a Far East cross country power.

His Panthers won six overall Far East Division I banners and crowned seven individual race champions. He also coached the Panthers to the 2006 D-I soccer tournament title, and served from time to time as Kadena athletics director.

McKinney takes over for Don Hobbs, a former Kubasaki boys basketball coach who held the DODEA-Pacific athletics coordinator position from September 2003 until his retirement July 1.

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