Two weeks ago, we announced (article link) that Brandon Miles would be leaving his post as webmaster and site editor of MileStat.com of 13 years when he created the site as a sophomore at Jamestown High School in Wiliamsburg. Miles will make the big move in middle of March down to Austin, Texas to work at the office headquarters of MileSplit's parent company Flocasts in a new full-time position as the national editor for MileSplit US as well as serve in other duties and roles managing and developing growth in our MileSplit state sites. Today, we announce who will be the individual that will be filling those big shoes which will be left by the site's original creator and the new person who will be now in charge of continuing to promote and cover the sports of high school cross country and track & field in the state of Virginia at the highest level for years to come. Meet the next webmaster of MileStat.com. Hello Nolan Jez.
When the position opened up, there were a handful of people who inquired about becoming the next site editor of the website, but the first person that instantly came to mind for the current MileStat.com webmaster Miles to reach out to as the most desireable replacement candidate was someone that he knew very well. Not only as an former Virginia high school track & field athlete, but possibly someone who was an equal if not greater bonafide track nut of the sport that carried over into becoming a track meet official while in college and also becoming a site contributor previously not only for MileStat.com but MileSplit state sites in Kentucky and Maryland. "Nolan is someone that might not have been the most gifted track & field athlete, but I definitely had a lot of respect for him even when he was in high school as someone who was very passionate and knowledgeable about the sport than most kids his age that I knew then that he would somehow transfer his great love of the sport into other potential post-competition days job opportunities and paths," recalls Miles.
Jez went to James River High School (Class of 2009) in which he competed in virtually every track & field event from the 55 meter dash to the 3200 meter run, the hurdles, and all three jumping events. Having competed in so many different disciplines of the sport, Jez will certainly have a broad appreciation and unbias perspective in his coverage across the board of distance runners, sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, vaulters, and throwers. After two stops working at small colleges in their sports information departments (including currently as an assistant SID director at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky) following graduating from Georgetown University with a Master's Degree in Sports Management, Jez is excited about returning to Virginia and taking on the position: “As a product of Virginia track and field, I am familiar with the level of coverage this state expects and deserves. I am excited to continue this coverage as well as add new features and viewpoints to many of the stories on MileStat.com.”
Jez moves back to Virginia in mid February in time for indoor regional championship week to begin the training and transition with Miles to eventually be handed the baton off to have complete control of MileStat.com's coverage after the indoor state championships and head the site up independently in the coming outdoor season and future seasons. Finally the site will get to enjoy a clone of Brandon Miles for at least the last two weeks of the indoor championship season. "The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible for Nolan and getting him acquantained and comfortable as soon as possible with many of the behind the scenes work of the job as well as the always valuable relationship building with the coaches, meet directors, athletes, and parents that make this site as successful and well suported as it has been. I will still be a guiding hand and influence down in Texas to help Nolan and the state of Virginia continue to enjoy consistent, in-depth, and both quality and quantity of coverage that the state's coaches, athletes, parents, and fans have come to expect for many years from MileStat.com. Nolan will bring a lot of energy and ideas to infuse new life to improve the site," says Miles.
Jez, who earned his undergrad degree at the University of Kentucky in Cultural Anthropology and did a thesis in his master's program at Georgetown on creating a consulting firm that specialized in the construction and renovation of track and field venues, is highly motivated and thrilled to take over in a dream job for himself. "I am not only excited to be taking over MileStat.com, but also am excited to still be able to work with Brandon who will no doubt be improving the national site (MileSplit.US) and thus improving each and every state’s site to ultimately provide the coverage of high school track and field that the fans, athletes, coaches, and families deserve.”
Nolan Jez can be reached at njez@milesplit.com, so start saving his email to begin sending meet results and other information or inquires related to the site starting on Monday, March 3rd and certainly moving forward during the outdoor season. Until March 3rd, Brandon Miles will still be the point man in charge of site operations for MileStat.com with two email contacts at brandon.miles@flocasts.com or milestat@gmail.com.
