DANVILLE — Usually around this time, DaJuan Gouard is finishing up what needs to be done as coach of the Danville Area Community College men’s basketball team.
But this June brings new responsibilities as Gouard is wrapping up his first month as DACC’s athletics director, replacing former AD Tim Bunton on June 1.
“I spent some time and went to a conference that Tim and I went to and this month has been filled with paperwork,” Gouard said. “I have to give him kudos because I have been next to him the last decade and watching him work and as an as assistant showing me a lot of things. It is great stepping into an Admin role, I spent the first couple of weeks talking with everyone and get all the things that are due, so I have been very busy the last few weeks.”
Gouard, who was also assistant athletics director under Bunton, said there was some more things that he is working on as AD that he would not have worked at before.
“It is the little things. With Tim, he was the AD and he had time to do academic awards, insurance and taking care of buses. “Those are things I knew about but I never focused on it. Now I am having to recruit and have kids on campus and have families and to make sure the athletics department have everything it needs to function.”
While Bunton told staff in the fall of 2025 that he was retiring, Gouard knew he was one of the top choices, but also keep his focus on the team, which paid off with a NJCAA Division II Final Four performance in March.
“We had several talks over the years about stepping into the administration role,” Gouard said. “When he told us, I was in the swing with basketball and I was going to let whatever happens happens and stay locked in. I didn’t want to focus on being an AD and short the 25-26 team from their year. We had private conversations about it and after the season, we tackled what would be coming next.”
For the next month, Gouard said that he is trying to get things ready for August, when the student-athletes first come to the school.
“It is early right now, but my goals are to knock out as many of those small fires and jobs as soon as possible,” Gouard said. “When our teams arrive in mid-August, it will be as smooth process to prepare for the season. So I am trying to iron out as many wrinkles as I can the next month or so.
“I started on the first and we have been up and running every since. I have to give Tim kudos because he ran it like a well-oiled machine. Coming into my second month, it is going to be about wrapping up my class. We need 2-3 recruits, but I am meeting with potential assistant athletics directors, setting up the golf outing and really sitting down with our coaches again and setting up game plans for how we are going to work together and make everyone successful and make sure we have a successful 2026-27 season for all of our sports.”
