An athletic director is like being a utility player for the Boston Red Sox.
You are the go-to guy and jack of all trades, but mastering them all is a lot to ask of any school employee. ADs understand that various duties suddenly pop up that aren’t always written in a job description.
Chad Brackett knew this going into this position, but he is grateful he is the new athletic director at Mt. Blue High School.
Brackett is a newbie and this is his first AD job. He spent the past 15 years in the classroom, so he knows his way around the playing field.
Don’t go thinking ADs are living the dream as they pass by you in an electric car and greet fans. This is not just a public relations job. There are budgets, schedules, implementing policy and other administrative tasks to occupy an athletic director’s day, which can turn into a 12-hour marathon.
“I had a curiosity for this (job),” Brackett said. ”The last couple of years since I have been here (as a teacher), just being back here made me more interested in an AD position.”
But Brackett’s curiosity about the role of an AD began with his grandfather, Robert Stevens, who was the first athletic director at Mt. Blue.
“He was a social studies teacher at this school for over 30 years,” Brackett said “I used to tag along with him to a lot of sporting events.
“This office I am in is named for him. We had this athletic director’s office named in his honor two years ago. Now I am really excited to be the person to occupy it.”
But Brackett points out that athletic directors act in different capacities from school to school.
“In general, taking care of the schedule, taking care of transportation,” Brackett said. “We have assigners for referees, but we have to be in contact with our assigners. There is budgeting. In some schools, they split responsibilities of the athletic director.
“In this one, I am changing trash can liners and speaking to unruly fans, making sure the lights come on, fixing broken sprinkler heads.”
And with three children at home, Brackett said the schedule can be grueling, but he is not complaining because he really does enjoy the job’s challenges.
“I am a fan of all sports, so I think I like being at the games,” Brackett said. “I like watching Mt. Blue win, watching well-played contests. I did the scoreboard for soccer and it really got (me) involved in athletics.
“My biggest thing is watching Mt. Blue win. If we can put entertaining teams on the field and play the right way, that is the best part to me.”
Brackett is required to be at all home contests, and sometimes that can be hectic, especially when there are several events going on at once.
Scheduling is whole different can of tuna. The fall schedule was already in place when he took the helm.
“I am going to find that out with the winter schedule, which is pretty much set. We are going to have an ADs’ meeting on the 12th. I am sure I going to have my eyes busted wide open,” Brackett said.
Another important and delicate responsibility is athlete eligibility. Brackett knows it is imperative to understand past practice when it comes to making a judgment call.
“If you want to change any policy, you have to go to the school board,” Brackett said. “I really learned by trial/error to to make sure you really understand it before you start telling kids they are ineligible or eligible.”
But Brackett doesn’t feel any pressure taking over a job at a school that just underwent millions of dollars of remodeling, added pristine playing fields and a sound system that rock singers would envy.
“I feel an obligation and responsibility to keep the facility as wonderful as it is,” Brackett said. “I think a lot of the people would feel the same way if they came into such a beautiful facility. You want to keep things the way they have been for the last couple of years.”
Bracket’s pride in his community and dedication to the school system is why he got the job.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
