For as long as I can remember, sports and athletics have been a major part of my life. I fell in love with basketball and the New York Knicks in second grade and my life was changed forever. I might have been the only 7-year-old girl in recorded history who could rattle off NBA stats from the 80s and 90s like I was reciting the alphabet.
I can remember my senior year of high school like it was yesterday. Walking through the halls of Sachem North, I was excited and fortunate that I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up; play in the NBA. And then maybe if that didn’t work out, a high school athletic director.
Since I had a gut feeling that I may never get that call from the Knicks or James Dolan, I decided that I should probably pay a bit more attention to my second choice. Luckily, my friend and mentor Mr. Dave Falco was always there to remind me, “Dan… you are going to Cortland to be a P.E. teacher. Stay the course.”
Admittedly, I was more the typical jock in college than I would like to remember. In fact, I didn’t truly understand that being a physical education major meant that I was preparing to be a physical education teacher until I started my core teaching blocks. Whoops!
A two-sport athlete in college, all I knew was that I wanted to play sports, have a career in sports, and somehow give back to the world of education, a place that had done so much for me in my first 18 years of life. I picked up a sports management minor for the heck of it, played my sports and graduated in 2006.
Fast forward to today; I can say with certainty that I have hit the jackpot as a rookie athletic director in the Port Jefferson School District.
My journey into this position has led me through the halls of Sachem East, Elwood/John H. Glenn, Patchogue-Medford, Longwood, Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Miller Place, and, finally, to my new home in Port Jefferson.
Each of these places has allowed me to discover a little more about myself, and each have brought very special people, experiences and relationships along the way. I’ve had the opportunity to teach at several levels, and have also dabbled in building level leadership as an assistant principal. However, with each new setting, my end goal has been the same and to say that I am honored, humbled, and fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work as an athletic administrator is a tremendous understatement.
Even though most days I have to pinch myself to be sure that I have actually made it to this point, there are plenty of others where I lean on my administrative assistant, staff, colleagues, and fellow athletic directors to guide me through the daily challenges that can present themselves in my new position.
As athletes, we pride ourselves in toughing out the difficult days, pushing ourselves to new limits, and finding that inner strength to be better than we were the day before. These are all great qualities; but in my short time in this position I have learned that it’s ok to swallow your pride and ask for help. As a newbie, I have found that Section XI is filled with some of the greatest, most knowledgeable professionals in our field and I have deferred to their expertise on many, many occasions (hi Deb!).
Likewise, I was fortunate to find a home here in Port Jefferson where my colleagues have helped me get started on the right foot. As John Covey once said, “seek first to understand, and then to be understood.” For me, I have always found that starting out in a new place meant new cultures to adapt to, new people to work with, and most importantly, an opportunity for a fresh start. Learn as much as you can when starting in a new environment; listen to those who have experience, respect past contributions, and immerse yourself in the culture. Live in the house a year before you start knocking walls down. You will earn the respect of your colleagues, your staff and the community.
Although I would imagine it’s a far cry from the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, the people I’ve met and the students I’ve worked with throughout my journey are things I wouldn’t trade for the world. I once read an article entitled “The Game Knows,” where a college athlete talks about her career as a college softball player, the hard work she put in over many years, and the unfortunate reality that emerged as she was awarded very little playing time in her college years. She describes how after all of her hard work and dedication, one would look at her career as a college softball player and feel that it was all for naught.
But, in her years post-college, the drive and determination that led her to play division I softball was the same drive and determination that landed her a dream job upon graduation. It was in this way that she claimed “the game knows.” The game knows how hard you work, the kind of person you are, and ultimately what will be best for you in the long run.
This same concept can be applied to our profession. We are all faced with challenges and difficult decisions as we go through life, but it is how we respond to these challenges that truly define our character. Although I have plenty of years ahead of me, the lessons I’ve learned along the way and the path I have taken have truly made me appreciate how fortunate I am.
Being an athletic administrator has allowed me to combine the best of two awesome worlds; athletics and education. Having the ability to come to work every day knowing that I get to make decisions that will ultimately impact the lives of students and student-athletes is the single-most rewarding job in the world. So, James Dolan, don’t bother calling … I already have my dream job.
