In December, Gorham High athletic director Gerry Durgin began a one-year term as president of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Maine joins New York as the only state to have had three NIAAA presidents. Current Kennebunk athletic director Marty Ryan served in 2001 and former Old Town athletic director Bob Layhee was president in 1994.

“He is who I consider my best friend in the business,” Ryan said of Durgin. “I have the utmost respect for his work and the integrity and quality of his efforts.”

Durgin said becoming NIAAA president was never a goal of his.

“I thought ‘You know what, I am from Maine and I am this close, what a great honor it would be for our state,'” he said. “I have always looked at it that way; what a great honor for the state of Maine.”

Durgin was elected president as an at-large candidate by NIAAA members two years ago. Last year he served as President Elect under Larry Munksgaard of Lincoln, Neb., and next year he will serve as Past President under Joni Pabst of Tucson, Ariz.

From Fryeburg to Gorham, at the state level and nationally, Durgin has led by example. He has served on numerous committees, been president of his conference, president of the Maine High School Athletic Administrators Association and he’s won multiple awards.

“When I was a younger kid my dad used to say ‘Look around and if you see something that needs to be done, do it. Don’t be asked,'” Durgin said. “That drives me.”

One only needs to look one town over to Westbrook to see Durgin’s influence stretching beyond Gorham.

“He is always willing to help out if you need a hand,” Westbrook athletic director Todd Sampson said. “I was working on my certified master last year and he gave up two hours of his time to talk me through every step. He is as good as it gets. His work ethic is unbelievable.”

As NIAAA president Durgin will lead the association in a variety of areas. The NIAAA is working on a national scholarship program, as well as a national outreach program he helped design. The outreach program is intended to give professional development materials to athletic directors that might never have the opportunity to attend state or national conferences.

“There are times I have realized that I can be making decisions for athletic directors from urban to rural to all points of the country in every high school,” Durgin said. “There is a certain amount of apprehension, but on the other hand it is exciting.”

He will also deal with other areas, such as marketing and commercial properties. Durgin pointed out a series of DVDs on hazing the NIAAA recently produced as another example of what the association does.

“There are a lot of really exciting things that are going to enhance opportunities for kids, parents, officials; everybody that is involved in athletics,” Durgin said.

He will also be published four times in the Interscholastic Athletic Administration magazine. Durgin has written for the magazine multiple times before, and served on its committee as its chair. Now he will do it as NIAA president.

Now, how will Durgin balance of these new responsibilities those at Gorham?

“I don’t see it as a problem because my first loyalty and responsibility is to the Gorham school district and to our athletes,” he said. “If there are things I have to do at the national level I will have to hand pick and prioritize those so they get done, and get done at a high level so that there is no compromise in integrity and workmanship.”

Durgin says he faced a more difficult challenge to his busy schedule two years ago, when his youngest daughter Jenny was a senior playing field hockey at Springfield College in Massachusetts.

“When Jenny was a sophomore I was here covering a football game and she called and said she had scored the winning goal. To be here and not watching my daughter play,” he said. “When she was a senior I said I am going to see her play, I will make sure everything is covered. That was more difficult because I was personally torn.”

He credits a well-tenured coaching staff and a hands-off philosophy at Gorham for helping him take on the extra challenges.

“I don’t want to micro manage coaches or athletes,” he said. “I go with that theory that shared knowledge is power. The expectations are simple, just be good people and if you are good people good things will happen.”

I never looked at this as a job. It is something I really, really like to do. If you want to set a high benchmark and high standards you have to lead by example.”

And that’s what he’s doing.

In December, Gorham High athletic director Gerry Durgin began a one-year term as president of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).

Maine joins New York as the only state to have had three NIAAA presidents. Current Kennebunk athletic director Marty Ryan served in 2001 and former Old Town athletic director Bob Layhee was president in 1994.

“He is who I consider my best friend in the business,” Ryan said of Durgin. “I have the utmost respect for his work and the integrity and quality of his efforts.”

Durgin said becoming NIAAA president was never a goal of his.

“I thought ‘You know what, I am from Maine and I am this close, what a great honor it would be for our state,'” he said. “I have always looked at it that way; what a great honor for the state of Maine.”

Durgin was elected president as an at-large candidate by NIAAA members two years ago. Last year he served as President Elect under Larry Munksgaard of Lincoln, Neb., and next year he will serve as Past President under Joni Pabst of Tucson, Ariz.

From Fryeburg to Gorham, at the state level and nationally, Durgin has led by example. He has served on numerous committees, been president of his conference, president of the Maine High School Athletic Administrators Association and he’s won multiple awards.

“When I was a younger kid my dad used to say ‘Look around and if you see something that needs to be done, do it. Don’t be asked,'” Durgin said. “That drives me.”

One only needs to look one town over to Westbrook to see Durgin’s influence stretching beyond Gorham.

“He is always willing to help out if you need a hand,” Westbrook athletic director Todd Sampson said. “I was working on my certified master last year and he gave up two hours of his time to talk me through every step. He is as good as it gets. His work ethic is unbelievable.”

As NIAAA president Durgin will lead the association in a variety of areas. The NIAAA is working on a national scholarship program, as well as a national outreach program he helped design. The outreach program is intended to give professional development materials to athletic directors that might never have the opportunity to attend state or national conferences.

“There are times I have realized that I can be making decisions for athletic directors from urban to rural to all points of the country in every high school,” Durgin said. “There is a certain amount of apprehension, but on the other hand it is exciting.”

He will also deal with other areas, such as marketing and commercial properties. Durgin pointed out a series of DVDs on hazing the NIAAA recently produced as another example of what the association does.

“There are a lot of really exciting things that are going to enhance opportunities for kids, parents, officials; everybody that is involved in athletics,” Durgin said.

He will also be published four times in the Interscholastic Athletic Administration magazine. Durgin has written for the magazine multiple times before, and served on its committee as its chair. Now he will do it as NIAA president.

Now, how will Durgin balance of these new responsibilities those at Gorham?

“I don’t see it as a problem because my first loyalty and responsibility is to the Gorham school district and to our athletes,” he said. “If there are things I have to do at the national level I will have to hand pick and prioritize those so they get done, and get done at a high level so that there is no compromise in integrity and workmanship.”

Durgin says he faced a more difficult challenge to his busy schedule two years ago, when his youngest daughter Jenny was a senior playing field hockey at Springfield College in Massachusetts.

“When Jenny was a sophomore I was here covering a football game and she called and said she had scored the winning goal. To be here and not watching my daughter play,” he said. “When she was a senior I said I am going to see her play, I will make sure everything is covered. That was more difficult because I was personally torn.”

He credits a well-tenured coaching staff and a hands-off philosophy at Gorham for helping him take on the extra challenges.

“I don’t want to micro manage coaches or athletes,” he said. “I go with that theory that shared knowledge is power. The expectations are simple, just be good people and if you are good people good things will happen.”

I never looked at this as a job. It is something I really, really like to do. If you want to set a high benchmark and high standards you have to lead by example.”

And that’s what he’s doing.