Earlier this month, Westbrook Athletic Director Todd Sampson got a pleasant surprise when he was named the 2010 Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrator of the Year. Sampson, who has been at the school for four years, recently answered some questions regarding his award, some of his memories at Westbrook and where he sees high school sports in Westbrook and Maine heading over the next few years.
Q: How long have you been Athletic Director at Westbrook? Where were you before this?
A: This is my fourth year in Westbrook; I was previously the Athletic/Activities Director at Lake Region High School and Middle School for six years. I also served as Athletic Director one year in Aroostook County as the Athletic Director at Limestone Community School.
Q: Were you surprised at winning the Maine Athletic Director of the Year award?
A: I was absolutely shocked. There are so many quality athletic administrators across the state doing great things for kids, with many more years of service that could have received this award. It was special to have Jeff Benson, the Athletic Director at Oxford Hills, present the award to me. I had coached for Jeff at Gray-New Gloucester and had the opportunity to coach Jeff’s son in Auburn. The highlight of the night for me was to be surprised by my wife Alison and two sons Mack and Will, who came to the banquet at the Samoset that night to surprise me.
Q: What do you think some of your biggest accomplishments have been in your time at Westbrook?
A: I think one of the biggest accomplishments during my time at Westbrook has been our work with “Turning the Tide”, a student leadership group focused on promoting school spirit and morale. We also have done some cutting edge work with managing student-athletes concussions thorough our “Impact” program. We also have had the opportunity to host and showcase our facilities by having state and regional track and wrestling championships here on campus.
Q: What, in your opinion, are some of the biggest challenges facing local athletic directors right now?
A: I think it is clear we need to continue to prove quality experiences to all of our students in both athletics and activities with less and less resources. I am a firm believer that coaching is teaching and athletics just uses the courts and playing fields as its classroom. I am extremely fortunate that the Westbrook community believes this and continues to support these co-curricular events for our kids. The athletic administrators across the state will continue to look for ways to save our communities tax dollars while still producing a quality experience for students.
Q: Speaking just for Westbrook, what are some of the biggest challenges you face in the coming year?
A: Other than the economic challenges that we are facing as a community, state, and nation I would look more towards some tremendous opportunities on horizon for Westbrook. We have begun the process of working together with the newly formed Community Services Department. I also look forward to showcase our athletic facilities’ at the new Westbrook Middle School, as we hope to be on our new athletic fields next fall.
Q: With budgets getting tighter all around, how do you see high school sports adapting to the new financial realities?
A: We all need to continue to be the gatekeepers for our communities. Just as we are all doing with our own budgets at home, we need to tighten our belts. We need to stop asking “what do we want” and start asking “what do we need?” We also need to become creative and come together as a community and share resources.
Q: How have you specifically adapted at Westbrook?
A: I think anytime you come to a community there is a period of time where you feel each other out. It was easy for me to adapt to Westbrook, this is a community that cares deeply about their children and deeply about their athletics. I hope the people respect my work ethic and they understand my job is to take care of all the behind the scenes stuff so that coaches can coach and athletes can play! I am extremely fortunate to be in a position that I enjoy in a community that understands the importance of engaging our students in positive after school activities.
Q: What is your best local sports memory since you’ve been at Westbrook?
A: It is very tough to pick one event during the last four years as the best local sports memory; but I always criticize people who can’t answer a question in fear of offending someone. So, with that said, the best sports memory happened just recently when our wrestling team won the Eastern Maine Class A championship for the first time in school history. The end result was great; but my memory will be more around the team morale and spirit that was in the gym that day. Wrestlers are one of the most dedicated, hardworking groups of athletes and often times do not get the recognition they deserved.
Westbrook Athletic Director Todd Sampson was recently honored with the 2010 Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrator of the Year award.Send questions/comments to the editors.
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