Big plays on the way with new athletic director
By Caitlyn Kelleher

Tim McCormick is settling into his first year as the athletic director at North Middlesex Regional High School.

Tim McCormick is ready to share his positive experiences with the next generation of student athletes at North Middlesex Regional High School.

A 1994 graduate of North Middlesex, McCormick has spent the summer and early part of the fall focusing on getting to know the students, reacquainting himself with coaching staff - many of whom were coaches when he attended the school - and upgrading the facilities.

"I never expected to come back, but I'm happy," he said.

McCormick taught for seven years at Central High School in Manchester, NH., and coached there for six years.

"I love teaching and love coaching, but I've always wanted to move into administration," McCormick said.

McCormick is familiar with the district on another level as well. His father is retired Superintendent of Schools James McCormick.

"We've always had a strong tradition of producing strong athletes," he said. "I want to continue that upswing."

That will mean encouraging students in both their academic and athletic progression, he said. The sportsmanship students learn, as well as the rules of the games, combine with other life-lessons to help students grow up.

For many people high school sports is the pinnacle of their athletic careers.

"We have to make it successful," McCormick said.

The district is a member of the Mid-Wachusett A Division because of the school's size. There are about 1,200 students at the high school and about 50 percent participate on one of the teams.

"I'd like to see that number increase," McCormick said.

A former member of the high school's basketball and soccer teams as well as a runner for the track and crosscountry teams, McCormick said he thinks skills - beyond the athletic - are important for students to develop.

In order to help develop the program, McCormick is focusing on upgrading and maintaining the fields.

During the summer, McCormick worked with the groundskeepers to fertilize and re-sod the fields. They painted the press box to help the look of the stadium.

"The fields look great," he said. "We are doing a lot to make it look like it did 15 years ago."

One of his longer-term goals is to replace the grass on the football field with turf. McCormick said the turf would be better for the school's teams because it would provide longer lasting fields, less maintenance and would open the fields up to more community uses.

"I'd like to see it happen in the next couple of years," he said.

-  - Caitlyn Kelleher can be reached at (978) 827-3386, ext. 15, or e-mail: caitlynkelleher@aol.com