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By Robert Rosen
Hometown Weekly Staff
Wellesley Athletic Director John Brown was recently named the Athletic Director of the Year in District C.
“Anytime you win an award it’s a surprise,” Brown said. “You certainly don’t do the job for awards.”
The modest Brown, who’s in his 10th year as the Wellesley AD, appreciates the award, but said it’s really an award that speaks volumes about the department and the town as a whole, not simply about him.
“What I love to see is so many kids participating,” Brown said. “We have a strong youth program.”
Brown credits the youth sports programs in Wellesley with the success the high school athletic program has had. The parents and coaches at the youth level have worked hard with the kids in town and taught them the fundamentals of their sports, not to mention the love and passion that is so clear to anyone who watched any of the Raiders teams play.
“Something we’re proud of is the number of kids who want to play,” Brown said. “Kids love sports. It’s a fun place to play sports.”
Brown said that Athletic Department secretary MaryAnne McDonald and athletic trainer Patty Hickey have played big roles in the department’s success and he gives them a lot of credit.
“The most important thing I do is hire good coaches,” Brown said.
With the winter sports season heating up, many of the Raiders teams are competing for state tournament berths and looking to make their mark in the postseason, which means more honors and awards may be on the horizon for the Raiders.
“I’m lucky I’ve had a lot of success,” Brown said. “I appreciate the fact that I’m being honored. It’s one of the biggest districts in the state. It certainly feels good.”
— Hometown Weekly Staff
Robert Rosen can be contacted at news@hometownweekly.net or followed on Twitter @roberterosen.
