By Meghan Cooke
Staff Writer

Carrboro High’s fields are empty now, but the athletics department faces a busy off-season. The school board has approved three coaches so far.
Commons Photos by Meghan Cooke

In a few months, athletes will don purple, black and white jerseys and take the field for the first time at Carrboro High School.

But in the meantime, there is plenty of work left to be done.

Steven Reinhardt, who assumed duties as athletic director of Carrboro High School in February, has his work cut out for him.

When it comes to building up a new athletic program, Reinhardt said his first responsibility is to hire coaches before the school opens in August. He said that finding the right coach for the future Jaguar teams is the biggest challenge.

“My first thought when we hire a coach is always, ‘Would I want that person to spend two hours a day with my son or daughter?’” Reinhardt said.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board has already approved three coaches. Jason Tudryn, a former defensive coordinator at Curry College in Milton, M.A. and high school head coach from Florida, will take the reigns as the first football coach at Carrboro High School. Tudryn will also work as an exceptional education teacher at the school.

Melvin Griffin, a math teacher from Virginia, will become the high school’s defensive coordinator.

Alvin Thompson, a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and Fayetteville State University who has coached basketball at several North Carolina high schools, was also approved as the new head basketball coach.

Reinhardt said that more names will be sent soon to the school board for approval.

“We want to make sure we hire people that we’re proud to say they coach at Carrboro,” he said.

The Athletic Department is coming together almost as quickly as the school itself. Construction of the 140,000 square foot high school off of Smith Level Road continues, but teachers and administration may be moving in as early as June 1.

For now, administrators are working in temporary offices on Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill, which Reinhardt jokingly refers to as the “Breadmen Club” because the building is owned by Breadmen’s Restaurant and Catering, located just across the street.

“When I saw grass on the fields, I was jumping like a little kid,” Reinhardt said, describing the excitement of seeing the fields coming alive. But before any practice can begin, civil engineers must approve the fields.

“You see this thing coming and it keeps getting better and better,” Reinhardt said.

The grounds at Carrboro High School will include two practice fields, a baseball field, a softball field, a competitive field with a track and a gymnasium.

Carrboro High School will enter the athletic scene in the Mid-State 1-A/2-A Athletic Conference. Opponents will include Cardinal Gibbons, Cedar Ridge, Durham School of the Arts, Graham, Cummings, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Raleigh Charter, Northwood, and Orange High School.

So, what is left to do?

“Everything,” Reinhardt said. “Quite simply, everything.”

He said new equipment and uniforms must be ordered, in addition to seeing to it that facilities are operable. Reinhardt said that athletic directors handle things that most people would never consider. He spent Friday morning in Burlington looking at tractors.

“You’re never done. When you think you’re done as an athletic director, you’ve failed.”

Future Jaguar students and fans can purchase school T-shirts and sweatshirts here!