The Opportunity

Berwick Academy announces a search for a Director of Athletics to drive excellence in interscholastic, recreational, and club sports. Reporting to the Head of School, the successful candidate will rally the community around the joy of athletic competition and have comprehensive responsibility for all athletic teams, personnel, activities, and programs. This leadership role offers a distinct opportunity to develop student-athletes in a feeder program from Grades 3 through 12. As such, Berwick’s new Director of Athletics will mentor coaches to foster positive team culture and develop the skills and talents of student-athletes at four levels: Young Bulldogs Program (Grades 3 to 5), Middle School, Junior Varsity, and Varsity. In addition, the successful candidate will benefit from Berwick’s new comprehensive and visionary plan (see below) that articulates success in strengthening Berwick Athletics and the student-athlete experience. This is an exciting opportunity for proactive and thoughtful planning, decisive action to achieve goals, and "taking the ball and running with it.”

Founded in 1791, Berwick Academy is one hour north of Boston and situated within the beautiful, growing, and highly attractive southern Maine Seacoast area. Its 80-acre campus is home to 525 students (Pre-K to 12), 43 athletic teams, 84 coaches, and numerous league sports championships. The School’s facilities include one turf field, four grass fields, a softball/baseball field, four indoor basketball courts, tennis facilities, a fitness center that supports practice and competition, a dance studio, and a yoga studio. Berwick has an effective and long-standing partnership for use of a multi-rink hockey facility and a pool fewer than ten minutes from campus.

Berwick Athletics Philosophy Statement

Through a range of opportunities including highly competitive interscholastic sports, as well as intramural offerings promoting student fitness, community connections, and a lifelong love of physical activity, Berwick Academy’s Athletics Program emphasizes teamwork, character, self-discipline, and healthy life habits. We challenge our students to pursue individual growth and to become a part of something greater than themselves.

What We’re Looking for in Our New Athletics Leader

#1. Strategic Thinker and Skilled Administrator

• Partnering with admissions, marketing, and communications colleagues in leveraging our athletics program to strengthen Berwick's brand and attract new student-athletes
• Constructive collaboration with three division directors (Lower, Middle, and Upper School), the Facilities Team, and faculty in order to achieve program goals
• Strategist that is constantly looking for ways to optimize Berwick Athletics by proactively identifying problems, dilemmas, opportunities, and solutions to improve the program
• Driving and enacting the new plan for Berwick Athletics (see below) by moving forward through possible pitfalls and reimagining potential solutions
• Systems-orientated manager that’s effective supervising team members and overseeing balanced team rosters, facilities use, scheduling, game operations, special events, and more
• Strong fiscal acumen by interfacing with the Business Team to allocate resources that meet the needs of all athletics programs
• Thought-partner to the Head of School and Administrative Team in identifying new strategies and vision to take Berwick Athletics to the next level

#2. Positive Team and Culture Builder

• Highly visible in the Berwick community to build relationships and trust across multiple constituencies
• Ability to translate the Berwick mission and culture into positive sportsmanlike conduct among players, coaches, families, and fans
• Train coaches and student leaders in setting a good tone and building a positive team culture that is highly competitive, student-centered, and team-oriented
• Adept at integrating Berwick Athletics positively into the life of the school and with thoughtful whole-school thinking so that the program makes a positive impact across the PK-12 spectrum
• Motivate the community with a passion for highly competitive sports, an infectious enthusiasm for student-athletes and coaches, and a renewed sense of community spirit to cheer on Berwick teams

#3. Developing the Skills and Passions of Student-Athletes

• Student-centered approach to athletic administration and coaching
• Overseeing a wide range of team sports, skill levels, and student experiences to build our new and more-robust Varsity feeder program with reliable and well-structured JV and Middle School teams that challenge athletes with skill development, training, and swing players up to Varsity
• Ensuring a seamless process for middle schoolers “playing up” onto JV and Varsity teams based on coach assessment, player skills, performance, developmental maturity, and academic standing
• Proactive approach to retain athletes from Middle School into Upper School by ensuring MS involvement is meaningful and challenging and that there are enough choices resulting in appropriately sized rosters
• Adept at helping student-athletes navigate outside sports club participation while balanced with meaningful and active participation and student leadership on Berwick teams 

#4. Coaching Berwick Coaches

• Success in recruiting and evaluating coaches to ensure an effective feedback loop, appropriate accountability, and consistent application of athletic policies and practices
• Mentor and guide coaches to be highly adept at motivating their players and developing their team captains 
• Establish an approach of “sports program directors” led by Varsity coaches to create a better link among Varsity, JV, and Middle School coaches to ensure seamless progression for student-athletes and consistent techniques, plays, and terminology for each team sport
• Partner with the Wellness Team to foster a mindset that keeps student growth, development, safety, wellness, and mental health at the forefront of coach decision-making
• Provide professional development opportunities to coaching staff

#5. Effective Constituent Relationships and Communications

• Positive relationships and timely, accurate messaging to families, student-athletes, and coaches
• Navigate the expectations of student-athletes and their families with care, candor, and compassion
• Strong partnership with the Admissions Team to drive and improve student-athlete recruitment among prospective families and retention among current families
• Active liaison with the College Counseling Team to guide aspiring student-athletes through the college recruitment process
• Ability to understand and integrate into Berwick Athletics the ongoing evolution of high school sports, outside club teams, today’s student-athletes, and parent expectations with a positive customer-service orientation
• Ambassador for Berwick Athletics in maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with peer schools in the Eastern Independent League and NEPSAC, as well as among peer athletic directors and coaches

Background and Qualifications We Seek

• Bachelor’s degree and preference for coaching experience at the high school and/or college level
• Significant managerial experience, preferably in athletic administration, and background in leading complex athletic programs
• Strong organizational and executive functioning skills, particularly in managing complex logistics and different internal structures that exist in a PK-12 school
• Sound judgment and a resourceful, persistent, and flexible problem-solver
• Ability to manage multiple priorities within time constraints while maintaining an optimistic and growth-oriented mindset
• Highly skilled at collaboration and ability to contribute meaningfully as a member of Berwick’s senior Administrative Team
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain trust, respect, and credibility within a community
• Strong interpersonal skills and composure through difficult conversations 
• Commitment to confidentiality

Salary and compensation package are market competitive and commensurate with experience, background, and demonstrated expertise.

Interested candidates are invited to send inquiries to Berwick’s search consultant in confidence: Rice Bryan, rbryan@carneysandoe.com. Candidates will ultimately submit the following materials as one PDF document:

• Cover letter (one page) that clearly addresses, Why this opportunity at Berwick and why now?
• Resume (up to three pages) that outlines your achievements and the results your leadership actions
  
  

New Plan for Berwick Athletics

Berwick Academy has developed a vision and plan to strengthen the athletics program starting in the 2026-2027 school year. This plan is based on recent studies, research on best practices, and community feedback. It will also enhance the Berwick student experience by achieving the goal that was articulated in spring 2025: A range of opportunities including highly competitive interscholastic sports and intramural offerings promoting student fitness, community connections, and a lifelong love of physical activity. 

Berwick has many high-quality student-athletes, teacher-coaches, and external coaches. Yet the world of sports and student involvement in athletic activities outside school have changed. Parent expectations about these activities have also changed. Many independent schools like Berwick are also addressing increased student interest in non-athletic activities that can happen outside the academic day. So our new plan for Berwick athletics is incorporated into a thoughtful and intentional Berwick Afternoon Program that is creative and nimble, as well as providing ways for students to participate in team and recreational sports within the framework of other co-curricular opportunities. This plan greatly broadens student horizons with opportunities to experiment, strive for excellence, and accelerate the development of each student’s unique potential.

Berwick Afternoon Program: Achieves Four Goals

Berwick Afternoon Program: Delivers Five Primary Benefits

About Berwick Academy

Berwick Academy, situated on an 80-acre campus just over one hour north of Boston, serves 600 students, pre-kindergarten through grade 12, from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Deeply committed to its mission of promoting virtue and useful knowledge, Berwick Academy empowers students to be creative and bold. Berwick strives to graduate alumni who shape their own learning, take risks, ask thoughtful questions, and come to understand and celebrate their authentic selves. Founded in 1791 and rooted in a tradition of college preparation, our culture of innovation prepares students for a complex and dynamic world.

Connections working at Berwick Academy