Christie chosen as new Salem High athletic director | Sports

Reilly Christie see the mascot at Salem Substantial University, the witch, as an acronym.

“I’ve defined it as Operate, Ignite, Belief, Champions, and Heart,” said the 27-year-previous Christie, who has been named the school’s new athletic director.

“I’m pretty enthusiastic about this,” additional Christie, who spent this previous yr educating world-wide-web development and programming as element of the superior school’s laptop or computer science plan. “I won’t have a great deal time off this summer time I’m eager to strike the ground with both toes functioning.”

Christie usually takes about the athletic program from Scott Connolly, who made a decision just after 15 years as the athletic director at Salem Higher (expending 18 many years total at the faculty) to acquire a similar position at Bishop Fenwick Higher Faculty in neighboring Peabody.

“Scott’s a legend in Salem he’ll certainly be skipped,” stated Christie, noting that Connolly served as mentor to him over the earlier calendar year. “I hope to make on the legacy he designed. Salem Substantial is in this kind of a great situation simply because of all the get the job done Scott put in above the several years. I want to honor what he’s accomplished listed here and construct on that.”

A Delaware indigenous who went to UMass Amherst and double majored in sports activities administration and finance, Christie absolutely has his finger on the pulse of Witches’ athletics. He was an assistant football coach on Matt Bouchard’s staff members final drop, crammed a identical role beneath Cliff Exilhomme with Salem’s wrestling staff in the winter, and was the school’s head boys lacrosse this spring.

Engaged to Salem indigenous Shannon Tucker — they are because of to be married subsequent summer months — Christie interned with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs as an undergrad at UMass and later on served as a defensive mentor for the football team at Southern Methodist University in advance of getting his way to the Witch Town, wherever he’s now settled.

Staying an athletic director, he explained, was one thing that he aspired to come to be, but did not imagine that possibility at Salem High would occur anytime quickly. Soon after Connolly introduced two months in the past that he’d be leaving for Fenwick, he determined to toss his hat in the ring. Christie was subsequently interviewed by the lookup committee (consisting of two SHS teachers (a single who coaches), two Salem Significant moms and dads, and a university student-athlete), superior to a different interview with college principal Glenn Burns, and was hired.

Now, it’s about employing his vision for the athletic program across the board. That incorporates fundraising as nicely as creating what he termed “meaningful relationships” not only with the learners existing at Salem Higher — exactly where he’d like to see an boost in athletic participation — but also youngsters at the Collins Center Faculty, the city’s elementary faculties, and the neighborhood at huge.

“We have to function to make those and create champions academically, socially and athletically. All of our pupil-athletes are students initially,” he mentioned.

He was confident in what he thinks is upcoming achievement in the Witches’ athletic programs.

“The expertise that we have here in Salem is phenomenal, and it can easily compete for championships,” he mentioned. “So maintaining Salem young children at Salem Significant is a significant thing. We all want to be preferred, and showing these children that we want them coming to Salem Significant, to perform sports activities, and choose the ideal athletics for them is vital.”

Christie talked about Salem’s “proud tradition” as a member of the Northeastern Meeting, which dates back again to 1973, and suggests it’s a league the Witches can compete in.

“That’s absolutely nothing which is on our minds correct now,” he claimed as much as Salem possibly relocating out of the meeting. “We’re truly psyched to be in the NEC and do effectively versus our standard rivals.”

The proprietor of a French Bulldog named Rudy and a cat named Pebbles, Christie would “definitely” want to continue coaching, but won’t dedicate to it at this level.

“We have 28 sporting activities at Salem Substantial, and I want to make sure I give the right care and attention to all of them. My focus and care has to be equitable in between each sport,” he said.

Call Phil Stacey

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