Schools

Scavone Settling In As AD At Berlin High School

He is exciting to get things under way.

 

Dan Scavone started as the new Athletic Director at Berlin High School on July 1. He says he doesn't feel any pressure but rather he’s anxious to get things going on the field.

"I don't feel any pressure at all because of the amount of experience I have," Scavone said. "I've been here since July 1 and now as we start practices I am anxious to get things going. I'm anxious to maintain the level of sportsmanship and competitiveness.

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"There will be two occasions where it will hit me that I am in this job now. The first will be when the kids walk through the doors and we start with parent meetings and meeting the teams. The other will be my first meeting with the CCC. It is a strong and proud league and I'm excited to get going."

Scavone served as the Athletic Director at Danbury High School, the largest high school in Connecticut. There he oversaw 26 varsity sports, 59 teams and more than 60 coaches.

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Prior to his position at Danbury High School, he served as Athletic Director and Dean of Students at Nonnewaug High School. He was also a Principal at Holy Cross High School, Athletic Director and Assistant Principal at Woodland Regional High School where he started the athletics program. While at Woodland, he was President of the Naugatuck Valley League (NVL). Prior to serving in these administrative positions, he was a teacher in Farmington, Waterbury and Terryville.

Scavone earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Fitness from Springfield College, a Master of Education degree in Exercise Physiology at Southern Connecticut State University and a Sixth Year Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Sacred Heart University. He is a certified athletic administrator through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

Scavone enjoyed his job at Danbury High School but a few factors played into his leaving for Berlin.

"I was also the Dean of Students so I was splitting time between two positions," he said. "I said that if I ever left it would be for a job that was a full-time Athletic Director and this position opened up.

"My wife (Danielle) is a scientist at Yale and we live in Hamden. It took me an hour to get to Danbury every day. Now I jump in my car and I'm here in 25 minutes."

Scavone's wife was a Division I softball player, his sister-in-law is a Division I coach and brother-in-law is a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Scavone, himself, is a top-flight basketball official.

The new AD said the old AD and the community of Berlin have made him feel welcome.

"I was a colleague of Jim Day's," he said. "I do a lot of work at the CIAC. I am on the Boys Basketball Committee, Eligibility Committee and the Michaels Cup Committee. I try to do as much as I can for the CIAC. I'm also the President Elect of the Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors (CAAD) so I will be President in two years.

"I don't have to re-invent the program here. I hope to pick up where Jim left off. He made me feel very welcome and he has shown me the lay of the land. I'm well aware of the tradition this program has of excellence and hope to enhance it and keep it on the same level or pick it up a notch. I know the people in town take a lot of pride in athletics. I've known about Berlin at the state level of sports for a long time now. I'm a life-long learner so I'm hoping to bring something to the position and take some of the tradition and history and we will both be better for it. Everyone I've met, from the kids who have come in to see me, to the Boosters to some of the old timers, they have been very, very welcoming."

 

 

 


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