Meet Our Not-So-New Assistant Director of Athletics
Most of you know Mr. Quinn as the boys Varsity Basketball coach, PE teacher, and Golf club leader. But this year, he has another title to add to his résumé; Assistant Director of Athletics. This is a new position for the school, and I got to chat with Mr. Quinn to learn more about his new job and the sports program at Grace.
Q: What are some new things we can expect this year?
A: “I will be working very closely to Ms. Armijos, providing extra support to all of the sports teams at Grace, not just basketball and golf. I will be working to gather the thoughts and opinions of the students and using their feedback to improve their experiences. You can expect more of my presence around the school – I want to do what’s best for all of the teams and players.”
Q: “What are you most excited about?”
A: “I am looking forward to the new gym… it’s going to help in so many ways in terms of scheduling, and students will have a place to shoot around and enjoy during the school day. I am also looking forward to seeing more school spirit and support at sports games. I think the overall sports culture will improve; the fact that we are are still a relatively new school and we are moving in such a good direction so quickly is awesome.”
Q: “What are your favorite sports teams?”
A: “I am a huge Cowboys fan, which is a struggle at home since my wife is a Giants fan. I love the Mets, and in general I am just a huge sports fan.”
Q: Can you tell us more about the new Golf team?”
A: “This is the first year that Golf will be an official team. Before it was just a club, but come Spring, it will be a team, playing in matches and practicing. It’s very exciting.”
Q: Are you looking forward to the Barclays Center game?
A: “Yes of course! Although it is an exhibition game, it is a great school event. The support that has been shown in the past for the basketball program has been tremendous. This year we hope to see it grow even more!”
Q: What do you think is the High School Athletic Program’s biggest accomplishment so far?
“That is a great question, and a tough question. As a relatively new program we have had some great success out on the fields, and on the court. Women’s basketball has won a championship, Men’s soccer won a title, baseball went to two straight league championship games. Men’s basketball has gone to the state tournament two years in a row, boys and girls have competed in the state track and field championships. But in my opinion the biggest accomplishment has been sending student athletes to college to continue their athletic careers. Boys and girls basketball, cross country, boys soccer and our swimming program have all been fortunate enough to have students go to college to compete at the next level. The commitment to athletics in high school is demanding and difficult, but to teach young men and women to love that commitment and want to compete in college is very rewarding. I strongly believe we will continue to send many student-athletes to play in a variety of different sports in college.”