For any high school athletic director, November is a hectic time of the year. The fall sports seasons are wrapping up – hopefully with a few championships – and the winter sports seasons are launching.
But in Union County, few, if any, are busier than first-year New Providence Athletic Director Rob Harmer. Not only is he still navigating his new district, but he also has two teams still fighting for state titles, two cross-country runners in the Meet of Champions and a momentous Thanksgiving-Day football game honoring one of the state's coaching legends. But Harmer, a Scotch Plains resident who was athletic director at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School the previous seven years, is not complaining.
"I am very happy with what has happened in my life. I am in a very special place with great people around me," he said in an interview with Patch.
Harmer left Scotch Plains-Fanwood this spring, after the district declined to renew his contract. It would have been his 11th year as the high school's athletic director.
News of Harmer's impending departure caused a groundswell of support among Scotch Plains-Fanwood student-athletes and their parents. In the late-winter and early spring, they created Facebook groups and t-shirts that read "SPF STUDENTS SUPPORT HARMER," and they attended Board of Education meetings to urge board members and superintendent Margaret Hayes to rehire Harmer. The district, however, held fast to its decision to let Harmer go.
Despite the acrimony over his departure, Harmer said he is not bitter. "I will always be a Raider fan," he said. "I am proud of the accomplishments of turf fields, hockey, lacrosse and freshmen soccer that will all help students of SPF."
Harmer remains actively involved in township athletics. "In Scotch Plains, I now coach PAL football, ice hockey and baseball," Harmer said. "I am enjoying spending these times with my family."
The timing of Harmer's arrival at New Providence, meanwhile, proved fortuitous. He moved into his new office just in time to partake in the final season of New Jersey coaching legend Frank Bottone, who founded the New Providence High School football program in 1963. Now 79-years-old, Bottone has 331 wins, with seven sectional crowns and 15 conference championships.
"I have been blessed as a football person to be able to be associated with such a great man," Harmer said, still gushing after New Providence erased a 21-0 halftime deficit to stun Hoboken 24-21 in the first round of the state tournament Saturday. "These kids are playing for him this year and want him to retire with a state championship." With the victory, New Providence advanced to the sectional semi-finals, where it will host Verona on Saturday.
"The game was something amazing. I call it "Pioneer Magic" one of the greatest high school football games ever" said Harmer who is working on a special program to honor Bottone before the Thanksgiving Day game against arch rival Governor Livingston.
Football grabs much of the spotlight at New Providence, but there is nary a bad team at the school. Every fall team sported a winning percentage above 70 percent, their successes are enough to fill the school's outdoor sign-board for at least a month: The girls' soccer team took the state sectional title and advanced to the Group I finals. The boys' soccer team made it to the section finals, and each cross-country team qualified for the state finals, with one runner from each team finishing in the top 10 and qualifying for the state finals. The volleyball team made it to the county and state semi-finals and had an 18-7 mark.
"New Providence is an amazing story," Cranford Athletic Director Marc Taglieri said.
"When you play one of their teams you know they will play hard but show good sportsmanship. And every New Providence team is well coached."
Nevertheless, Harmer said he still closely follows his old school. "I have kept in touch with the coaches and wished them good luck," he said. He also greeted Scotch Plains-Fanwood's girls' soccer team when it came to play at New Providence this season.
"When they got off the bus…it was nice to see all the girls," he said. "They looked happy to see me. I wished them the best of luck this year. (For those keeping score at home, Scotch Plains-Fanwood handed the New Providence girls' soccer team two of its three losses this year).
Harmer said he is happy with his new position, and at peace with what occurred this spring. "I truly believe everything in life happens for a reason," he said. "This was a change that was best for my family and myself. I wish all my Raider athletes the best in the future. It won't be long until my son and daughters will be at the high school wearing blue and white."
No comments:
Post a Comment