Elyria’s Beck named top area AD of 2019

It’s important to honor not just the athletes, but those who work in the shadows. Heather Beck, was awarded the 2019 Athletic Director of the Year Award. Briana Contreras has the details.

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

BContreras@morningjournal.com @MJ_Bcontreras on Twitter Elyria City Schools athletic director Heather Beck was named “Athletic Director of the Year” for 2019 from the Northeast Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. The title is presented to Athletic Administrators Association members who “exemplify the highest standards of professionalism and have made significant contributions to his/her students, schools and community,” according to a news release from Elyria Schools. Beck will receive the honor April 7 at the Athletic Administrators Association’s annual awards banquet in Cuyahoga Falls, the release said. She said she was chosen among other nominated athletic directors in Northeast Ohio. Beck recalled three other Northeast Ohio athletic directors and previous winners sharing the award: Dan May of Midview Schools, Terry Peterson from Jackson School District near Massillon and Jim Doyle of Hawken Upper School in Gates Mills. As this year’s winner, Beck said she is honored to receive the award and is thankful for the nomination. She said she was chosen as “Athletic Director of the Year” based on the nomination from one of her fellow colleagues. “Again, I am honored that someone nominated me for the work I do on a daily basis,” Beck said. “It means a lot to me to have other (athletic directors) realize the amount of work I put into my job on a daily basis to ensure our kids have the best experience possible while they are in high school.” Beck first started with Elyria Schools as a business teacher in 1998. Her athletic career first began with the district in 2011 as the assistant athletic director and the athletic director in 2012. Beck said what she loves most about her job is the children. “I love the kids,” she said. “Everything I do is for them. They are wonderful to work with and they appreciate the time and effort I put into things.” She recalled there have been some great moments over the years. A few that came to mind were the boys basketball team’s regional appearance in 2017, the softball State Championship the same year, the wrestling team finishing state runners up in 2016; the track team having a pole vaulter, the girls 4x100 meter relay and the boys 4X100 meter relay all qualify for state in 2018 and the numerous wrestlers who placed in the top eight at the individual state Wrestling Tournament. Beck added the many students who have signed to continue their athletic careers in college also is something she loves about the district.

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