BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. —More than a month after Berkeley High’s former athletic director Jeff Cruce filed a wrongful termination against the Berkeley County School District, the BHS stags are looking ahead to the future and a fresh start.
Recently, Berkeley High School Assistant Principal Charlie Harrison was chosen to serve as the school’s new athletic director, a role Harrison, who’s already had a long career in coaching sports and academics, is looking forward to.
“I am at the best school in South Carolina to do it in with a 103 year old tradition, and the athletics in this town is second to none! That gives me incredible incentive to be fired up about this,” said Harrison, who’s official title is administrator of athletics.
The position is a game changer at Berkeley County School District, merging the athletics director position and his current position of assistant principal.
As the new AA, he says his new role will includes those of the former AD: overseeing sports, facilities and fields management, academics of student athletes, fundraising for the athletic booster club, and constant education of coaches.
At the moment, Harrison says he’s still developing his game plan. Some things he’d like to see include setting reasonable goals to better facilities, increasing support in the budget for athletics and through fundraising, providing more information to parents on college eligibility for student athletes, and a webpage dedicated to BCSD athletics and let others see how these student sports stars shine.
He speaks passionately about sports transforming young lives.
“Some kids need other avenues other than just academic. This provides them another avenue to pursue their dreams, a future in athletics through academics. It’s well documented that kids who are involved in any role after school, whether academic or athletic clubs, they stay out of trouble, they are in touch with their school, their community, and it makes them a well-rounded person.”
His current responsibilities as assistant principal include overseeing the Academic Booster Club, the International Baccalaureate, Scholars Academy, and handing various discipline issues and special services. At this point he’s not sure in which roles he will continue to take part.
Harrison has been Assistant Principal at BHS for the past five years. His wife Maria is also a teacher there. In fact, the couple met years ago as teachers in Georgetown County. The couple has two sons, D.J. and Bradley.
His first major objective is working with Berkeley High principal Steven Steele and a committee to fill the empty head football coach position there. He says the process is detailed, but basically include gathering applicants, narrowing down the finalists, and finding the right person for the job.
“The best possible candidate with the best possible credentials that fit is what we are going to be looking for,” he says.
The position is vacant after the controversial let go of former AD and BHS head coach Jeff Cruce. It happened in mid-December, and as mentioned earlier Cruce has since filed a civil lawsuit against BCSD alleging wrongful termination.
As Harrison sits at his office at the high school, he takes a moment to remember some of the many young people he once coached. He is truly touched by how his role made a difference.
“I got an email from Dan Morgan, the coach at Blythewood, I coached almost 30 years ago, congratulating me for being the AD.”
And then he remembers a certain eighth grader he watched outrun high school students at a track jamboree. He coached a young Bruce Ellington.
“This kid blew everyone’s socks off! He won by more than half a lap. You just look at that and thought that kid’s going to be special.” Ellington went on to play basketball and football for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks and is now a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers.
He recently ran into another one of his former students who told him this:
“Coach you worked us hard, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
For Harrison, its a compliment that means the world.
“Those are the things you know you had a little part in that, and it’s gratifying.”
As Harrison steps into his new role, he knows there will be many more young people who’s lives will be enriched through sports, while they are enrolled at BCSD and beyond.
Prior Stories:
- Jeff Cruce Let Go as Head Coach for Berkeley High Stags
- Berkeley High’s Former Head Football Coach Sues BCSD for Wrongful Termination
- Grinch, Villain Friends Help Others This Christmas With Funny Photoshoot In Berkeley County - December 7, 2020
- Goose Creek Firefighters Help Family In Their Fight Against Breast Cancer - November 29, 2020
- Moncks Corner Christmas Light Show, Family Tradition Not Broken By Pandemic - November 22, 2020
Recent Comments