SOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW
New athletics director breaking stereotype
by PATRICK J. NAGY

Dawn Bak

Dawn Bak wasn't trying to break a stereotype when she was hired last month as Williamsville East's new athletics director, but as one of only four female ADs out of 31 schools in Section VI, she has.

Bak, the only known female athletics director to be hired at East, replaces Scott Taylor, East, replaces Scott Taylor, who is now the school's assistant principal for juniors and seniors. Bak will also teach three physical education classes at the high school.

Amherst's Nancy Riccio, Holland's Patricia Marvin and Alden's Amy D'Amato are the three other Section VI female athletics directors.

The West Seneca West graduate is no stranger to the athletics director realm. Bak served as John F. Kennedy High School's AD during the 2004-05 school year but had to step down because she enrolled in an educational leadership doctorate program last fall at D'Youville College. She was also JFK's first female athletics director.

"Either the program was going to suffer, or I wasn't going to pull my weight," said Bak. "I had to make a decision. It wasn't easy to do, but I'm young and I had a window where I could possibly continue into the next level."

Bak began the doctorate program last fall and has seven years to complete it. D'Youville has allowed her to take the required courses over the summer so it will not interfere with her new position.

As a former standout cross country and track runner in high school and at Canisius College, as well as a high school swimming, track and cross country coach, Bak knows that communicating with student-athletes and the community is key.

"Being that intense of an athlete, I know what's behind what these student-athletes are going through," said Bak. "Communication is a big deal, and being able to communicate with your community, coaches, boosters and student-athletes is my No.1 priority. I want to be able to open up all of those lines of communication. If a parent and student-athlete needs to come to me, I'll be able to help them in any way."

Bak also feels a student-athlete's academics should not be ignored.

"Participating is a privilege at any level, any sport," she said. "I feel that it's very important that academics gets focused on and the athletics complement the academics at all times throughout the school year. As athletics director, I will be focusing on that and working with Neal Miller (East High School principal), Scott Taylor and Trish DeSantis (assistant principal for ninth and tenth grade)."

Bak's love of athletics has placed her on the ECIC Girls Activity Board. She is also the Section VI's girls modified sports representative and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's secretary of the Council of Administrators for Physical Education and Health.

When she's not working for athletics, she keeps herself in shape at the YMCA. She also has a son, Andrew, who turns 5 on Oct. 1.

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