LYNN —- Last July, Ashley Aldred was named Lynn English’s athletic director. One year later, Aldred has completed her first year in charge and said there were “a lot of positives” to take away from year one.
One thing Aldred enjoyed most was building relationships with more student-athletes.
“Building relationships with a lot of the students that I didn’t know. As a physical education teacher, I obviously had a lot of students, but there were a lot of students I got to know better because they participated in a sport or multiple sports,” Aldred said. “That was probably the most fun part, building those relationships with the students.”
Aldred also got to witness history as the boys volleyball team clinched the state tournament berth for the first time in program history.
“It was awesome to watch them throughout the season. When I spoke to referees and other coaches, they would always compliment coach Liz D’Amico and how much she’s turned the program around,” Aldred said. “That group, along with baseball and outdoor track, included students I didn’t really know. Working football, soccer, basketball and hockey games, I got to know those kids, but with coaching softball I didn’t have the same relationship. That was a fun part of the job, getting to meet more kids and get to know them better. There were a lot of really awesome, smart and talented kids that I got to meet through spring sports.”
Aldred said the “spirit of sports” at Lynn English was stronger than she realized. During rivalry games against Lynn Classical, she recalled the atmosphere students created.
“Even as a coach, I always felt when it was Classical and English, the kids played their best in those games. We’ve had some down seasons, but that boys basketball game at home against Classical, they really had a shot to win. The crowd, the energy in that gym and the way our players stayed composed while things on the court got a little wild was awesome to see,” Aldred said. “The Thanksgiving football game was also fun to watch, seeing Shane [Knowlton-Simard] and the rest of the seniors go out with a win. Those games are always really fun, but that basketball atmosphere is unmatched because you’re in a tight gym with both sides right next to each other.”
As the former softball coach, Aldred said her coaching background gave her a unique perspective, especially when making decisions that affect coaches.
“Being a coach helped in the sense that I make sure to ask my coaches their opinion on things and not just schedule a makeup game without confirming with them,” Aldred said. “I truly try to get their input because decisions affect me, but they’re directly affecting those coaches and players. Something that I think might work fine may not work for them. I think being a coach before and being able to have that voice is super helpful from a coaching standpoint.”
There were also challenges along the way, including finding transportation for the volleyball team.
“When the volleyball team clinched a postseason berth, scheduling a bus was a bit challenging. I actually drove the van up to Nipmuc Regional with the team,” Aldred said. “That was a fun experience.”
Entering her second year, Aldred’s goal is to increase participation across all sports.
“Now that I have a record of who played what and how many sports they played last year, I just want to try to increase those numbers,” Aldred said. “Someone told me the second year is actually harder because everyone expects you to know what you’re doing. I think I have a better understanding of what to expect from season to season.”
“The boys in the incoming sophomore class are super athletic, and I’m excited to see what they can do across the board,” Aldred said. “Our girls’ numbers are going up as well. I’m excited to see what they can do next year, and we’re just going to keep trying to grow each sport.”
