By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Chuck Campobasso is the new athletic director at North Reading High, taking over for longtime AD Dave Johnson who recently retired after 18 years.
Campobasso, 45, applied for the job in May and was officially hired a few weeks ago. His first day was on July 1.
Campobasso is a Medford High graduate who got a degree in history and a minor in education from Salem State in 2002.
He has been teaching social studies at North Reading High for 23 years.
Also, for the past 23 years, Campobasso has held various coaching roles including the boys’ lacrosse head coach, offensive line and defensive line coach for the Hornets’ football team as well as a track and field assistant coach. Campobasso started the boys’ lacrosse program 23 years ago.
However, along with teaching, he will be giving those coaching jobs up.
“That is going to be the hardest part,” admitted Campobasso. “In late August, when football starts up, it will hit me more.”
Along with being the AD he will also help with other school clubs like the Red Cross, student counsel and band.
When asked about any changes, he says he is going to continue mostly with what Johnson has done although he might make a tweak here-and-there.
“We have great facilities here,” Campobasso pointed out. “We just got new Fieldturf surface a couple of years ago so the only thing that will need some work is the track that will have to be redone soon.”
North Reading is a co-op in several sports. In girls’ hockey, they team up with Peabody and Lynnfield. In wrestling, they are with Lynnfield and in swimming they are with Wilmington.
The other co-op sport is in gymnastics as the Hornets have teamed up with Andover.
“The relationships with those schools have worked well so we will continue to keep them,” said Campobasso.
When it comes to adding sports he will go around and check the interest with students.
Boys’ volleyball, which is played in the spring season, and rugby, which is also played in the spring are two sports that North Reading currently does not have.
Campobasso would like to see student-athletes in middle school stay in town and not feel pressured to have to go to schools out of town for sports.
“We have had several athletes who go to Division 1 schools from here,” he pointed out. “Most importantly, they get a very good education here.”
What will make Campobasso’s job easier is that all of the coaches will be coming back next year as the only two current open jobs are the ones he himself will be vacating.
Campobasso is pleased with the outpouring of support he has received since he got the job.
“I want to thank the students and parents for all of the support,” he stated. “I have had an amazing time the past 23 years and North Reading is a very special community.”