A little more than a year after he left the San Benito High basketball team for a job overseas, Tracy Carpenter returned to the San Benito sports’ scene last week as a co-Athletic Director at Anzar High.
Sharing the job with Anzar booster president Mike McKinney, the San Benito High alum is looking forward to the new administration challenge, he said.
“It’s an interesting way of doing it, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I did similar things overseas. I had a job in administration on a regional and national level. This is a new challenge.”
With a full time job, Carpenter will serve as the athletic director during after-school hours, dealing with referees, parents and opposing coaches, he said. McKinney will be on campus during school hours.
The goal of both directors is to build the participation of the school of 400 students and 16 sports, Carpenter said.
“They offer a lot of sports,” he said. “It’s a lot of sports for such a small school so that’s going to be difficult. But it gives kids the opportunity to participate in three sports and that’s great.”
He continued, “That’s not something that happens a lot in Hollister.”
As an academic school, Carpenter wants to get the same passion in the athletic program.
“The students at Anzar have a great opportunity,” he said. “Realizing that is the challenge.”
With a plethora of coaching experience, Carpenter felt like it was his next step, he said. Including coaching in China last year, Carpenter’s lengthy coaching resume includes head coaching positions at Gavilan College (1992-94) the North Harbour Kings of New Zealand (2000-03) and the assistant coach at the 2000 Olympics.
In two years as the coach at San Benito High, Carpenter lifted the Balers to a 29-23 record.
“I’m rich in experience,” Carpenter said. “I’ve done a lot. I’ve seen it done in a lot of different ways.”
Carpenter – and Anzar – hopes that experience will help the continued growth of Hawks’ athletics. In the past year, Anzar saw almost universal athletic improvement – including an athlete signing with a Division I sports program – and a first season of football. But there is still more to achieve for the San Juan Bautista school.
“It’s going to be a new challenge as I get familiar with Anzar,” Carpenter said. “There is a lot to offer here.”
