By Sterling McGinn
The Newberry High School (NHS) Athletic Department has a new director, and he’ll be very familiar to readers of the Newberry News.
NHS alumnus, longtime athletic program contributor, and Newberry News sports editor, Dan Hardenbrook is orange and black all the way and is ready to continue making a positive impact on Newberry Indians.
His first day on the job was Tuesday, November 18.
He succeeds outgoing director Anthony Kitzman, who served in that capacity since July of 2023.
Hardenbrook, who graduated with the NHS Class of 2007, has been involved with athletics almost continuously since 2003—first as an athlete and later as a coach and in media.
He worked in broadcasting after graduating high school and is nearing 20 years of covering local sports both on radio and in print.
He has also served as the high school baseball coach for a number of seasons, a middle school boys basketball coach, and as a coach with the Newberry Youth Basketball Association. Hardenbrook has also been the president of Tahquamenon Area Youth Football for five years and is a registered official in three sports.
Hardenbrook views being hired to serve as the athletic director as another way to contribute to the pride and success in the program.
“The athletic department means a lot to me personally—I have seen as a player, coach, official, and broadcaster the positive impact it can have on kids, he said. “I want to do everything that I can so kids can have the same opportunities that I had.”
Hardenbrook said his first tasks on the job will be with finalizing schedules and confirming officials for the fast-approaching winter sports season. But he is setting his sights on a number of future projects and long-term goals for the department.
One is the track resurfacing and improvement project started by Kitzman when he was hired in 2023. With more than $100,000 raised so far, Hardenbrook wants to see the project completed.
“We can’t give up on that project, especially with the support that was received by the community,” he said.
Improving and making the school athletic facilities safer for students and spectators is also on his list. One safety concern is the lack of handrails on the bleachers of the J. L. DeCook Gymnasium. He wants to get that addressed very soon.
He also wants to make sure the gymnasium, with its’ new floor and freshly painted walls, and the football complex are maintained and kept as source of community pride.
His future goals include hosting more tournaments and special events at home and to resurrect the NHS Athletic Hall of Fame, which has been on a five-year hiatus since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hardenbrook wants to get students involved in the program even if they aren’t athletes, potentially assisting at events and tournaments.
“I want them to take charge and have pride in their athletic department,” he said.
He is also looking to make the management side of the operations more efficient and wants a more collaborative relationships between athletics and academics. “I feel both sides can help each other out,” said Hardenbrook.
Hardenbrook will continue to serve as the Sports Editor for the News and broadcaster for M123 FM.
“It’s valuable for the district and very important to the community and family of students around the country who can read about the athletes and the sporting events in the newspaper and watch their broadcasts online,” Hardenbrook said.
He said his door is always open to anyone who has ideas or feedback regarding the athletic program.
“I want students to have a safe and positive environment to pursue any interests they have,” he said.
