New MHS Athletic Director to Start Monday

Merrimack High School's new Director of Athletics, Eric Sabean, is having a whirlwhind kind of week.

On Tuesday afternoon, the father of two teenage kids signed a contract with Merrimack High School to take the position at the head of the athletics department and in less than a week, Sabean will officially step into that role.

Sabean, who has spent the last two years as the director of athletics at Maine Maritime Academy, in Castine, Maine, is looking forward to moving back to his home state and to an area he's spent much of his life in.

He owns property in Manchester, so the four and a half hour move back will be easier than most might have it. His kids, Eric and Emily with be a high school sophomore and freshman, respectively, at Bedford High School.

"It's going to be kind of a whirlwind move down here," Sabean said Tuesday afternoon. "It's been a busy two weeks. I signed a contract with the district four hours ago and by Monday I'm going to be in Merrimack and on the job."

Sabean said as with any new job, there is going to be an adjustment period and his first focus will be on the upcoming fall season and making sure coaching positions are filled, schedules worked out, buses hired for away games and field schedules managed. Preseason for high school teams begin just two weeks after he starts his job.

He said one of his first priorities once getting acclimated to this high school, will be to work on fostering a relationship with other sports organizations in town.

"Being able to reach out to MYA youth leagues and middle school sports program is going to be important," said Sabean who pointed out that kids in Merrimack don't just pick up sports in high school, generally. They start playing at a young age and move through a program together all the way up to the high school level. "It's important to establish a positive culture even at a young age."

Sabean was picked from a pool of more than 40 candidates who applied for the position.

He was hired to replace Andy Krahling, who resigned from his position in June.

Sabean is a 1994 graduate of Keene State College with a Bachelor's in physical education. He earned his Master’s in sports administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to his position at Maine Maritime, he served as the assistant director of athletics at Saint Anselm College for 12 years where he also led the intramurals and recreational sports and served as the director of the school's  athletic facilities. 

Sabean is originally from Candia and he attended Manchester West High School. He taught at and coached at his alma mater from 1996-98 before leaving to go to Saint Anselm.

According to a profile of Sabean on Saint Anselm's website, prior to working at the college, Sabean worked as a special education teacher at Newport (N.H.) Middle School and had gained experience through the Youth Works Programs of Manchester. He has also taught physical education and special needs at the elementary level since 1994.

"Along with his education background, Sabean has also gained considerable coaching experience," according to the profile. "Since 1993, Sabean has coached at the elementary, high school and collegiate level in sports including soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse and field hockey. Sabean also served as assistant baseball coach at Saint Anselm in 1994 and again in 1998."

Sabean comes to Merrimack High School a week before the Merrimack High School baseball team was to play in the state championship game. Krahling and baseball Coach Ryan Anderson both resigned in relation to a misstep Anderson made with NHIAA rules during a two-game suspension.

and other media outlets, he attended pre-game exercises at the high school's quarter-final game against Exeter High School, a game from which he'd been suspended after he was ejected from the previous game. According to NHIAA rules, Anderson was prohibited from having any game-time involvement with the team during the suspension, which includes pre-game activities. Anderson said he was unaware that the suspension included pre-game warm ups and though he left the stadium before the game started, his misinterpretation of the rules on his part could have forced his team to forfeit the championship game.

Krahling has not spoken publicly about his own resignation.

More than 40 people applied for the athletic director position and Merrimack High School Assistant Principal Peter Bergeron, who has been acting as interim athletic director, said he and a committee of five others narrowed down the field to 12 candidates to interview. They ultimately submitted three finalists to high school Principal Ken Johnson for interviews with him. After interviews with Johnson, the group reconvened with the principal to make a final decision.

The committee was made up of Athletic Trainer David Duncan, basketball Coach Tim Goodridge, varsity field hockey Coach Ann McLean, who is also a long time physical education/health teacher at Londonderry High School, and two student-athletes.

Sabean said he is looking forward to his new adventure with Merrimack High School and to what his first year on the job will bring.

"There's a lot to do but I'm very excited to get started," Sabean said.