Ernest Righetti High School Athletic Director Eric Albright is saying goodbye to the school after 12 years in his position to become the athletic director for Westminster High School in the Huntington Beach School District. The school has about 2,600 students.
“We have been looking to move to LA for a few years. I feel like it’s a position that will open a lot of doors for the future,” Albright said. “I think there are more opportunities down there for athletic directors.”
He said preparing for the transition has been hectic; he has already spent time at the new campus and will be meeting with the district athletic director this week. Stepping into a position in a new area will present some challenges for Albright, but none that he can’t overcome.
“One of the bigger things is getting into the area and learning what the kids and community are like. It will be a different demographic than what I am used to,” he said.
The veteran athletic director remembers his first years at Righetti, when school officials had just removed PE sports classes. Albright said he had to come in and deal with some “fireworks.”
“My main goal was I always wanted it to be a better place than when I got here,” he said. “We made a lot of improvements to facilities, for instance. I can look back and be proud of how things turned out.”
While Albright is excited about this new opportunity, he said he will definitely miss Righetti and the community at large.
“There are super-quality kids here, and I really enjoy working with them. I’ll also miss how supportive the parents can be,” he said.
He also touched on the quality coaching staff for the Warriors, as well as the Booster Club—something his new school doesn’t have. Albright will be moving to Newport Beach, only a several-mile bike ride from the ocean.
Albright said he would eventually like to work in the CIF Southern Section office, which is located in Los Angeles. But for right now, he isn’t set on leaving high school sports. Before becoming an athletic director, Albright was a special education teacher, as well as a varsity football and baseball coach.
“Working with the coaches and the kids is the best part of this job, but there is a certain amount of patience involved,” Albright said with a laugh. “I really enjoy getting to see kids go out and play for the right reasons. I love that side of high school sports.”
This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 3, 2014.