Looking forward to big Beaver football numbers

By Michael Harthorne

Ballard High School is starting off this year with a new athletic director. Kristina Anderson, a Spanish teacher for four years, is taking on the task of coordinating schedules, hiring coaches, dealing with academic eligibility and the thousands of other jobs that come with the position.

Ballard News-Tribune: How did you come to Ballard High School?

Kristina Anderson: When I started teaching I was down in the Highline School District for one year. I wanted to be in the Seattle schools because I'm a Seattle school kid too - K through 12. I graduated from Roosevelt. I knew I wanted to be in Seattle schools and there was an opening at Ballard.

BNT: How did you get the position of athletic director?

KA: Last year, I was a part-time Spanish teacher and then I took on the activity coordinator position. This year, I have moved completely out of the classroom to just doing athletics. There was an opening in athletics and we rounded out my position.

BNT: Do you have any experience in athletics?

KA: I was a soccer assistant coach at Roosevelt for five years and I played college soccer at Whitman. I was a three-sport varsity athlete - I played soccer, basketball and tennis at Roosevelt. I do have a lot of experience. I'm a big athlete, and I still play soccer, so this is exciting for me. I'm real familiar with the role of the student athlete.

BNT: What will be the hardest part of being Ballard's athletic director?

KA: I think the hardest part of this job for me, this year, will be trying to maintain relationships with students in a similar way to what I was able to do in a classroom day in and day out with kids. For me, that's going to be emotionally the hardest part.

BNT: What will be the most rewarding part of the job?

KA: The most rewarding part will be seeing success with kids on and off the field and the court, and knowing that they are being supported by quality coaches, and the coaches in turn are supported by me and the administration.

BNT: What three sports or events are you most looking forward to during the fall sports season?

KA: I'm looking forward to seeing our football team with big numbers - coming out and making an impact with our new coach John Bowers. I'm looking forward to soccer games because I just love soccer. And, I'm looking forward to seeing our new field out there - both the track and the field - getting utilized. Before, we just had a mud field, so that's going to be really exciting.

The Ballard High School fall sports season kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at Memorial Stadium when the Beaver football team takes on Liberty.