New GHS athletic director anxious to uphold lasting
traditions
Julie Berggren met then-Gilroy Unified School District’s head of Human Resources Gene Sakahara at a recruitment fair at Chico State in the late 1990s.
“He just told me what an awesome place it is (at Gilroy High) and how great everyone is that works here,” Berggren recalled of the conversation. “He was right.”
Two years after graduating from Chico with her teaching credential, Berggren arrived on the GHS campus in 2001 as a physical education instructor and softball manager.
What started out as Sakahara’s small sales-pitch-of-sorts in 1999, has turned into nine years of service at Gilroy High School and Berggren accepting the job as the Mustangs next athletic director.
Dispatch sports editor Josh Weaver caught up with the newly appointed Berggren and discussed her outlook on the athletic program, some of the challenges that lie ahead and what she intends to bring to Gilroy High’s student-athletes.
Josh Weaver: How would you sum up your mission statement as athletic director?
Julie Berggren: My mission and goal as athletic director is to maintain high-quality athletic programs that we have at Gilroy High School and to provide a program for all athletes to feel supported where their development can be pursued.
JW: Do you implement what you learned playing college softball in your everyday actions at Gilroy?
JB: Oh, definitely, every day, just in the work ethic part, you know. If you’re not getting things right, you keep working hard to get it right. I think that was one of the biggest things I learned being an athlete. You know, in softball having a .300 batting average is awesome, but if you think what that means statistically, you’re going to fail and you have to keep working hard.
JW: How does that translate to your new role as athletic director?
JB: I don’t know, there’s so much I have to learn and discover, and you know, I know I’m going to have my challenges when it comes to working with parents and coaches. There are things like, basically working without a budget, that is going to be difficult but I think that perseverance is a huge part of that.
JW: You mention working without a budget, looking toward the future, what are some of the obstacles that you see facing the athletic program?
JB: Well, you know the costs of everything keeps rising – the cost of transportation, the cost of officials, the cost of going to tournaments for each individual team. The only thing that the district pays for is the slight facility maintenance and then they pay the coaches’ stipends, which are pretty low. They basically help pay for what coaches spend themselves during the season.
But, I think trying to maintain facilities and also retain a high-quality coaching staff is going to be a challenge. When we don’t have a whole lot of money to offer, the coach you’re trying to convince that this is the place to be is really hard. And then there’s neighboring districts that offer bonuses for making it to the playoffs and pay you extra for your extra time. It’s difficult. I think that’ll be a challenge.
JW: How do you think you’re going to approach some of those things down the line?
JB: Continuing to improve the Cioppino Feed and coming up with new ideas to try and bring in as much money as possible. Another thing I want to do is try to bring more alumni back and make sure they’re connected and involved and let in on what’s going on. If it’s not financially, then it’s coming to the games and participating in more alumni games and just being a part of the Gilroy community.
JW: In your mind, what makes Gilroy High athletics such a unique and special experience?
JB: I think it’s the past tradition of excellence and the history that Gilroy High School has. There are so many traditions and the excellence that has come before everyone else that’s played here.
JW: What do you think is the toughest thing for student-athletes at the high school level?
JB: I think the toughest thing for all student-athletes is to balance their time. Because, I think a lot of our student-athletes work as well. I think sometimes there is a lot of pressure to be so involved in your activities that you forget about the first reason you are at school and that is to be a student. And frankly, I think that’s one of the toughest challenges our athletes need to accept. And also, I think they need to realize that no matter how athletically gifted they are, they still have to have decent grades in order for a college to even look at them. And if that’s their goal, then they need to make sure that they keep all of their priorities in check.
JW: And do you feel like as athletic director you have a responsibility to instill that in them?
JB: I think so. I think that comes from me keeping a really good eye on their progress reports and communicating with their coaching staff and making sure they understand that this kid isn’t making it academically. If they’re not cutting it in the classroom, then we need to make sure that things are taken care of. Athletes are always like, “why are we getting picked on?” And I say, “well you know, you are the ones that expect all the fame and glory when things go right. You need to make sure you’re getting it done on all ends so that you’re not an embarrassment to yourself, to your team or your coach.”
JW: What are you looking forward to the most about your new job?
JB: It’s kind of like a puzzle, trying to make it all fit together and work together. I think there is going to be little successes from day-to-day in finding a really great coach to hire, or watching teams grow and supporting them and watching all the successes we’re going to have. I think that’s going to be really fun. I’m looking forward to that.
