CARIBOU, Maine — Evan Graves was named Caribou High School’s new athletic director.
He replaced Dave Wakana, who held the position for nearly two decades.
Graves brings years of experience with him as he formerly worked as the coach of the Presque Isle High School cross-country team and was the Nordic skiing coach at Caribou.
“There are some really big shoes to fill,” said Graves, who continues to work as Caribou Middle School’s health physical education instructor. “There have been some great, strong, quality programs in place here. And there’s also been strong leadership,” referring to Wakana and former Athletic Director Dwight Hunter, who held the position for 41 years.
Graves said he has received a great deal of support from his predecessors and athletic directors around the state.
“There’s been a big learning curve,” Graves said, “but the support system within the school, Aroostook County and state has been great.”
Graves, who grew up in Bar Harbor and later moved to Caribou after meeting his wife at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, said he has been involved in athletics his entire life.
“I was always active as a kid,” he said. “We played baseball in the street, and we had a YMCA where I grew up, so I was a gym rat. I always remember being interested in athletics and in sports. I’d watch games on TV and listen to Red Sox games on the radio with my grandfather. All of those things really resonated with me, and I’ve followed that passion to where I am today.”
Graves officially started his new duties July 1, a month and a half before students began the new school year.
“It actually got better when the kids came,” he said, “and I was able to see and encourage them. It got me more excited about the job. Now we’re getting into the swing of things for soccer.”
Even though it’s a part-time position, Graves said he has numerous tasks and responsibilities as the school’s AD. He has to coordinate with coaches, help arrange transportation and communicate with schools before games.
“There is a lot of preparation and behind-the-scenes work that people don’t always realize goes into these events,” he said. “I was just on the phone with an athletic director at MDI [Mount Desert Island], asking about possibly starting [a game] early in case the weather turns bad.”
In addition to preparing for games, Graves needs to ensure everything runs smoothly. He manages the upkeep of the fields and facilities, oversees the ordering of uniforms, communicates with parents about upcoming events, makes sure buses are ready to go, ensures referees are coming and getting paid, manages the school’s athletic budget, and interacts with the principal on a daily basis.
Facility upkeep is particularly important, he said, as it offers a glimpse of what Caribou has to offer when teams come from away.
“They’re not coming into our building,” he said, “but they see our facilities. And hopefully they’re saying this is a nice place, because a lot of work goes into it. That’s why I think it’s important that everything is kept up.”
Graves said he oversees about two dozen teams, including junior varsity.
Looking ahead, he said he would like to create more interest and excitement in athletics, and possibly expand the school’s offerings further down the road.
“It’s an honor to be in this position,” he said. “There has been a learning curve, but it’s good to be here.”