On December 6th, Tam’s athletic director and P.E teacher Christina Amoroso received the annual Norm Mackenzie Award for her outstanding work as a new athletic director. Amoroso has been working at Tam for eight years, four as the athletic director. She is being recognized as the best athletic director with four years or less of experience in the North Coast Section; the coastal region from Marin to Eureka. “It’s technically a rookie AD (athletic director) award,” she says.
“Your peers have recognized you for your work and dedication that you have given to your school, community, and section,” read the acceptance letter Amoroso received. To win the Norm Mackenzie award, Amoroso went above and beyond her normal responsibilities as an athletic director. Then she was nominated, to her surprise, by the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) commissioner. “When I found out who nominated me, I was even more pleased. It was like wow, that person doesn’t even work here and knows kind of what I’m doing.” After being nominated, Amoroso said she needed to answer several questions from the California State Athletic Director’s Association describing her work as an athletic director. “They want to know everything that goes on besides the regular organizing games and stuff,” she says.
Amoroso’s primary job is managing and organizing all of the school’s sports. She makes sure the referees, opponents, facilities, athletes, announcers, ticket takers, teacher supervision, and everything else involved with hosting a game is ready before each sporting event. What sets Amoroso apart as an outstanding AD is that when she has time, she applies for various awards for our sports teams. The pendants hanging in the gym don’t always come automatically, statistics and applications often have to be sent in to earn them. “I think that’s how we can promote our school,” Amoroso says of these awards, “People aren’t going to know what goes on behind the scenes, they’re only going to see the pendants on the wall.”
Amoroso also started the Hawk of the Week program and helped update the school’s sports facilities. She’s made sure Tam hosts NCS and MCAL tournaments and is constantly improving.
“I don’t think there is a harder working more organized AD in the league. She focuses minor details and handles tough situations professionally and with a smile on her face.” says assistant principal Chad Stuart, who won the same award when he was Drake’s athletic director. Junior Brenden Austin comments on Amoroso’s achievement, “It’s basically like the rookie of the year award in a sport.”
Amoroso will be presented with the award at a banquet during an athletic director conference in San Diego in April. “Outstanding work as a new AD. There you have it. Done,” she says.