WESTMINSTER-Students returning to Bellows Falls Union High School for the new school year will find not only updated athletic facilities, but also a new director of athletics.
A class of 1990 BFUHS grad, Rob Weltz was hired in May to serve students at both his alma mater and Bellows Falls Middle School.
The summer was a very busy one on the BFUHS campus. The long-anticipated resurfacing of the school's four tennis courts was completed. The BFUHS tennis team has not been able to practice or compete on their own courts for the past two years.
The bright blue courts were opened for school and public use in early August and are marked out for both tennis and pickleball.
Right next to the courts, the Hadley Field's track was also resurfaced, along with other improvements to the field. The track is now a state-of-the-art surface marked out for a regulation 400 meters.
A new, large, enclosed press box is also being completed at the top of the home team bleachers.
Weltz said that the George A. Dascomb Charitable Exempt Trust is paying for the new press box, and he said that he wanted to thank them "for their continued contributions to the community. "
The private foundation that supports charitable organizations in and around Westminster. It provides grants for youth activities, senior care, historical societies, and other groups that help meet community needs.
Public records filed with the IRS show that, in 2023, the Dascomb trust donated more than $90,000 to local causes.
"The new press box will serve the needs of the community for a long time to come," Weltz said.
Hadley Field was upgraded in 2012 with lighting for night events through a donation from the estate of Westminster resident Alvin Southwick. The field is used by the community for Pee Wee and high school football, as well as track and field events. A baseball field is adjacent.
This summer, workers also completed paving, drainage, and new curbing for the school's driveway and parking lots. The driveway work, funded by a voter-approved $2 million bond issue, came in just under budget at $1,973,990.
"Everything is indeed looking fantastic," said Windham Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Andrew Haas. "The new track, tennis courts, drive, parking lots, and press box are significant improvements that will greatly benefit our students and the community. We're very proud of the work that's been done."
Weltz said that he wanted to thank local contractors Bazin Brothers Trucking and Springfield Paving for their work on the new track and driveway, JMW Contracting for the new press box, and Vermont Recreational Surfacing and Fencing and Maine Tennis and Track for their work on the track and tennis courts.
"They all did a phenomenal job," Weltz said. "And they met some pretty tight deadlines."
Coming home
Weltz said he was very pleased to be back in Vermont and added that he is looking forward to "representing BFUHS at the state level and listening to the various stakeholders in the community as we continue to build an athletic program of excellence."
He brings over 25 years of experience in education and 21 years as a director of athletics in Georgia and North Carolina, where he moved after leaving Vermont.
He has a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Vermont and a master's degree in education from Springfield College. Weltz said he is in his final year at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, pursuing his doctorate in educational leadership with a specialization in educational administration.
He served on the executive committee for the Georgia High School Association for nine years and as the president of two athletic conferences for 11 years.
Weltz is one of just 12 leadership coaches in the nation certified to teach the ideas and principles of famed basketball coach and player John Wooden.
He is also the founder and president of Integrity Athletic Consultants, which he describes as "a leadership and consulting organization that focuses on building high-character athletic programs and supporting coaches, administrators, and student-athletes across the country."
Weltz describes himself as an avid hiker and says he enjoys scuba diving, mountain biking, and kayaking.
He served on the board of trustees at Bellows Falls Union High School but stepped down when he took the director of athletics position, concerned that the school trustee seat created a conflict of interest.
"Athletics is a catalyst for developing our next generation of leaders, and I am excited to get to work," Weltz said.
Superintendent Haas said that he thinks the new athletic director is "an excellent choice."
"He brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to student-athletes, and I'm confident he'll do a great job in the role," he said.
This News item by Robert F. Smith was written for The Commons.