Detroit — Happiness is …
For Sal Malek, it is the challenge facing him as the newly hired athletic director at Bloomfield Hills Sacred Heart Academy.
He had been a fixture for 20 years at Livonia Ladywood as its AD, enjoying the Blazers’ success as state champions twice, a dozen state final four appearances, and 40 Catholic League championships.
“It was a real tough decision (to leave Ladywood),” he said. “I have some great memories. There are a lot of great people there.”
“I was seeking a change of pace,” Malek said. He’ll have to step it up a bit at Sacred Heart. His responsibilities include, in addition to the all-girls high school’s 11-sport program, organizing athletic programs for grades 5-8 boys and girls middle schools.
“It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “The pieces are there to build an even greater program,” which has produced 16 state championship titles in the school’s history, including back-to-back Division 4 state tennis championships the past two springs.
Happiness is ... to be back in the Catholic League for Vic Fournier, new AD at Livonia Ladywood.
A graduate and three-sport star at Center Line St. Clement, Fournier was AD for five years at Madison Heights Bishop Foley followed by four years as city recreation director in Hamtramck, and the last five years as AD at Rochester High School.
“I’m very lucky to be back in the Catholic League,” he said, adding that the transition from a co-ed public school to an all-girls private school won’t be difficult. “It’s different in some ways, but the same in other ways.”
Happiness is ... for Megan Thayer, the new AD at Bishop Foley, an opportunity to be in charge of an athletic program after seven “very exciting” years as assistant AD at Pontiac Notre Dame.
Thayer says many AD duties at Notre Dame Prep were shared. “But now I’m the only one responsible for the rules and regulations and all of the activities.”
Thayer will have the benefit of her predecessor’s counsel. Marc West gave up the AD office to return to the classroom teaching science, but he will remain as boys varsity basketball coach of the Ventures, CHSL C-D champs the last three years.
Happiness is ... “my passion for sports” for Kelly Loria, the new AD at Marine City Cardinal Mooney.
One of her priorities is to get Cardinal Mooney back into the state’s 11-man football platform. The school has played in the state’s 8-man league for the past three years.
“I know it might take a few years,” Loria said, but she figures by starting up CYO football in the area’s Catholic feeder grade schools, she will accomplish her goal.
Happiness is ... “getting boys to be better than they can be” for Paul D’Luge, the new AD at Detroit Loyola.
The approximately 150 boys who attend the Jesuit high school on Detroit’s north side “work very hard, in the classroom and in sports,“ D’Luge said. The extended school day runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a study hall especially important for athletes who don’t get home until much later after practices.
Loyola’s football squad has won the CHSL Prep Bowl C-D title three years in a row and advanced to the state’s Division 6 final last fall. The basketball team has appeared in four straight CHSL C-D finals, winning it all in 2009.
Happiness is ... for Frank DiCristofaro, the new AD at Ray Township Austin Academy, seeing the school, which enrolls its first junior class this fall, beginning play in girls volleyball in the CHSL. “Our hope is to establish a presence in all sports,” he said, “and add to the community culture.”
Finally, happiness ... may be hard to come by for Mark Smith, new AD at Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes. He is succeeding the Lakers’ legendary athletic director and football coach Mike Boyd, who retired last winter after 46 years.
Don Horkey is a freelance writer from Shelby Township.
