Beloved Mr. Stevenson Retires & Coach Brewington Takes the Mantle
There are many staff members in our building who work behind the scenes to make high school more enjoyable for students. One such job is that of the Athletics and Activities Manager (AAM); a job that requires long days and late nights. Mr. Troy Stevenson was the OM AAM for roughly 19 years, being responsible for coordinating events, supporting coaches and students, and handling all athletic issues that may arise. After a little over 31 years in schools, Stevenson made the decision to retire and move on to a new chapter in his life.
Before becoming our AAM, Stevenson coached three different sports in another county. While coaching, Stevenson became frustrated with how the Athletic Director at that school handled the sports spending and showed favoritism towards some of the school’s teams over others. That experience led Stevenson to become an Athletic Director himself to create a fairer and more positive experience for students and athletes.
One of Stevenson’s favorite parts of being an AAM was that every day was different. Not only did he coordinate events, but he got to know student athletes, handle problems, and make sure games ran smoothly. Instead of having the same tasks every day as a coach, Stevenson enjoyed being responsible for multiple different aspects of athletics.
Stevenson’s advice for the next AAM is to know you cannot do everything alone, and to trust your coaches, staff, and students to take responsibility. He also advised his predecessor to focus on preparing others for success and be ready to take responsibility to solve any problems they might face. Stevenson also said to prepare to juggle a lot of responsibilities at once and to focus on the major things that may cause bigger problems, like making sure buses and officials arrive on time and at the right place. Stevenson wants his legacy to be his guidance for the student athletes at OM. He wants people to remember how he’s helped create experiences and remember less about him personally. During his time at OM, he says the people, students, and experiences have been the most memorable.
Following the retirement of Mr. Stevenson, Coach Brewington, decorated OM Track & Field Coach, has become the new Acting Oakland Mills AAM! Brewington expresses his passion for his new job, saying, “It’s a dream come true” and “… this was always something I aspired to do.” He says that being able to have this job and still be in the community he’s grown to love is what makes it so special.
One of Brewington’s goals as the new AAM is to establish a winning culture between all the OM sports teams. He says that a winning culture looks different for everyone, and it’s more than just having a good record. It’s also having good sportsmanship and giving OM a good representation, and “Ultimately, teaching the student body how to be respectful young adults.”
Mr. Stevenson taught Coach Brewington that he has all the tools, and the biggest thing he has to do is trust his gut when making decisions. Brewington says adjusting to his new job is something he’s been preparing to do for over a year. “It’s different. It’s absolutely a change in the daily routine. But I look at it as instead of coaching one team, I’m now coaching every team. I’m working with everyone,” he said. He continued that his door is always open and that he’s still here to help student-athletes improve. Brewington is most looking forward to working with more students across all the teams here at OM. In his words, “It’s just being able to do what I do and what I love to do at a broader, wider scale.”
We are happy to see Coach Brewington staying here at OM and want to congratulate him on being the new Athletics and Activities Manager! We wish Mr. Stevenson all the best in his retirement, and hope that we can keep his athletic legacy alive.
