King Philip Regional School District has hired Derek Phinney as its next Athletic Director, effective July 1. (Photo Courtesy King Philip Regional School District)
WRENTHAM — Superintendent Dr. Rich Drolet and Principal Nicole Bottomley are pleased to announce that King Philip Regional School District has hired Derek Phinney as its next Athletic Director.
Phinney, a Medway resident, has served as Director of Athletics for Millis Public Schools for the past four years. He will start in his new position at King Philip on July 1 and brings more than 20 years of interscholastic athletics and education experience to the job.
Following a thorough selection process, Phinney was selected due to his keen eye for fiscal stewardship, knowledge of MIAA/NCAA compliance, his ability to balance multi-season logistics and strategic capital programming.
Phinney earned a Master of Education in Special Education from Framingham State University, a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from UMass Amherst, and certification as a Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA) for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).
He started work for Millis Public Schools in 2009 as a Special Education Paraprofessional, later serving as a Health & Wellness Teacher and eventually the district’s Director of Athletics. Before shifting to education, he acquired extensive sports management experience in professional and junior hockey, which included serving as a junior hockey General Manager and collaborating with NHLPA-certified agents to scout talent and negotiate professional contracts across the NHL, AHL, and ECHL.
“At the core of every decision I will make as Athletic Director is a commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity, integrity, and a strong sense of community,” Phinney wrote during the interview process. “My decisions are guided by what is best for students, what is safest, and what most reflects my primary core values: Respect, Honesty, Responsibility, Accountability and Excellence.”
Phinney will replace outgoing Athletic Director Gary Brown, whose last day is June 30. Brown served as King Philip’s Athletic Director for the past nine years and helped to cultivate the King Philip Regional School District’s rich athletic culture.
“Mr. Brown served our King Philip Regional School District well for nine years,” said Superintendent Dr. Rich Drolet. “He helped add Unified Sports, support our teams toward numerous championships, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
As Phinney assumes his new role, during the initial phase of his King Philip athletic department leadership, he said his goal will be to “listen, learn and lead with intentionality.”
“The King Philip Regional School District’s athletic programs have taken great strides over the past decade,” said Dr. Drolet. “We’re confident that Derek Phinney will help to continue and foster the District’s previous efforts to bolster our programs and also lead our Athletics Department with vision, collaboration, resiliency, and excellence into the future.”
Leading up to July 1, his official start date, he will be working to connect with the community and ensure a seamless transition.
“Intentional listening will be the cornerstone of my transition,” Phinney said.
Phinney plans to develop strong, meaningful relationships with key members of the King Philip community, including school leadership, coaching staff and faculty, student-athletes, the athletic department team and community leaders.
“We look forward to welcoming Derek Phinney into our school community,” said King Philip Regional High School Principal Nicole Bottomley. “Athletics play a vital role in the King Philip Regional School District, and Athletic Director Phinney’s vast experience will help to ensure our athletic programs continue their upward trajectory.”
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