By Jim Clark
April 4, 1994 Sentinel & Enterprise
Less than a month ago, as Doug Grutchfield stood before his peers at a banquet at the Tara Hyannis Hotel and accepted the award as Massachusetts Athletic Director of the Year, he called himsel "the luckiest man on the face of the earth." Saturday night, Grutchfield got even luckier: He was named National Athletic Director of the Year.
Grutchfield was chosen from five finalists and presented the honor at the National Convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in Denver. Grutchfield traveled to Denver last week where he and the other finalists had to go through an interview process. The award was announced on the final day of the convention.
"It's tremendous. He called me about 4:15 (pm) Saturday and he was absolutely elated," said Fitchburg High Principal Bernard Welch, who presented Grutchfield with the Massachusetts award on March 24.
Grutchfield was noted for his success in reviving the athletic program at Fitchburg High in the wake of cuts from Proposition two and a half. "My first job was to convince people that athletics were just as important as any other part of education." Grutchbield said in a recent interview.
In his 10 years as head of the athletic program, he has maintained a level of excellence in the sports program that includes 47 league championships, 11 Central Mass titles, one state championship, and four Super Bowl appearances. In that time the number of varsity sports has grown from nine to 19 and junior varsity programs have increased in number from five to 13. As boys' varsity basketball coach, he has compiled 490 career wins and has reached the state championship game three times.
Those credentials earned him a nomination for Distric E (Central Mass.) Athletic Director of the Year, and he was then selected from amoung the district winners for the statewide honor. When he was later honored by the Eastern Region, which stretches from Maine to Maryland, he became a finalist for the national award.
"We think it's terrific, not only for him, but for the whole shool and the city." Welch said.
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By Jim Clark
May 28, 1994 Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG -- Doug Gretchfield probably thought he had received his highest recognition when he was named National Athletic Director of the Year last month.
Then the nation's leader came calling.
On Friday, the Fitchburg High athletic director was invited to be among the guests of President Clinton at a reception for the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The reception will be held Tuesday morning at 11 am at the White House. "At first I thought someone was pulling my leg," said Grutchfield, who then confirmed the invitation when he spke with a secretary at the White House.
It has been a whirlwind spring for Grutchfield, who has been athletic director at Fitchburg High since 1984. In March he was named Massachusetts Athletic Director of the Year at a banquet at the Tara-Hyannis Resort. After being named one of five finalists, Grutchfield was selected as the national winner on April 16 in Denver, Colo.
Grutchfield believes it was that honor which led him to be invited to Washinton as his "can-you-top-this" kind of year continues. It's quite and honor," Grutchfield said as he hastily began preparations for the trip. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."