Kevin Hebert reflects on 14 years at Spaulding; and why he resigned as AD/football coach

Kevin Hebert will have an interesting choice to make in late October when Spaulding hosts Dover in a Division I football clash in the penultimate game of the regular season.

Hebert's son, Ryan, is now a freshman at Dover High School, and Hebert spent the last 14 years at Spaulding, the last six as head football coach.

But this year, Hebert will be in the Dover stands and not the Spaulding sideline, recently stepping down as both the Spaulding head football coach and the school's athletic director.

So, who will he root for?

"I have to make sure I answer this question correctly," said Hebert, who accepted a position with the Dover Parks and Recreation Department. "Obviously, my (family) is really important, but the other side of that is I really want success for those kids who wear red as well."

Hebert said he'll remain a Spaulding football fan except for the annual game against rival Dover.

"Whatever the result is and knowing everyone on both sides, I don't know if I can lose there," Hebert said. "It's going to be fun to sit back and see how it all unfolds; it'll be great."

Hebert, 47, was named Spaulding High School athletic director in 2010, and was named head football coach in 2018. Hebert also spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Spaulding, and coached football at Somersworth High School before arriving at Spaulding.

Under Hebert, after a lengthy playoff drought, the Red Raiders qualified for the Division I postseason in three of the last four years.

"I'm definitely proud of where we came from," Hebert said. "I'm very, very proud to leave (Spaulding football) in a good spot. I think the days of teams walking on the field and thinking 'oh, this is an easy win' (against Spaulding) are gone. That's a testament to the kids and the work they put in. It's also a credit to my coaching staff who put in a ton of work, so (Spaulding) could really be a respectable Division I program."

New position enables more family time

Along with his son, Hebert has two daughters, one in middle school, and the youngest in elementary school. Hebert said his new position will allow him more time to spend with family, and not miss his son's games.

"This gives me a little bit more of a regular schedule," Hebert said. "Working for the city of Dover is similar to working for the city of Rochester, I'll be dealing with people, and working with people. I'm all about working. This (new job) is going to open up who I can help, from youth all the way to the seniors."

Here's what current Spaulding head coaches say about Hebert

Spaulding baseball coach Brad Taylor, who just finished his first season, said Hebert being the AD was a huge factor in him going for the baseball job.

"I knew him on a personal level when I was an assistant coach (at Spaulding), but being a head coach takes the AD/coach relationship to the next level," Taylor said. "Kevin promised that he has the backs of his coaches, and he walks that walk. This year, he proved over and over how much he supported Spaulding baseball. I'll always be thankful for that."

Hockey coach Jamie Ferullo said Hebert will be missed greatly and has been 'nothing but supportive and easy to work with.'

"It’s hard to replace someone who cares so much about the community, and the individuals in the district," Ferullo said. "I’ve gotten to know him quite well over my eight years. It’s sad to see him go but he’s doing it for the right reasons. Nothing means more than family and I wish him the best of luck."

Boys basketball coach Lorne Lucas worked with Hebert at both Somersworth and Spaulding, and recalled a moment he'll never forget at Somersworth.

"We were getting ready to get on the bus to go to the championship game, and I walked out of the high school and who was there to send us off and to wish us luck, was Kevin," Lucas said. "He had left the year before to go to Spaulding, but went out of his way to come to (Somersworth) and to shake all our hands. It meant a lot to me and my team. Coach Hebert will be missed at Spaulding."

Lucas said although his first few years were rough at Spaulding as far as wins and losses, Hebert 'always offered support.'

"Kevin always wanted the coaches to be able to concentrate on their job," Spaulding girls basketball coach Scott Blake said. "He would always tell us if any parent issues come up send them my way. 'Dealing with them is not your job, you are to coach your team the best way you see fit.' Kevin will be missed at Spaulding as he had the backs of the coaches and players."

Softball coach Sheila Colson said was also a big supporter of unified sports.

"As a coach under his leadership, he didn’t make it about the wins and losses but more about leaving positive experiences for all student athletes," Colson said.

How the first days at Spaulding went

Hebert said it was a big learning curve when he left Somersworth, a school enrollment of around 500 at the time, and arrived at Spaulding, which had around 1,400 students.

"The (Spaulding) people were great," Hebert said. "I definitely learned a lot in that first year, everything from systems to literally how to run a big school and athletic program."

Reaching out to ADs for help, then being asked for help

In those early years at Spaulding, Hebert sought out other ADs for advice, including Bill Bill, who just retired as the Exeter High School AD after 26 years. Hebert called Ball "instrumental."

Hebert also often reached out to Peter Wotton, who just retired as the Dover High School AD after 28 years, as well as Concord's Steve Mello who just retired after 16 years and current Timberlane AD Angelo Fantasia.

"(Those were) my four go-to AD's when it came to just the craft," he said. "I kind of leaned on those guys who have kind of been through the battlefield. Ironically, every one of them will tell you that everyone makes a lot of mistakes doing this job, there's no playbook if you will. It's more of trying to do what you think is best for the kids."

As years passed and Hebert gained more experience and got more comfortable, some of the new ADs across the state sought out Hebert for advice.

"You become part of the group, and then you become one of the guys with a lot of experience at the table, which is pretty ironic," Hebert said. "It was kind of a 180 when you start to be the guy who gets the phone call for advice."

'It was always the kids'

Hebert said dealing with kids and coaching was the most enjoyable part of his time at Spaulding, and what he will miss the most.

"A big school, and being the athletic director, you have relationships with kids to a certain extent," he said. "What I'll really miss the most is the relationship, but obviously coaching as well. Coaching the largest team at the school brings that and that was one of the reasons I got back into (coaching). Obviously, it wasn't to make my schedule any crazier, it was certainly to impact kids."

Hebert said sports stuff aside, he wanted to make an impact on young men's lives, and teaching them a little bit of how things were going to be when they got older.

"It kind of brought a lot of joy back to me, and kind of reinvigorated me when I got back to the sidelines," Hebert said. "It's something that's kind of been a part of me for a long time. I was fortunate enough that the district let me do that. I'm thankful to them for that."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kevin Hebert reflects on 14 years at Spaulding; and why he resigned as AD/football coach