Bell reflects on first year as Milford AD

By Kevin Eickman

If it were easy to do, everyone would do it. The life of an Athletic Director isn’t easy, that is the lesson Jed Bell learned in his first year on the job. While he didn’t go into the position without his eyes wide open, like any new job it takes some getting used to. Being an Athletic Director and The Head Football Coach is a tall task, but Bell has grown into the job. “It took a little getting used to, but I found my stride. You know you are going to have to do a lot more work, but the volume of it can be quite challenging. I am very lucky to have had much help along the way.”

Asked about the direction of the Milford Athletic Program, Bell was quick to answer, “I think we are heading in the right direction, we have mandated that it’s about the education of the students that we are entrusted with. We want them to be successful both on and off the field, that’s what the goal is here. We are building the leaders of tomorrow and none of our staff or coaches take that lightly. It’s about building a mindset of confidence and commitment to yourself and your community,” Bell said.

Bell, a former director of The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) was pleased that recent and upcoming changes to the DIAA are occurring. “Having been in that position, I can honestly say that there was a lot of pressure serving in that role. The fact that it has been decided to get more people involved will do nothing but have a positive effect on the ability to be proactive on behalf of all Delaware student athletes,” Bell stated.

There are a number of issues simmering currently, one of them is an imbalance between public and private schools, particularly when it comes to soccer. MLS next has created a problem where students signed into the MLS program are not allowed to play on their high school teams, unless they are attending a private school. “This isn’t a problem that hasn’t impacted Milford…yet. However, it is something that needs to be looked into. Delaware is such a small state and there are some people that have been arguing for a separation between public and private schools for a while. I really don’t think that is the answer.

However, I don’t believe that a student should be forced to choose between playing with friends they have known their entire lives or not, strictly based on the type of school they choose to attend. That is why the public/private partnership has worked for so long, this is something that needs to be looked into to prevent that from happening,” said Bell.

Another item that is simmering is that of girls wrestling. Girls have been able to compete on the same stage as the boys for quite a while, but some people view it as a bit unfair and the possibility of girls wrestling becoming its own entity is on the horizon. “As most wrestling fans know, there has been a growing number of girls wrestling in recent years. We have had some very good female wrestlers come through our program and the participation level is on the rise,” Bell continued. “We have already put plans in place if it becomes a DIAA sport. As I have said, it’s about building character and athletics are a way to do it.”

When asked about what the future holds, Bell said, “I think the future is bright for Milford and Delaware as a whole. At the end of the day we all want what is best for our students. That is one of the things that makes Delaware great, we all want what is best for each other.”