Pechin to be new athletic director at Conestoga

TREDYFFRIN >> In the wake of the alleged football hazing incident at Conestoga last March, the Tredyffrin-Easttown School Board said the the high school would have to hire a full-time athletic director.

Well, Conestoga has turned to one of its own. Longtime football, baseball and head golf coach Kevin Pechin has been tabbed to lead Conestoga athletics for the 2016-17 school year and beyond. Pechin coached golf last season and became the head baseball coach, leading the Pioneers to a share of the Central League title after coach John Vogan resigned two weeks before the start of the regular season. It was in response to the alleged hazing incident regarding the football program, where Vogan was the head coach.

“In the back of my mind I have always wanted to be an athletic director,” Pechin said. “Moreover, the A.D. job at Conestoga has such a huge chunk of my heart. It is more than just a job for me. Some of my dearest relationships are as a result of Conestoga athletics as former coaches and players have been some of my best friends. I first met my wife when I was coaching football and she was coaching the field hockey team in the early 1990s. I have a real hook to this program and see how special and talented these students are.

“Furthermore, I have unique lens when I look at the athletic program. I see it as a parent, coach, teacher and now athletic director. I am really excited to get started and as far as my vision for Conestoga athletics, I’d like to have every student athlete look back at their time at Conestoga thinking, ‘How great was it to be part of any team at Conestoga?’ You want to talk ’Stoga proud? That is who I am.”

Pechin has been an assistant football coach, head junior varsity baseball coach, head golf coach and last season the head baseball coach at Conestoga. The golf and baseball coaching positions are currently open at Conestoga while former Pioneer running back Marquis Weeks was named head football coach in early June.