The Triton Athletic Advisory Committee will convene next year, in hopes to improve the athletic program in an attempt to create an environment for student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff that will enhance student-athletes success in academics.

This committee will strengthen their contribution and promote opportunities to the community and the Triton Athletic Program through communication, leadership development, recognition, and community service.

“This is a more professional way of presenting your ideas, and getting feedback on whether or not it’s going to work without going straight to administration,” said senior class officer Taylor Penniman. “Individual students won’t have to go to administration themselves anymore because it is such a process to organize and schedule a meeting with Mr. Ruggere and Ms. Dawe.”

“This committee will allow students to voice their ideas to other students, then, have those students speak to administration for you. In this way, I know it’s overwhelming for the AD to have students coming in and out of his office asking for things and trying to change things. This is more of a working body, sharing your opinions with a group, come up with a decision as a group, and pitch to Mr. McInnis as a group.”

The Athletics Programs at Triton Regional School District will be provided guidance and support by the Triton Athletic Committee (TAAC). The TAAC is responsible for sharing ideas, providing recommendations for improvement, reviewing policy for regulation and interpretation, and providing advice on general operations of TRSD Athletic Department, according to District Athletic Director Mr. Sean McInnis.

McInnis laid out the goals of the committee in a recent email to the district: “We are going to ensure the alignment of the athletics program with the values and mission of the district; We will serve as a communication link between the Athletics Program and the broader Triton community; Reviewing the management and fiscal practices of the Athletics Program fundraising programs in relationship to policies of the school.”

The committee will “provide feedback to the Director of Athletics concerning matters of policy and strategy formation, facility management, Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and Cape Ann League rules and how they pertain to youth sports; fiscal planning, rules education programming, community engagement, and staff development.”

This will not only benefit the high school, but “foster a clear commitment to academic integrity, equity, and student-athlete well-being within the athletics program form grades K-12 and for each of the nonprofit youth programs,” said McInnis.

The TAAC meetings will take place in August, October, December, February, and May. The membership of this committee consists of Triton’s athletic director, athletic support person, four Triton student-athletes (two male, two female), Triton faculty, staff members, Triton athletic coaching, and athletic staff members (one men’s team coach, one women’s team coach), two parents of current Triton Middle and High school, and one member from each Triton youth sports programs.

“I just hope this committee will help faculty listen to their student athletes,” said senior athlete Will Parsons.