Inside the AD’s Office With Westhampton Beach's Jason Cohen

Jason Cohen is familiar with top-notch athletic programs. So, when the West Islip native saw the athletic director position open in Westhampton Beach, he jumped at the opportunity.

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the Westhampton Beach family,” Cohen said. “I find this opportunity so remarkable because Westhampton Beach is a small, tight-knit community — rich in history and tradition — that places strong emphasis on academic and athletic excellence. Being able to work with educators, coaches, staff, parents and students with the unified goal of continued growth and success is very exciting.”

Cohen, who took over the helm in July, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from Hofstra University, a master’s degree in physical education from Adelphi University and an advanced graduate certificate in educational leadership from Stony Brook University.

After high school, he attended Central Connecticut State University, where he was also a member of the wrestling team. Unfortunately, an unexpected family event brought him home, and he enrolled at Hofstra University the following year.

Cohen most recently served as the assistant principal of Islip Middle School, a position he’d held since 2019. Prior to that, he worked in the Islip School District as a physical education teacher, athletic trainer and summer administrator. Earlier in his career, he was an athletic trainer in the South Huntington Union Free School District, an assistant athletic trainer at Molloy College and a student athletic trainer at Hofstra University, where he also earned the school’s Athletic Trainer of the Year award.

“This award was voted on by the athletic training staff and my peers in the program,” said Cohen, who earned the recognition as a senior. “The athletic training profession comes with tremendous responsibility, time commitments and quite often high-pressure situations, so to be recognized by a group of mentors and peers that I held in such high regard was overwhelming, and truly an honor.”

Last week, Cohen spoke with The Express News Group about his thoughts on this new chapter in Westhampton Beach, how it’s gone so far and what he’s looking to do moving forward.

Q: Was being an athletic director a position you always aspired to reach?

I can’t say that being an athletic director was always a position I aspired to reach. Then again, at the beginning of a young career, many people don’t know, and that is okay, as long as you keep striving to be better. I can say early on in my career in education I grew as an individual and continued reevaluating and setting new goals, one of which was to become an athletic director.

Q: What made you apply for the job in Westhampton Beach? What was the process like for you?

Most districts have just one athletic director, so the positions are not as abundant as other educational leadership positions. Westhampton was a draw for me because of the small school, tight-knit community that is rich in history and tradition and tremendous athletic success. People can tell you what a district is like, but unless you have personal connections or interactions it is really difficult to tell, so you put yourself out there and apply and form your own opinions. You can learn a lot from just a few interactions, and the process at Westhampton was top-notch. Throughout my professional career I have been through the interview process several times and none as welcoming and inviting as it was in Westhampton — from beginning to end.

Q: How did you feel, or what were your initial thoughts and reaction when you were offered the job?

I remember sitting in my office at my previous job when I got the call that they wanted to move forward with my background check. I immediately called my wife to share the news. Later that evening, I received another call from Superintendent Dr. Carolyn Probst officially offering me the position. I was overwhelmed with joy and thrilled to be joining such a wonderful community. As soon as I got off the phone I called my wife to share the wonderful news.

Q: How have you settled in? How has it been getting to know the people in your department? The community?

I am settling nicely. Everyone has been very friendly and welcoming. I have been enjoying getting to know all the staff in the department and I believe that as we continue to develop those relationships, we build deeper levels of trust, which is essential for collaboration and continued growth. The community has been welcoming and I have enjoyed meeting so many of them on our fields, courts and in our gymnasium. I welcome any of our community members to approach me and introduce themselves anytime they see me at our contests.

Q: There’s a rich tradition of excellence in sports in Westhampton Beach. How does it feel being a part of that?

My own personal experiences growing up in West Islip, also with a rich tradition of excellence in sports, has made this opportunity even more appealing. I want to be engrossed in those traditions and make sure we do everything we can as a school and community so when students graduate and move on from here they can say with tremendous pride they are ’Canes for life.

Q: Are there any goals you have? Anything you’d like to accomplish? Anything you’re looking to maintain? Change?

Every place has its own identity — what makes it unique, and knowing and understanding a school community’s culture does not happen overnight. I believe the single most important goal for me this year can be summed up in one word: relationships. I will need to develop relationships with the staff, administration and the community, while building trust so we can effectively work together for continued growth and success.