Springs School’s Whitney Reidlinger Steps Down As Athletic Director

Springs School Athletic Director Whitney Reidlinger stood in a room filled with the sounds of applause last Tuesday, April 26, as she stepped down from her position.

The six-year sports leader has chosen to shift her focus toward her job as the district’s occupational therapist.

During her tenure, Reidlinger oversaw a large expansion of both the programs and the school, which included a new gymnasium and ballfields. The district went from boasting nine sports teams to 16, and also combines with East Hampton Middle School for five more.

“You are a role model for many districts that think this can’t be done. It can,” Superintendent Debra Winter said. “You’re an advocate for our students — always advocating for more, not less, and always negotiating with other districts to make sure every child has a team to play on.”

Principal Christine Cleary has known Reidlinger for the last 16 years, since she began her job within the district, and said the athletic director is the most organized person she’s met.

“We’ve got big sneakers to fill,” Cleary said. “She’s a fighter. She has a ferocious attention to detail. I don’t think she knew what she was really signing up for in the beginning — and as they say, the devil’s in the details — but she just handled it like an absolute champion.”

Reidlinger signed on to her new role without knowing the COVID-19 pandemic was coming down the pike, or that she’d be taking the position when there’d be a period of time without a gym or fields to play on.

Business Administrator Michael Henery, who oversaw the expansion project, negotiated with the athletic director countless times over field and gym use.

“It’s been great working with you these past five years,” Henery said. “You’re one of the better athletic directors I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.”

Under her tenure the district has also been recognized each year with Section XI sportsmanship awards, given out by the governing body of athletics in Suffolk County.

“Thank you, Whitney, for everything you’ve done for the children of Springs School,” Winter said. “You’re an outstanding athletic director in a field where there are mostly men. You’ve done a remarkable job under really, very unusual circumstances — a pandemic, a building construction, no fields, no gym. It’s just amazing.”

Reidlinger thanked administration and the board of education for quite literally supporting her dreams.

“I appreciate everyone’s support of the sports programs here,” she said. “Sports was my first love, so I was happy to participate on the field here at Springs School.”

But she also said her accomplishments wouldn’t have been possible without all the other help she’s received.

“I do have to say it’s not just me. We have a great group of people here that help our school — amazing coaches, bus drivers, the nurse’s office getting the paperwork in, our custodians helping us setting up the fields and the gym and even hallway monitors helping cover classes when I have to get the coaches out the door early,” Reidlinger said. “It’s really been a group effort. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without any of them.”

While the athletic director said she’ll miss the work that she does, she said her focus is needed elsewhere. Winter said Reidlinger giving her undivided attention to the district’s special needs students is “admirable.”

Board Vice President Timothy Frazier said the athletic director played an integral part of navigating the pandemic.

“Students missed sports through all that, and it was obvious when they came back. And even though they didn’t have that, you were still there for them,” Frazier said. “We couldn’t thank you enough for what you do.”

The athletic director said welcoming students back to some semblance of normalcy following the easing of COVID-19-related guidelines was a real highlight for her.

“When they moved the fall season to the spring and they hit the fields the children lit up,” Reidlinger said. “The new fields are great, the gym is great, and I’m looking forward to seeing the first games.”

Frazier said it’s also been nice to see how the attitudes of students have shifted over the years.

“It’s great to see how proud they are of the school, because that wasn’t always the case,” he said. “We’re all proud of what you’ve accomplished in our community and for our kids.

“We want to congratulate Whitney and thank her for her service,” Cleary added. “Our kids are better for it.”