Kevin Dean set to step down this fall as Edwardsburg athletic director after 19 years

EDWARDSBURG — Kevin Dean knows what he'll miss the most when his highly-successful tenure as Edwardsburg Athletic Director comes to a close this fall.

It's the cast of characters — especially some dedicated and long time coaches — who helped drive the Eddies athletic program to success during his 19 years on the job.

"No doubt, 100 percent it will be the people," Dean said without hesitation. "I've been very fortunate. I came to Edwardsburg at the perfect time. This has been a great job and a great place to work.

"Our coaches here are top notch," he added before rattling off a lengthy list of Eddies coaches. "They make it go. We also have great kids and parents here. The relationships with all of those people is what I'm going to really miss."

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Dean, who came to EHS in 2003, will step down at the end of October. He will help in the transition this fall as Brad Ostrander takes over. Ostrander has spent the past 18 years as a sixth grade teacher at Edwardsburg. Ostrander's title will be Edwardsburg Athletic Director and Dean of Students.

"I'm just ready to do something different and this felt like the right time," Dean said. "I've thoroughly enjoyed this, but being an AD is a demanding job. It's go, go go all the time."

Dean, who will turn 53 in September, does not have any definite future career plans lined up yet.

During Dean's tenure the Eddies have won numerous conference and state tournament championships in multiple sports. The capper though came in 2018 when the Eddies claimed the Division 4 state championship in football.

"The number one thing that I'm the most proud of is the way that our kids and our teams have represented Edwardsburg," Dean said. "We've had a lot of very successful teams and that is great, but high school sports is about the life lessons. I'm proud that we have developed great citizens, young people who have went on to be very successful after high school."

Dean admits the recent run of the football program, guided by longtime coach and friend Kevin Bartz, is extra special. Bartz has guided his program to a 91-9 mark the past eight seasons with a state title, one state runner-up finish (in 2017) and six trips to the state semifinals.

"I always said that I just wanted to get an opportunity to stand on the sidelines at Ford Field,' Dean said. "To have our team win the state title there in 2018 was a really proud moment."

Edwardsburg Superintendent Jim Knoll has known Dean a long time. Knoll, who took over as Superintendent in 2018, was an assistant principal at EHS in 2003 when Dean was hired. He was on the committee that recommended Dean as the new AD.

"The thing about Kevin is that he has such good interpersonal skills," Knoll said. "He also has connections throughout the state and that's been very beneficial to Edwardsburg during his time here."

Knoll, who also served as principal at Niles High School, says Dean was also a good representative for the school system.

"Kevin was always very accommodating, always a good host, to those who came to Edwardsburg for athletic events," said Knoll, a 1983 Niles High School graduate. "That's very important and Kevin always did a nice job in that regard."

Dean, who plans to be married next year to his fiancé Derica, says he was fortunate to get into sports administration.

"I thought in college that I was going to be an accountant," said Dean, who attended Central Michigan University. "I kind of stumbled into the high school sports scene."

Dean actually left sports administration to sell insurance for a few years before landing his first AD job at Hemlock (Michigan) in 2001. He then came to Edwardsburg in 2003 after his position at Hemlock was eliminated due to a budget cut situation.

"I was glad to get back into it," Dean said. "And then I was very fortunate to get the job at Edwardsburg when I did back in 2003."

Dean does have some words of wisdom for Ostrander, who was approved to replace him in June.

"The number one thing as an AD is to be flexible, that's the nature of this job," Dean said. "Also to enjoy it. You are getting paid to watch sports. Don't forget that."

Dean, who was named the Region IV AD of the Year in 2017, has a son Aidan and a daughter Olivia. Aidan will be a high school senior this fall, while Olivia will be a freshman.

"You can't do what I have done all these years without the support of your family,"  Dean.

Dean plans to keep his eye on the Eddies even though he will be moving out of the immediate area.

"I will always support Edwardsburg," he said.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Edwardsburg athletic director Kevin Dean will leave his job in October