Chris Hartman (Courtesy photo)
KINGSFORD — Fans and supporters of Kingsford High School sports probably have seen a lot of Chris Hartman over the years. After all, as the school’s athletic director, he’s almost at every home sporting event and even some away games, as well. Though, obviously, he’s not there to be noticed.
But, others have noticed Hartman and his dedication to his job. ADs from around the Upper Peninsula recently voted the Flivver official as the U.P. Athletic Director of the Year. He was nominated by Mike Roell, who just recently retired from his position as AD for North Dickinson County Schools.
“Since I began my role as Gladstone’s athletic director, Chris has been a tremendous help,” Braves’ AD Dale Hongisto. “He’s very thorough, organized and has a great understanding of athletics across the Upper Peninsula.
“Chris is very well connected to the U.P. Athletic Council and the Michigan High School Athletic Association. He does a great job at advocating for the schools of the Upper Peninsula,” he added.
Hartman began his career in education as a physical education/health teacher and has been employed with BTS since 2019 as the athletic director. He also serves as the Kingsford recreation and enrichment coordinator for youth and adult recreation with Iron Mountain-Kingsford Community Schools.
“Chris is a tremendous asset to Breitung Township Schools,” BTS superintendent David Holmes said in a prepared statement. “His leadership in the area of athletics and community recreation is excellent. He’s detail-oriented and has the ability to see the big picture of major events.”
According to Holmes, the U.P. Track and Field Finals are “an excellent example of the quality of his work,” with more than 50 schools attending annually and nearly 200 volunteers assisting with the largest single sporting event in the U.P.
— Report compiled by Dennis Mansfield, Daily News sports editor.
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