Exeter High School names track for Cassandra Donovan, retired AD and Title IX leader

EXETER — Cassandra Donovan was asked to be the first coach of girls track team when she arrived at Exeter High School fresh out of college in 1966.

She knew it was going to be a challenge, but anyone who knew Donovan would say no challenge was too big for her.

Donovan coached the team for 13 years, winning eight state championships, including four straight titles on two different occasions — 1966 to 1969 and 1975 to 1979. She also coached basketball and field hockey, and served as the school's athletic director for 20 years, retiring in 1999. She was the first woman to serve as athletic director at a Class L (Division I) school in New Hampshire, and was inducted into the NHIAA Hall of Fame in 2004.

Donovan coached girls basketball for seven years at Exeter, too. She had three undefeated regular seasons, and finished with a record of 75-10 with two state semifinal appearances.

On Tuesday, in a ceremony that was in the works for the past six months, Donovan was honored as a teacher, coach, administrator and mentor. The ceremony was attended by many of her former student-athletes, and ended with the unveiling of a plaque in Donovan's name at the track's entrance.

The facility is now known as the Cassandra M. Donovan Track and Field Complex.

"Really special day for an incredible person," said Exeter High School athletic director Bill Ball. "Her impact, not only at Exeter High School, but the state of New Hampshire, was immeasurable. She was a leader in Title IX, she was a leader in equity, and she was a champion for all students. She was a coach, athletic director, assistant principal and an interim principal one time at the middle school. She wore many hats, and she did it all with kindness and love for the students."

The Donovan legacy

Donovan, during her speech, thanked everyone from the school board to the administration, faculty and coaches, as well as all of her students and student-athletes.

Donovan spoke about coming to Exeter to coach basketball, but then being asked to coach track as well. Members of that first track team measured and put a track around the football field, and the team read a variety of books to learn more about the different events.

"I am very honored to be a lasting part of track at Exeter High School," said Donovan, who ended her speech with "Go Blue Hawks."

'Amazing' to recognize Cassandra Donovan

SAU 16 Superintendent of Schools Esther Asbell said it was "amazing" to recognize someone like Donovan, who had such an impact on the sports world, even beyond Exeter High School.

"I think her work with Title IX and the Special Olympics really impacted the state (of New Hampshire) for a long time," Asbell said. "She gave women some equity in sports."

Sandra Parks played basketball for Donovan for three years, and then served for years as her secretary.

"(Donovan) really took an invested interest in not only student-athletes, but the students themselves," Parks said.

Bob Hall, a member of the Exeter Region Cooperative School Board, said Tuesday's celebration was "just a great tribute to a great teacher, educator and coach."

"(This ceremony is so) well deserved," said Karen Pelletier, a 1974 graduate of Exeter High School. "She was an amazing, coach, teacher and mentor from the time I had her in high school throughout my adult career."

More Donovan memories

Pelletier talked about Donovan being a mentor, and someone who brought out self-belief in players.

"She had the patience of God," Pelletier said. "What I loved about (Donovan) as a coach is that she evolved you in your own learning ... her ability to bring us together all the time was just a fantastic quality of hers. But the other thing she did more than anything is she got you to believe in yourself, I would say that's the most important thing."

Parks said if she could turn back time, she would go back to her days working for Donovan.

"Every day I'd go into work, and it was a job you would love to go to, every day," Parks said. "It never failed, she'd always thank me at the end of the day."

Renee Morissette attended Exeter the same years as Parks, and played track, basketball and field hockey for Donovan.

"(Donovan) had faith that in whatever you did, you were going to do your best," Morissette said. "She was grateful, just a kind-hearted person."

Results from Exeter's tri-meet on Tuesday

Following the dedication, both the Exeter boys and girls teams placed first in a three-team meet. The girls scored 119 points, defeating Nashua North (59) and Windham (25). The boys scored 105 points, beating North (85) and Windham (22).

In the girls meet, Exeter wins came from Sydney MacVicar (100-meter hurdles, 17.33), Colleen Bartel (300 hurdles, 55.49), Clara Knab (400, 1:01.23), Delaney Roache (1,600, 6:12.55), Claire Ahern (long jump, 15 feet, 3.75 inches), Alexys Rogers (triple jump, 31-5.5), Autumn Fabiano (shot put, 31-01), Josslyn Ulven (discus, 90-10), and Rachel Poulin (javelin, 115-2).

In the boys meet, Thoren Kersten-Guiler won both the long jump (19-2) and triple jump (41-3), and other wins came from Phineas Reardon (100, 11.39), Jack Kavanaugh (200, 23.61), Nate Mikulsky (800, 2:00.88), Thomas Eastwood (pole vault, 10-7), and Kenji Chase (javelin, 140-11).

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter High School honors coach, athletic director Cassandra Donovan