Alvirne has hired current Pelham High School AD to be its new athletic director to succeed the retiring Karen Bonney at the end of the school year. (Courtesy photo)

HUDSON – A new era will officially begin starting in July for the Alvirne High School athletic program.

Alvirne principal Steve Beals announced on Tuesday that the district has hired current Pelham athletic director Justin Hufft to be the new Broncos AD beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Hufft, who has only been at Pelham since the summer after leaving a similar position at Goffstown, will succeed retiring longtime Alvirne AD Karen Bonney. Bonney has been at the school for 40 years, the last 25 as athletic director.

Hufft beat out a field of 40 candidates, that was whittled down to six, then three, then two finalists, and his name was ultimately the one forwarded to the Board of Education for approval on Monday night.

Hufft, a 1995 Souhegan High School graduate, had been the AD at Goffstown for six years before leaving to take the Pelham AD job just late last spring. But he said today the Alvirne job with the chance to return to the Division I level was an opportunity too good to pass up.

“Pelham’s been great, I love working with the people here, but the Alvirne opportunity is something pretty unique,” Hufft told The Telegraph. “Karen Bonney’s been there for a long time; those jobs don’t become available very often.”

Hufft’s extensive experience was a key in his hiring, Beals said.

“We have not always gathered experienced candidates in our candidate pools,” Beals said. “He distinguished himself with a breath of experience not only in being an active AD but he’s very steadfast and well connected to the NHIAA. That piece was well received.”

Indeed, Hufft is well known in NHIAA circles, as he serves on the NHIAA hockey, eligibility, and sportsmanship committees. He also helped devise the NHIAA Division I football schedule when things were reorganized a few years ago. Beals said another positive factor is Hufft is a strong proponent of “coach feedback, supervising the coach, evaluating the coach”. That’s important especially Beals said since a lot of the Alvirne coaches are either less experienced or not teaching in the building.

“I think (it’s) the well-roundedness of what Justin can provide,” Beals said. “What I’m hoping that over time what Justin’s able to do and what we’re able to do as a school is getting wherever we can is coaches with experience. … I’m very, very pleased with the hire.”

“There’s a lot of connections I’ve made at the (Division) I level, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with those people,” Hufft said. “I’m enjoying my time at Pelham as well and am looking forward to finishing the year strong here.”

Beals emphasized that Hufft’s priority obviously will be his job at Pelham, but one thing that Hufft will be involved in is the hiring of a new football coach and any fall coaches since that will be his athletic program then.

In fact, the Broncos waited until hiring a new AD before posting the football opening that was created by the successful Matt Lee taking the Windham job last month.

Hufft, a former Saint Anselm as well as Souhegan football assistant, was the head football coach at Goffstown for nine seasons and won a state title. He gave up the position a few years ago to focus solely on his AD duties there.

Then at Pelham, he again was only going to be the athletic director but found himself having to take over the football coaching duties when then-new Pythons head coach John Trisciani resigned abruptly just a couple of days prior to the start of the Division II season. Pelham ultimately lost to Souhegan in the Division II finals.

“That (taking over football at the last minute) speaks volumes about the character of Justin Hufft,” Beals said. “There’s no question he was an accomplished football coach. But he transitioned out of that role at Goffstown at some point. I think it talks about his versatility and commitment to the student athlete.”

“My background, I have a lot of connections in the state when it comes to football,” Hufft said. “I’m happy to kind of advise and help facilitate a little bit.

“But obviously right now my focus is on Pelham, finishing a winter season that’s going well and having a strong spring season. Then turn the page and work into Alvirne next year.”

“Justin will facilitate that (football hirng) process,” Beals said, noting that the school hopes to have a new head coach in a month or two. But Hufft’s football contacts, Beals said, are key.

But Beals emphasized that until his contract is up at Pelham, the Pythons athletic program is Hufft’s priority.

“His priority is the Pelham school district,” Beals said. “Everyone has told me he is gifted in organizational strengths and being detail oriented. So I am of the opinion that he’s going to be able to manage all of his primary Pelham responsibilities … We’re not going to be overusing him. Karen will hire all of our spring coaches, she will evaluate all of our winter and spring coaches.

“I want Justin to hire our fall coaches because that’s the first semblance of team for him. We’re not typically hiring fall or next winter coaches in February. The reason we’re doing football is we have to keep things moving in the right direction. But Justin’s 100 percent primary purpose is the Pelham school district. He will never hear anything from me suggesting otherwise.”

The final six candidates were interviewed by representatives of various groups within the school and community, including athletic boosters, Beals said. That final half dozen included three current active ADs in the state, one former in-state AD, one current school administrator with a coaching background, and another with a degree in sports management and connection to the Hudson community.

But Hufft stood out.

“It’s an exciting thing,” Hufft said. “It’s a smaller school in the D-1 world, has a lot of chances to continue at a high level. Their facilities are very good; they’re all on site which is nice. It’s just an intriguing place, I think.”

“I see (in Hufft) a person who personifies the Division I athletic director,” Beals said. “Multiple moving parts.”