Berkley High School Athletic Director Ron Kane Ready For New Role

Ron Kane took over as the athletic director after the fall 2010 sports season had already begun. Now he’s making an early departure.

Kane is leaving behind his role as AD and assistant principal and taking over as a full-time assistant principal for Berkley High. Kane’s AD responsibilities will be taken over by Jim Cowdrey beginning Aug. 15. In addition, Cowdrey will spend his mornings working in the district at as an assistant principal.

“I thought I’d be in the position longer than a year,” Kane said. “I enjoyed the position. I got to work with some great coaches, great student-athletes and I enjoyed the first year of it. It was nice working with the boosters who do great job with fundraising and parents as well.

"I enjoyed the position, but I guess something new is calling," he said. "I’ll move into that position and I’m excited I’m still at Berkley.”

Domino effect

Kane’s move was created by a domino change in the Berkley School District. Overall, Berkley was left short one assistant principal role that will not be filled.

Here’s the breakdown of job changes:

• Jamii Hitchcock, who had been the principal at , left the district to take a position in Birmingham.
• Paul Yowchuang, who had been a full-time assistant principal at BHS, will replace Hitchcock. Yowchuang’s job change was effective July 1.
• Cowdrey will split time as an assistant principal at Anderson and as Berkley AD.
• Kane, in essence, will step into the role that Yowchuang is leaving.

“I enjoyed the (athletic director) position,” Kane said. “I think it’ll be a good fit. This is a way for me to continue my growth in being an educator.”

Kane left Novi High School and joined the Berkley staff on Sept. 20, 2010. During Kane’s short time as the athletic director, he hired new varsity coaches for football, girls’ swimming, baseball and competitive cheer.

“Ron did well as a first-year AD,” said Yowchuang, a former Berkley athletic director. “His coaching hires were generally effective. He brings a very calm demeanor and a great level of patience to the assistant principal role.”

Challenges ahead

While Kane was new to the district when he took over as AD in the last fall sports season, Cowdrey is no stranger around town. Cowdrey has worked in the Berkley district since 1998. He served as the head football coach in 1998 and 1999 for the Bears while working as a teacher at BHS. He's been with Anderson as an assistant principal ever since.

"I'm thrilled," Cowdrey said of his new responsibilities. "I can't wait to start. I've been in athletics a long time."

Cowdrey has coached high school football, wrestling and basketball. He even spent a season working as a minor league umpire in the Gulf Coast League in Florida in 1994.

He graduated from Central Michigan University in 1993. He began his teaching career in Bad Axe public schools. 

"My kids all grew up involved in school sports," said Cowdrey, who resides with his family in Rochester. "I have a good perspective from the player point of view, the coach's point of view and also a parent’s point of view, so I think I'm well grounded."

Still, Cowdrey has challenges that await him when the takes over his new responsibilities.

“Jim is super knowledgeable about sports,” Yowchuang said. “He was a former successful varsity football coach in Berkley, so he knows the ins and outs of the sports world very well. The biggest challenges are the enormous time commitment and the financial difficulties school districts are having, which directly impact athletics.”