By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

When we first featured Brady Harrington in November of 2017, we highlighted the second-year, two-sport student athlete who was enthusiastically exploring the academic and professional opportunities that accompanied SUNY Broome’s then relatively new academic program of Sport Studies. Exactly four and a half years later, Harrington returned to SUNY Broome, not as a student, but as an adjunct instructor for the Physical Education & Sport Studies Department, bringing to fruition many of the goals that he outlined in his student profile. 

Brady Harrington, a native of Whitney Point, enrolled at SUNY Broome directly after graduating from high school. He was initially discouraged because he felt like he wasn’t “going away to college,” but those feelings quickly dissipated thanks to Harrington’s incredibly packed schedule of baseball practices and games, basketball practices and games, and his physical education and sport studies coursework. Two years flew by. Before he knew it, Harrington was off to SUNY Cortland to continue his studies in physical education. Due to a specialized articulation agreement established between SUNY Broome and SUNY Cortland, Harrington was able to transfer seamlessly with junior status. 

“SUNY Broome’s Sports Studies program gave me such a solid foundation for SUNY Cortland. I felt totally at ease about the coursework and the student teaching requirements,” said Harrington. 

Brady Harrington instructing his Team Sports class. Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

SUNY Broome’s Physical Education & Sport Studies Department prides itself on staying connected to their graduates. The desire to follow the careers of their students resulted in a great opportunity for Harrington. With a newly earned degree and some teaching experience under his belt, Harrington received a call from one of his favorite professors, Heather Hoffman, Chairperson for Physical Education & Sport Studies. Hoffman needed an adjunct instructor to cover a Team Sports class and wondered if Brady would be interested in returning to his alma mater. Harrington didn’t hesitate.

As a new educator, Harrington was enthusiastically juggling several gigs in the worlds of physical education and recreation. His Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were devoted to subbing at public schools across the region and his evenings and weekends were spent with the Binghamton Bulldogs, where he served as the Assistant Athletic Director and Assistant Coach. His Tuesdays and Thursdays were perfectly open to teach at SUNY Broome.

“I was so pleased that Professor Hoffman thought to contact me. As a young professional, I was and am actively looking for opportunities to help me develop as an educator and as a coach. Instructing a class that I personally loved taking when I was a student was an honor,” said Harrington. 

Team Sports with Brady Harrington included studying the basics of the games, offered an overview of technique, and also gave students who are aspiring physical education educators the opportunity to jump in and serve as the class’ instructor when explaining the rules and regulations of each activity. Overall, the semester was a success for both the students and for the new adjunct. 

Harrington returned to SUNY Broome as an instructor 4.5 years after graduating from the Physical Education & Sport Studies program. Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

Harrington’s semester instructing at SUNY Broome only solidified his desire to continue his education at the graduate level. After extensive research, Harrington has decided to pursue his graduate degree in Educational Psychology from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. As part of his degree, Harrington will serve as a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team. This assistantship will allow him to coach at the Division 2 level. 

“I am so excited for this upcoming academic year and coaching season. I can honestly say that I can trace back all of these professional successes and opportunities to my foundation from SUNY Broome.” 

Learn more about SUNY Broome’s Physical Education and Sport Studies Department!

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