Tommy Harrington, a Sanford native and coach with more than 25 years of experience, has been named head baseball coach and physical education teacher at Southern Lee High School.
He succeeds David Lee, who resigned recently after four years as coach to focus on family matters. Harrington is also the father of former Southern Lee and Campbell University standout Thomas Harrington, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates this summer.
Harrington brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He has taught health and physical education for the last eight years at SanLee Middle School, where he also served as athletic director, director of field maintenance and coach for the school’s baseball and basketball teams.
The new Cavalier coach also enjoyed personal success as a high school athlete. The 1988 graduate of Lee Senior High School was a multisport athlete — playing football, basketball and baseball — and was honored in his senior season as the school’s athlete of the year.
“Mr. Harrington will be an incredibly valuable member of the Southern Lee community,” said Principal Molly Poston. “We are thrilled to have him join our family and look forward to the contributions he will make to our school and community in his new roles as a Cavalier.”
Harrington received his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1992 from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
He is married to Tina Harrington, also a professional educator. In addition to Thomas, the couple has four other children: Blake, a freshman at N.C. State, Cooper, a junior at Southern Lee High School, and twins Ben and Elizabeth, both seventh graders at SanLee Middle School.
Tommy has been a well thought of and successful volunteer baseball coach for recreation and travel teams for years. As a teacher and coach we know he is underpaid. He obviously loves the kids and the game so Great pick !
Best to ever do it