Narraguagus of Harrington athletic director Tracie Martin, who has also been a high school basketball and soccer official the last 10 years, has extended Maine’s hold on the Section One Distinguished Active Official Award.

The award by the National Federation of State High School Associations is one of eight presented annually across the country. Martin is the third straight official from Maine to win the Region I honor, following Peter Webb of Bangor (2000) and Norman Palmer of Bangor (1999).

Martin, who is also in her second season as a high school softball official, was nominated for the 2001 award by Sumner of East Sullivan AD Dennis Harmon and received it two weeks ago.

The University of Maine graduate has been a physical education teacher, a junior high and high school basketball and softball coach, and an official in two sports. She is also a registered Maine guide and serves on both the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials executive board and Acadia Board of Approved Soccer Officials board as secretary and treasurer. She is also a member of the Eastern Maine Board of Approved Softball Officials.

Marseille changes careers

Former University of Maine basketball player Fritz Marseille has resigned as Hermon’s athletic director to become a regional sales representative for Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest pharmaceuticals company.

The 32-year-old Marseille was actually interviewing for a similar job with another company when he heard about the Pfizer job opening. He called Pfizer and arranged an interview.

Marseille has been Hermon’s AD the last three years, but decided he’d rather branch into a different area of employment other than school administration.

“The AD’s job wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do. Ever since I graduated [from Maine], I’ve been taking care of other people’s kids to some degree,” Marseille explained. “Now it’s all on my shoulders. Now I’m virtually my own boss. It’s more like running your own business. They provide the vehicles and material. I just talk to doctors.

“I want to give thanks to the people at Hermon High and in Hermon because they really helped me out over the years. It’s a good place to live and work.”

Marseille’s sales area is Penobscot County an all points north and east in Maine. He handles cities such as Bangor, Rockland, Calais, and areas such as Downeast Maine and Aroostook County.

It’s a lot of travel, but Marseille says his new schedule is actually better.

“I don’t mind it too much. I drop my kids off in the morning and then I’m all the way to Calais or someplace else, and the majority of time I’ll be home by 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.,” he said.

Hermon’s interim AD is golf coach and retired high school teacher Ned Collins, who will fill the position through the end of the school year.

“Yeah, I don’t know why I said yes,” Collins joked. “They must have caught me in a weak moment.”

Honor for Harmon

Sumner High athletic director Dennis Harmon was given the State Award of Merit by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association earlier this month.

Harmon, who has been AD at the East Sullivan school since 1981, has worked at Sumner for 34 years. This is the second time he’s been nominated for the award and the first time he’s won it.

“I didn’t even know I was nominated the first time,” Harmon said. “I was totally shocked about this. My wife knew about it months ago and never let on.”

The annual award is presented to a single individual in each state for recognition of meritorious service, leadership, and special contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local and state level. Special consideration goes to nominees’ long-term contributions. Three finalists are chosen each year.

Harmon started his tenure at Sumner in 1968 as a physical education teacher. He also coached boys and girls basketball, cross country, boys and girls soccer, and softball from then through 1989.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or aneff@bangordailynews.net.