New chapter: Barak hired as Brownsville AD following Roebuck retirement; Martin named football coach
Jim Barak has been a part of Brownsville athletics for over a quarter of a century.
Barak will now add another chapter to that history as Brownsville鈥檚 athletic director.
Barak was hired last Thursday by the school board with a unanimous 8-0 vote.
鈥淚 found out Skooter (Roebuck) was retiring. I know what it鈥檚 like to lead athletes and felt it was time to take a big step to lead athletic programs at Brownsville,鈥� Barak said of his decision to apply for the job.
Barak is a 1998 Brownsville graduate. He graduated from Waynesburg University in 2002 with a degree in Social Studies education.
He began as a day-to-day substitute teacher at his alma mater before securing a position in the middle school 18 years ago. Barak will move to the high school in the fall.
Barak has been an assistant football coach at Brownsville, Ringgold and Elizabeth Forward, and was an assistant track coach before taking over the Brownsville program as head coach in 2010.
Barak has relied on what he learned from the various coaches he鈥檚 worked with over the past two decades, and will use that knowledge gained as he moves into the new position.
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to Andy Assad (former Brownsville head football coach). We worked seven-day weeks in preparation. The effort has to be there. The planning has to be there,鈥� said Barak.
鈥淚 worked with Matt Humbert (current Belle Vernon football coach and athletic director) at Ringgold. I learned from Matt how to be detailed.鈥�
Barak will also rely on the relationships he has with the county鈥檚 athletic directors.
鈥淚 have a very good understanding of what needs to be done. I鈥檝e worked with Skooter,鈥� said Barak. 鈥楰nowing guys like Richie (Connellsville athletic director Richie Evans), Harry (Uniontown athletic director Harry Kaufman), and Matt (Humbert) will help me.鈥�
Brownsville fields boys and girls golf, cross country and soccer, football, and girls volleyball in the fall, boys and girls basketball and wrestling in the winter season, and boys and girls track & field, baseball and softball in the spring.
Barak is also the district鈥檚 equipment manager, so he鈥檚 familiar with the needs of the various sports.
Dave Martin was hired as the Falcons football coach at the same meeting as Barak.
Martin is a Woodland Hills graduate who has had assistant coaching stints at California, Waynesburg Central, Ringgold and Monessen high schools although most recently he was the head coach of Penn West-California University鈥檚 rugby team.
This will be Martin鈥檚 first football head coaching job at the high school level.
One of the duties Barak will have is hiring a baseball coach for the retired Roebuck.
Barak noted the key for him is having coaches and administrators know he is reachable at any time.
鈥淭he biggest thing is communication between myself and all the coaches. My expectations are clearly defined. We all have to work together,鈥� explained Barak. 鈥淚 want to be available for the coaches.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a hobby. It鈥檚 part of me.鈥�
This will be Martin鈥檚 first head coaching job in football at the high school level.
Barak not only needed the approval of the school board, but the initial okay from his wife, Nicole, who is the Mental Health Program Director at the Fayette County Behavioral Health Administration.
鈥淢y wife was the first person I spoke to about it,鈥� said Barak.
Barak wants for Brownsville鈥檚 student-athletes to have a positive, enjoyable experience and give back to his alma mater.
鈥淥ne of the main reasons I wanted to apply for the AD job was to be there for all of the student-athletes of Brownsville,鈥� said Barak, adding, 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me to give my time to kids from my hometown.鈥�