There's no place like home for Pete Alvanos.
After leaving the area more than 25 years ago to pursue professional opportunities in athletics, Alvanos will return home as the new athletic director at North County High School.
Alvanos, who most recently has been living in upstate New York, will return to his roots just in time to celebrate his 50th birthday on Aug. 3, one of his first days on the job at North County.
"I'm very humbled and excited to come back to Anne Arundel County," said Alvanos, who was born in Annapolis and graduated from Annapolis High School in 1983. "It's a county that gave me so much. I'm excited to get started and hit the ground running."
Upon getting hired in early July, one of Alvanos' first tasks was to assist with the search for a new football coach after Albert Jones left the program to take over as the head coach at Meade. Alvanos left most of the work to principal Julie Cares and administrator Megan Lewis and they eventually hired former Meade assistant Marvin Brown.
Alvanos, whose parents still live in the Hillsmere Shores home where he grew up, played football and lacrosse at Annapolis High and Anne Arundel Community College. He also attended Drexel University in Philadelphia on a lacrosse scholarship before beginning his football coaching career as a volunteer assistant under Elliot Uzelac at Navy in 1987. Uzelac, who is godfather to Alvanos' son, Peter Jr., helped Alvanos obtain a graduate assistant job at Louisville under Howard Schnellenberger. Alvanos spent two years at Louisville before working as an assistant coach for two years at Lehigh and another two years at the University of Redlands (Calif.). He spent four years as the co-defensive coordinator at the University of Chicago before landing his first head coach position at Swarthmore University (Pa.) in 1998.
Alvanos went on to coach football at Hamilton College (N.Y.) before moving to the high school ranks as an athletic director, teacher and coach.
"I love what I do. I love getting up every morning and going to work," Alvanos said. "If I can affect a kid in a positive way, it's been a successful day."
Alvanos worked as the athletic director and a physical education teacher at New Hartford High (N.Y.) from 2006-2014 and coached football and taught physical education this past school year at Holland Patent High (N.Y.).
"We are excited about Coach Alvanos joining our staff at NCHS as athletic director. He brings a wide range of experiences and is passionate about the role of athletics in supporting student success," Cares said. "He has spent a significant time this summer preparing for the start of fall sports. I'm looking forward to seeing how his leadership will build on our already solid athletic programs."
Alvanos and his wife, Barbara, have two daughters, Theano and Sarah, and a son, Peter Jr. While each of the children were born in different states, the family has made an annual trip to Annapolis to visit family and friends.
"The homecoming is really neat for everybody," Alvanos said. "I'm real excited to be coming back home."
Alvanos will take over for Marianne Shultz, whose contract wasn't renewed after serving as the athletic director since 2010.
"I've enjoyed my 30-plus years in athletics and enjoyed helping lead to the success of our students," said Shultz, who will continue teaching physical education at the school. "I wish to continue to be involved, so I will find a way to do so. I wish the students the best, because that's who we're here for."
Shultz will continue to run the state soccer tournament for the MPSSAA and will remain in her role as one of the region directors for softball.
Shultz, who was named the District V Athletic Director of the Year while at Northeast in 2008, won a state championship in softball as a player at Meade, as an assistant coach at Northeast and as a head coach at Northeast. She began her coaching and teaching careers in 1985.
Shultz played field hockey, basketball and softball as a student at Meade before attending West Chester University (Pa.), where she played field hockey, badminton, softball and club soccer. She went on to coach field hockey, basketball, soccer, softball and indoor and outdoor track at county schools Meade, Arundel, Northeast, Andover and Brooklyn Park.
"I've been in the county either as a student-athlete, coach or athletic director my whole career," Shultz said. "I enjoyed giving back to the kids and letting them get the rewards of athletic competition that I got as a student-athlete."