Janet Maguire embracing new role as rec. director

Talking with Janet Maguire, Canton’s new recreation director, one would think that it was Monday morning after a solid ten-hour sleep. But in actuality, it was Friday afternoon — just minutes before the office would close — and she was full of energy and optimism. Just wrapping up her second full week on the job, Maguire was just getting her feet wet, but she was clearly excited about tackling her new role and working with the Canton community.

Maguire is no stranger to the town of Canton. A Canton High School graduate of the class of 1990, she was a three-sport athlete (soccer, indoor track, and softball) and an active participant in the CYO program at St. Gerard’s.

Following a very successful high school career, she headed to Bridgewater State, graduating in 1994 with a degree in elementary education. During her time at Bridgewater, where she continued on for her master’s in physical education, her high school lured her back for a stint as both the junior varsity and varsity girls’ soccer coach.

Moving beyond Canton, Maguire next worked at UMass Boston, where she took on positions as both a soccer and softball coach. The bulk of her recreation experience, however, came from her next career move.

Returning to Bridgewater State, she spent seven years as director of campus recreation, a role that had her working hand-in-hand with a broad spectrum of student groups in leading and managing club sport offerings. While holding that position, she simultaneously held on to her love of coaching as the head softball coach, also at Bridgewater.

Maintaining her passion for coaching, Maguire next became an assistant softball coach at Brown University. While she enjoyed the move to a Division 1, Ivy League program, Maguire kept her eyes open and was thrilled when she saw the Canton recreation director position open up earlier this year.

Maguire initially juggled both jobs during the month of April, driving back and forth between Providence and Canton, but she has now begun to settle in to the director position. And what is most obvious about Maguire is her enthusiasm and openness in moving the Recreation Department in the right direction.

“My door is always open,” she said. “I’m interested in the feedback of the community. I may not always have all of the answers, but I will certainly try to get them.”

And in her first two weeks on the job, she was most impressed by the people in the department and the community. “First and foremost,” she said, “everyone has been tremendously supportive, patient, and understanding of the task at hand. There’s a lot to be done in a lot of different areas, but I have a tremendous staff to work with.”

Maguire was especially appreciative of Brian Kiely. As recreation supervisor, he has worked on the fields, taken on extra work at the rink, and “continues to assist me as I transition into this role,” she said.

Maguire has also been impressed with the department itself and strives to continue to improve upon its strengths. “We offer a lot of variety,” she said, “and it’s a great foundation to build off of.”

While there’s a lot on her plate, she is most focused on providing for the needs of the citizens of Canton. Her first order of business is to get the summer program up and running. Short-term goals include the hiring of summer employees and getting the website to fully function, particularly to assist in registration.

In the bigger picture, Maguire looks to the community itself to support her in her quest to improve upon an already strong department.

“After the summer, I want to meet all of the groups I’ll be working closely with,” she said. “I want to work collaboratively with everyone — members of different leagues and boards, representing different interests. I want to tap into it all and generate lots of ideas.”

While Maguire is sure to be very busy in her new role, one thing is certain: She’s a Canton native, committed to the betterment of the Canton community. How she’ll do as recreation director will be seen in the months and years ahead, but her openness to new ideas, positive attitude, and enthusiasm for her job are the right qualities to help move the department in the right direction.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=14192

Posted by Holly Erickson on Jun 6 2012. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.