For most communities, the divide between recreational youth sports and high school athletics is a given. The programs focus on different age groups, have different philosophies, and employ separate staffs. But what would happen if a town put one person in charge of sports from T-ball through varsity basketball? Portsmouth, N.H., is finding out.

Working together, Portsmouth School District Superintendent Bob Lister and City Manager John Bohenko have created a new position: the community athletic director. The city's longtime Recreation Director, Rus Wilson, now has responsibility for administering high school sports along with his previous job of managing 150 community teams of all ages.

In the new system, Wilson has two offices, one in city hall and the other in the high school. Three senior recreation staff members assist him, and the high school has provided administrative support. A part-time athletic director in the middle school works closely with Wilson, as do coaches who oversee sports in the elementary school. Together with recreational sports, the entire program is known as the "community athletic department."

"We're the first to try this, as far as we know," Lister says. "We're in uncharted territory, but we believe this is going to be a good solution for us."

Several years ago, Lister explains, Portsmouth eliminated its full-time high school athletic director position because of budget cuts. An assistant principal at the school assumed the role of part-time athletic director, but when his assistant principal tasks went to full-time, the high school was again left without an athletic director.

"We don't have $75,000 or $80,000 to hire a full-time administrator," Lister says. "So we started talking about other options. And we realized there could be several advantages to having a community athletic director."

One big advantage is financial, Lister acknowledges. Wilson's stipend to add high school sports to his job description is about $25,000 a year.

However, Lister believes an even bigger plus is that the system creates continuity across all age groups and levels of play. "This encourages our high school coaches to get involved with our youth sports," he says. "Our philosophy and skills teaching will be the same all the way through, and that will give us a big competitive advantage."

Wilson agrees, and cites as evidence Portsmouth's girls' volleyball program, historically the most successful athletic program at the school with a state title in 2004 and a state semifinal appearance this fall. "Our volleyball coach works with kids starting in third grade," he says. "By the time they get to high school, they have the skills he wants them to have. We believe the new system will create feeder programs like this in all our sports."

One concrete step in that direction is a mentoring system Wilson has implemented where high school athletes work with middle school, elementary school, and recreation teams, typically once or twice a season. In place of a practice, a varsity team conducts clinics for younger players and then holds a short scrimmage. "The coaches support it because they know that these younger athletes are their future players," Wilson says.

Wilson also believes the new setup will result in better experiences for student-athletes. "I get to know kids when they are four or five years old, and I know their families," he says. "When they reach high school, I'll already know any issues they're dealing with, and they'll already know me."

Before the combined position was established, there were some concerns raised by a few parents and school board members. One of the most common was that youth sports may begin to emphasize competition and individual achievement over inclusion, due to the greater emphasis on rec programs as feeder teams. But Wilson believes he can prevent that from happening.

"As our varsity coaches get more involved with youth teams, we will make sure they aren't simply identifying 'talent' and working with select kids," he says. "Our rec programs will remain inclusive, and we'll continue to have rules that ensure every kid receives playing time.

"As athletes get to high school, the philosophy will be more competitive," he continues. "But I truly don't think we'll have a problem differentiating between the two. It's good to win, of course, but if kids aren't having fun, even in high school, there's something wrong."