Breuninger named BHS athletic director

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Andrea Breuninger has been chosen as the new Bonsall High School athletic director.

Breuninger replaces Eric Hendy, who stepped down as the Legionnaires' athletic director but will continue to coach Bonsall High School teams.

"I am excited about working with the athletes and the community and the faculty to improve participation and competitiveness and school spirit at Bonsall High School," Breuninger said.

"She'll be a great addition to the Bonsall High School staff, and I'm confident that she'll be able to continue the high quality of Bonsall High School athletics and hopefully oversee the expansion of our athletic program to add on some new sports and see the growth of some of our teams," said Bonsall High School Principal Jason Fowler.

Fowler and Bonsall Unified School District Human Resources Director Douglas Staine interviewed Breuninger for the athletic director position and notified her in late July that she had been selected.

"When the opportunity became available I thought: 'hey, that kind of suits me very well'," Breuninger said.

"I'm an athlete myself," Breuninger said. "I have a lot of experience being a student-athlete."

Breuninger was a point guard on the Christian High School basketball team, and she also played junior varsity softball for the Patriots. She was on the Christian basketball varsity for all four of her high school years and played in the CIF Division V state tournament in 1997.

She was also an intramurals referee for San Diego State University, although she did not play basketball for the Aztecs. "I'm a little short," said the 5'3" Breuninger.

Breuninger currently teaches fifth grade at Bonsall Elementary School. She has taught at the school for 17 years and has also taught kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. In 2010, Breuninger was the Bonsall Union School District teacher of the year.

"I'm already in the district," Breuninger said. "I know a lot of people in the community."

She taught many of the current Bonsall High School students. "I'm excited to reconnect with them," Breuninger said.

Serving as the high school's athletic director while teaching at the elementary school will not be Breuninger's first experience with athletics at a different school. In the past, she coached Sullivan Middle School's girls basketball team. Breuninger stepped down as the Wildcats' coach to pursue her administrative credential.

"My elementary school principal is obviously on board with this," Breuninger said.

Breuninger has not previously coached any CIF sports. "I've got a steep learning curve," she said.

Her leadership experience is not limited to teaching students. She is the San Diego Walk Coordinator for the San Diego chapter of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation. The annual walk normally raises between $40,000 and $50,000.

Breuninger grew up in the Talmadge area west of San Diego State University. Nine years ago, she moved from Rancho Bernardo to the Pala Mesa area.