Murray named Newport Harbor AD

Jerry Murray used to build rockets.

Now the 59-year-old is launching a new career.

Murray’s next path is as athletic director at Newport Harbor High, where he has been teaching math since 2005. He is taking over for Mike Zimmerman, who after seven years as the school’s athletic director is retiring next week.

“Sometimes you have to reinvent yourself,” Murray said of the career change. “Hopefully I can fill [Zimmerman’s] shoes.”

Sean Boulton, Newport Harbor’s principal, said Murray would fit in well during his first stint as an athletic director. Boulton praised Murray’s wide-ranging experiences, from working in the aerospace industry for 20 years, to teaching full-time on the high school level for 14 years, and coaching boys’ basketball on the lower levels at Newport Harbor for 16 years, to coaching boys’ golf for six years and softball for three years at the school, and holding a law degree.

“I really believe his varied experiences give him a 40,000-foot view of how programs should work,” Boulton said of Murray, who earned the Newport Harbor Teacher of the Year award in April. “[He] gets to see things from multiple perspectives because of his background. His law degree will help with the CIF [Southern Section] language and procedures. There’s a lot work behind the scenes, many of it is tedious, and he will be able to navigate through all of it.

“The school has been in good hands [with the last two athletic directors, Eric Tweit from 1989-90 to 2008-09, and Zimmerman from 2009-10 to 2015-16]. We needed someone to carry the program forward and keep the tradition. There’s a lot in store at Newport Harbor. We have the new [football and track and field] stadium [that will open in the spring] and the gym will be redone this summer. We need to keep that momentum.”

Murray, who graduated from Estancia in 1974, said he’s excited about becoming a full-time athletic director.

Boulton said Murray’s first day on the job would be July 1.

In the meantime, Zimmerman is helping Murray with the transition. While Zimmerman’s last day is June 24, the day after graduation, expect to see San Francisco Giants paraphernalia again in the athletic director’s office.

Just like Zimmerman, Murray is a fan of the Giants. Murray’s boss, Boulton, roots for the Dodgers.

“We do have fun with that,” Murray said of the heated rivalry.

“I’m proud to be able to succeed [Zimmerman]. I want to uphold the Newport Harbor Long Grey Line tradition, which goes back to 1930.”