When Tim Ward describes Unity Point School, one word resonates above all others: home. As the school's Athletic Director, paraprofessional aide, and coach for multiple sports, Ward embodies the spirit of dedication that transforms a school into a community.

"Unity Point is a place of home and peace," Ward reflects. “As with any school, I see the chaos that's within it. Here, it's so calm within that."

Ward's relationship with Unity Point spans years, with an unconventional journey that saw him leave and return multiple times. After working at the school from 2006 to 2017, he explored other career paths, including stints as a 911 dispatcher and at Choate Mental Health. Yet something kept drawing him back.

"Every time that I left, I'm thinking, 'Oh, well, I won't be going back again.' And then turn around, and here I am again," he says with a smile. "It's definitely my home. It's who I am."

As Athletic Director, Ward oversees 11 coaches across multiple sports while coaching baseball, girls' basketball, and track himself. His philosophy centers on developing the whole student, not just athletic talent.

"I know that as adults, sometimes we can get blinded by our own ambitions," Ward explains. "But I think at the end of the day, everybody's concept is: What are we doing for our children? How can we provide for them?"

This focus on developing character through athletics has transformed Unity Point's sports culture. When Ward first took over as Athletic Director, Dr. Lori James-Gross, the Superintendent, told him, "Tim, I do not want you building a powerhouse." But Ward understood the real goal was about not winning at all costs.

"We have to build a culture, and it takes time," he says, recalling his early days coaching. "One of the first games I coached as the girls' assistant coach, we lost 38 to 4."

Ward recognized that changing outcomes meant changing attitudes—not just among players but parents too. "Parents were like, 'Oh, you threw the ball away. It's okay.' No, that's not okay, because you're reinforcing negative behavior."

That culture shift paid dividends. By 2015, Unity Point teams were winning regional championships and putting banners on walls. The volleyball team went 25-0 and won state that year. Most importantly, academic excellence remained strong alongside athletic achievement.

"The academics didn't suffer at all," Ward emphasizes. "We still maintained our academic success. We have allowed them to grow beyond academics. They're now branching into athletics, and they work hand in hand."

Ward's coaching philosophy focuses on teamwork and positive mentality. When he returned to coach baseball for his son's eighth-grade year, he inherited a team that had won just one game in three years. Under his leadership, they finished 11-6 and placed third in conference—a remarkable turnaround.

"I told them, 'Honestly, all this game is about, a lot of it is your attitude and your mentality,'" he says. "'If you have the right attitude and the right mentality, as a whole, you are very difficult to beat.'"

Beyond strategies and drills, Ward emphasizes the importance of seeing each player as an individual. "Every kid learns differently. And the same way on a baseball field, every kid is going to respond differently... I have to say, 'Okay, what works for them, for me to pull their effort and get that maximum potential out of them?'"

For Ward, Unity Point represents the perfect balance of academics and athletics—similar to how he views collegiate programs like Harvard or Yale. "You can do both, and it's okay to be great at both."

Above all, Ward treasures being part of the Unity Point community. "We want to provide a safe, positive environment for them to grow in the classroom and on the field or court. I love this place and it's home to me and forever it'll be home. Once a Trojan, always a Trojan."