When Bill Raycraft was brought in as Windham High School’s first athletics director, he knew whom to turn to for advice.

Raycraft, seeking a quick start for the fledgling program, contacted Thor Nilsen, who guided Bedford High School through a similar process, and did so with early success.

“That was one of the first phone calls I made when I was hired,” said Raycraft. “We talked about what worked for them and what they may have done differently. There are a lot of similarities in our communities, so I think the standards are equally high for us.”

Windham’s teams went to work recently, with the majority of coaches overseeing their first tryouts Monday, Aug. 17, on the various fields surrounding the vast high school campus.

The Jaguars begin their inaugural campaign with junior varsity programs, and girls soccer coach George Kendall said the first students taking the field have many lessons to learn.

“It’s about educating them to a new coach, system and school,” said Kendall. “They may not realize yet what they are going to be a part of. It will take them a little while to see that they’re really a part of history in town.”

On the first day of tryouts, the girls soccer team focused on fitness training outside, while in the gym girls volleyball hopefuls focused on basic setting and passing skills. The volleyball team’s mentor is no stranger to building a program.

Jill Bartlett helped the Bedford girls lacrosse team notch three victories in its first varsity season this spring, but more importantly, she set the standard for her team’s work ethic.

“It keeps you positive to have gone through part of the process before,” said Bartlett. “Even when it gets frustrating, you know you’ll make it through. Some of the teams won’t be as successful right away, but there are going to be some teams who will hit the ground running.”

In addition to his role as athletics director, Raycraft is also serving as the Windham football coach, where he is excited to finally be able to take to the sidelines.

“All of the work, research and scheduling will finally pay off,” said Raycraft. “Not only for football, but for all sports, we’re building for the future. While we’re building the foundation now, next year is when things count, so we have to be prepared.”

Bartlett said it’s critical for her to keep small, manageable goals for her young team, while keeping in mind the reward that comes after a few years together.

“The big picture is critical,” said Bartlett. “And it’s a great picture to be staring at.”