At the conclusion of this school year, Southern Aroostook Community School will say a bittersweet farewell to a giant in our school community. After 20 years of exceptional service as our Middle/High School Physical Education/Health Teacher and Athletic Director, Cliff Urquhart will be leaving the district to accept a well-deserved advancement into school administration at Fort Fairfield High School. While our halls and athletic fields will certainly look different without him, we are absolutely thrilled for him as he takes this natural and exciting next step in his professional career.
For the past two decades, Cliff has been the blueprint for competitive excellence, passion, and mentorship at SACS. His coaching résumé is nothing short of historic:
Varsity Girls Basketball (2009–2011; 2013–Present): Coach Urquhart built a powerhouse program, racking up a stunning 260–86 career record. Under his guidance, the Warriors captured six Northern Maine Championships and five State Championships (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024), alongside the unique 2021 Aroostook League Covid Championship. His leadership earned him the Maine Girls HS Class D Coach of the Year award five times.
Varsity Boys Soccer (2006–2015): Before focusing on the hardwood, Coach Urquhart led the boys' soccer program to a 100–37–6 record, securing a playoff berth in every single season of his ten-year tenure and reaching the regional semifinals six times.
Beyond coaching our own athletes, he has given back to the sport across the region as a dedicated varsity baseball umpire with the Northern Maine Board of Approved Baseball Umpires since 2013.
As an Athletic Director, Cliff’s influence stretched far beyond our district lines. He has been a champion for student-athletes across the entire state of Maine, holding high-level leadership positions in multiple organizations:
The Aroostook League: A member AD since 2018, Cliff served as President-Elect this school year and will officially step into the role of Aroostook League President for the upcoming school year.
Maine Principals’ Association (MPA): Serving on both the vital Classification Committee and the Golf Committee, helping shape the landscape of Maine high school sports.
Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA): Served as a Board Member and was honored with the prestigious MIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2020.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to Cliff for his relentless work ethic, his competitive spirit, and the unforgettable memories he gave our community. We wish him the absolute best in his new administrative role.