NHS Football Coach Earns Degree In Sports Management

By Maya Pottiger

After six and a half years, Brian Baublitz walked across the stage at Towson University to receive his bachelor’s degree in sports management.

“It was everything I thought it was going to be,” Baublitz said. “It was a magical moment.”

Baublitz, who has been the head coach of Northeast High School’s varsity football team since 2016 and is a 32-year veteran of Baltimore Gas & Electric, is preparing for his “final lap of life.”

“I made a conscious effort to start planning for my later years here at BGE and my retirement years,” Baublitz said. “I figured when I retire, I can go ahead and do something that I’m passionate about for the rest of my life. I’m never going to be that guy that sits in the recliner and just watches TV on my retirement.”

Ever since he set foot on a football field 25 years ago to coach his son’s youth team, Baublitz knew that’s where he was meant to be. After a long career at BGE, Baublitz looks forward to shifting his focus.

“I want to do something where I jump out of bed and I’m passionate about it,” Baublitz said. “I figured once I retire from here, I’ll get a degree in sports management, and I’ll go get a coaching job or maybe an athletic director job somewhere down south where it does not snow.”

Over the last six and half years, Baublitz did not take one semester off. During the major semesters, he generally took three classes, and then took one class over the winter and summer semesters. Because Towson has limited online classes, Baublitz made time to be in the classroom for 70% of his courses.

“Time management is something that we preach to our student-athletes over at Northeast all the time,” Baublitz said. “If you want to do something, you can find time to do it.”

This also served as motivation for Baublitz, who found many ways to keep his eye on the prize.

“A little bit of the driver was I got to show our kids at Northeast that you can do anything you want to as long as you stick your mind to it; the importance of time management,” Baublitz said, “and the importance of not just doing a career that makes a lot of money, but doing something you’re passionate about.”

In preparation for the final lap, Baublitz moved his family into the Northeast school district. His son is entering high school, and Baublitz will coach his son in football for four years before fully entering retirement.

“I’m going to leave the team,” Baublitz said. “Four years, and then I’m going to be done at Northeast and hunt for that job down south somewhere.”

Until then, Baublitz looks forward to continuing to share all of life’s lessons through football.

“I truly believe that we can teach student-athletes every life lesson that they’re going to need to be successful through sports: teamwork, competitive, always strive for perfection, winning, integrity,” Baublitz said. “Everything you need to be successful in life you can teach somebody through sports.”