“Anne Arundel County is already a high-level functioning county,” he said. “It has a very good group of experienced athletic directors.”

LeGrand will be taking over following the retirement of longtime athletic administrator Dr. Marlene Kelly.

Kelly, who held the post for five years, also held other positions in the county for more than two decades.

“My biggest focus would be to maintain the effort that has been put out by Marlene for such a long time,” said LeGrand, who is stepping down from his position as the assistant director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

LeGrand, 36, and a Crofton resident, said he has several challenges already lined up, including the addition of a new sport to the county.

“Anne Arundel County has the funding to add swimming since it became a state sport,” LeGrand said.

LeGrand said that he also has to work on getting the county schools compliant with the state?s automatic external defibrillator regulations.

“Each state high school must have them within 90 seconds of a playing field. There are going to be problems working out the logistics of it,” LeGrand said.

But working out strategies is one of LeGrand?s strengths, according to Arundel baseball coach Bernie Walter.

“He had good game management skills (as a coach), and he was always looking at strategies and tactics,” said Walter, who worked with LeGrand when LeGrand coached volleyball at the Gambrills school.

“Most (coaches) are looking forward to having more input into the county athletic department,” he said.