Learn more about Randy here: FoxPoint.Net.

1. Recruiting and retention of coaches
2. Connectivity
3. Legal duties and responsibilities of ADs and Coaches
4. Professional development
5. Branding and marketing and certification.

Kelli was previously the District Athletic Director at Henry County Schools in Georgia.

By: Rob Seymour, CMAA - Athletic Director, Fishers High School (IN)

High school sports bring excitement, passion, and a sense of unity to students, parents, and the community. Amidst the cheers, whistles, and the roar of the crowd, one often overlooked figure plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall game day experience – the public address (PA) announcer.

Whether it's basketball, football, or any other sporting event, a positive voice behind the microphone can define the culture and experience of your venue.

During my inaugural year as an athletic administrator, we had the privilege of bringing on board Wes Shealey as our public address announcer for football, basketball, and baseball. It turned out to be an incredible stroke of good fortune for us.

Not long after Wes joined our team, he enthusiastically completed an online certification as a PA announcer. As a result, he became the epitome of excellence and set the bar for the role of an announcer at Fishers High School.

In 2015, despite being diagnosed with ALS, Wes remained dedicated to his role and continued to serve the Tigers for several more years. Wes was a Tiger at heart and a respected member of our community. His commitment was evident in the way he carried himself and the respect he showed for the teams and events he announced. It was also noteworthy that Wes had the joy of watching both of his children graduate from Fishers High School, further strengthening his connection to our school and community.

1. Announcers are part of your game management, not cheerleaders:
   Although PA announcers are immersed in the energy and excitement of the game, it's crucial for them to maintain a professional demeanor. They are not there to act as part of the cheering section, but rather to serve as facilitators, providing information that enhances the overall game day experience. By adhering to this principle, the PA announcer maintains a sense of neutrality while keeping the focus on the game and the athletes. Wes had the ability to convey the importance of good sportsmanship and he made timely announcements to remind our fan base of appropriate behavior.
2. Conveying pertinent information:
   A positive PA announcer excels in providing relevant and accurate updates about the game. They share essential details such as player names, important milestones, and the progress of the match, ensuring that spectators are well-informed and engaged. By delivering this information in a clear and concise manner, the PA announcer contributes to the understanding and enjoyment of the sport. Wes prepared written scripts for his games, and we utilized shortened versions for our other contests.
3. Emotionally neutral and unbiased approach:
   A truly positive PA announcer understands the importance of maintaining an emotionally neutral stance. They refrain from inciting the emotions of spectators, whether positive or negative, towards either the home or visiting teams. By exhibiting fairness and impartiality, the announcer creates an environment where the focus remains on the game, fostering sportsmanship and respect among all involved. Wes was an announcer, not a commentator. He did not voice his opinion on the positive or negative play of our student athletes. He gave equal respect to our home and away participants.
4. Silence is golden:
   While the role of a PA announcer is to convey important information, they also understand that silence can be just as powerful. When there is nothing significant to announce, a positive PA announcer recognizes the value of quietude. This not only prevents unnecessary distractions but also allows space for the game and its players to take center stage. The occasional pause helps maintain the flow and rhythm of the event, improving the overall experience.
5. Ensuring safety during inclement weather:
   A positive PA announcer assumes a critical role in keeping fans and athletes safe during inclement weather. By providing timely updates and instructions, they help prevent confusion and ensure that everyone is aware of any necessary precautions. Whether it's an approaching storm or extreme temperatures, the announcer acts as a guiding voice, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants and spectators. Wes’s presence in the press box was like having an additional administrator managing the event. In times of crisis, Wes was an asset in keeping our participants and patrons safe.

   In conclusion, a positive PA announcer is an invaluable asset to our high school sporting events. By adhering to a professional code of conduct, providing essential information, maintaining emotional neutrality, and ensuring the safety of all involved, they have the power to impact the overall success of the games.

   By embodying these principles, a positive PA announcer elevates the experience for athletes, spectators, and the entire high school community. If you would like to provide guardrails for your announcers, consider funding their completion of the PA Announcing course via the NFHS Learn website. Below are the basic guidelines posted in our press box and on the scripts that are provided to our announcers. This piece was written in memory of the contributions and life of Wes Shealey, April 19, 1963 – January 9, 2023.

PA ANNOUNCER EXPECTATIONS

1. Announcers are not part of the cheering section
2. Only convey pertinent information about the game
3. Do not incite the emotions of the spectators (positive or negative)
4. Announcing should be unbiased and the same tone of voice used for both the home and
5. When there is nothing significant to announce, silence is golden
6. Announcers play a vital role in keeping fans/athletes safe during inclement weather
7. Music played should not require a “radio edit” or a “clean version”

He covers in detail the following points:

1. Mission/Vision Statements
2. District HR Policies/Coaches Handbooks
3. Athletic Program Philosophy
4. Program Outlines/Aligned Team Polices
5. Pre-Season Parent Meeting
6. Program Culture/Standards/Core Values

He will also discuss professional development citing books and programs that he has found to be beneficial.

1. Enhancing Game Day Experience
2. Event Management from a Spectators Lens
3. Promotion of Events
4. Intentional Hospitality
5. Appreciate & Empower Your Workers, and
6. Working with and Hosting Game Officials

The NIAAA champions the profession of athletic administration through educational opportunities, advocating ethics, developing leaders, and fostering community. Find more information on their website here: niaaa.org.

The NIAAA champions the profession of athletic administration through educational opportunities, advocating ethics, developing leaders, and fostering community. Find more information on their website here: niaaa.org.

By: Josh Mathews, CMAA - Pope High School, (GA) and Jeremy Schlitz, CAA - Madison Metropolitan School District (WI)

Education-based athletics offer an excellent opportunity for young students to learn valuable life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and perseverance. However, as with any activity that involves children, there is a need and intrinsic valuation from and based on parent involvement. In some cases, parents may negatively impact the experience for their children, coaches, and other parents. As athletic administrators we want to be proactive and minimize any negative impact through communication, foundation setting, and systems to reach all in the athletic community and support network.

To address this issue, the National Athletic Director Conference (NADC) recently held a workshop on handling parent interactions in a positive manner led by Joshua Mathews and myself. This article can hopefully explain the workshop, provide strategies for a positive approach, and provide you with tools to improve your programs, communications, and well-being.

Education-based athletics are focused on providing students with opportunities to learn and grow, which sometimes may conflict with experiences families have in youth or club sports. To avoid conflicts between parents and coaches, it is important to establish expectations for all involved in the interscholastic athletics program. Coaches should be transparent about their coaching philosophy and communicate their goals and objectives with parents clearly along with taking feedback at an early- or pre-season meeting to make sure students lead the culture and communications.

Parents often feel the need to push their children to succeed, which can create a stressful environment. To avoid this, coaches should focus on creating a positive environment that emphasizes effort over results and uses defined communication protocols and student voice. Using a consistent message in communication such as students should “own their own experience” helps reinforce ownership and skill building for students to advocate for themselves. By encouraging students to enjoy the process of learning and growing, coaches can reduce stress and build confidence.

Education-based athletics should have a clear mission and core values that are communicated to parents and students. This helps create a sense of community and shared purpose. Coaches should work with players to develop these values and ensure they are consistently upheld.

Here is an example with a vision as a goal, mission as current status, and purpose as rational from Madison Metropolitan Schools developed with a cross-sectional team of all constituents.

Our vision is that MMSD athletics provides equitable programming opportunities that support the district’s vision to prepare all students for college, career, and community.

Athletics play an integral role in community building and identity of Madison schools and support the development of commitment, reliability, honesty, integrity, accountability, and perseverance in each of our student athletes. Through participation in co-curricular athletics programs, students strive to become better students, athletes, leaders, and citizens.

Our purpose is to provide unique educational experiences that will contribute to the development of better citizens. Emphasis is upon the teaching "through" athletics in addition to teaching the "skills of" athletics.

Interscholastic athletics should be inclusive and promote equity. It is important to define team selection and make-up as it may vary from prior experiences. Identifying the focus as participatory, preparatory, or competitive for a team lays the foundation for parents to use as a backdrop for their students' expectations and needs.

Parents should encourage their children to support their peers and openly discuss their goals and roles with both peers and the coaching staff. This fosters equity and inclusion while allowing children to take ownership of their experiences.

Parent meeting agendas should be created to ensure that all important topics are covered. Kickoff meetings should include a link to online resources to ensure all parents have access to important information. Newsletters and videos can be used to keep parents informed and engaged. Weekly newsletters can be sent out to parents to keep them up to date on the program's progress. Videos can be used to provide instructional information and to showcase student successes.

Sample Parent meeting agenda:

Importance of Parent Communication Network (PCN) -
organize non-sport stuff, not a sounding board for team/coach issues, as a former coach the benefit of having a solid communication and support network is such a blessing.

Communication -
I think it is important all of our student-athletes advocate for themselves. I expect that a player with a concern would talk to a coach and then involve both player and parent in further communications with the coach following this chain of command: Player – coach, player and parent – coach, player – AD, player and parent – AD. As always please contact the athletic office with any major concerns that need immediate attention.

Athletic code -
Need your help as parents to hold accountability, please be ahead of things and contact the athletic director when you hear or notice things so we can stay out in front of it and be proactive in preventing bad things from happening. Also, please keep all team sponsored gatherings and banquets completely alcohol free.

Social media -
Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, etc. – does not go away and can be misinterpreted. This can become the basis for school discipline, the best rule of thumb is to pretend that anything going up on social media is being heard or seen by your coach.

Schedule/e-Communication (letter) -
School will have real-time decisions on it, email and text notifications available.

Fees -
Thank you for taking care of the athletic fee, must be in prior to the first contest, any fundraising approved through me in the athletic office, district guidelines for accountability, and support.

Coaches should be carefully selected to ensure that they have the right skills and approach. Surveys can be used to gather feedback from parents and students to help identify the qualities that are important in a coach following a season. Guidance should be provided to ensure that equity is promoted throughout the education-based athletics program. Coaches should be trained in how to identify and address bias, and parents should be encouraged to promote equity and inclusion, not focus solely on their individual experience or motivation.

Tone and approach when dealing with specific parent interactions is important when confronted and depends on the relationship previously established. When in an emotionally charged situation, it is always important to remain calm and model professional decorum to help reduce the energy in the room. Breathing techniques, pausing, and being an active listener are keys to these situations.

A quick example of a grounding technique is counting to three as you breathe in, holding for four, and breathing out to a count of five. This quick 10-second intentional grounding allows you to separate everything that happened before during the day and allows you time and space to engage in a difficult conversation. This technique also may be able to be used during the conversation to model behavior to allow for pause to allow for people to be able to process information and share in a genuine manner to access the critical thinking skill you need to be able to communicate and think clearly during these tough conversations.

Additional suggestions:

Parents should be encouraged to attend and participate in these events:

• Booster clubs can be a valuable resource for education-based athletics. They can help with fundraising and provide additional support for the program
• Athletic kickoff nights can be held to build community and promote the program
• Celebrations should be held to recognize student achievements and to build community

Students should be encouraged to take ownership of their experience in education-based athletics.

• Leadership groups can be established to help students develop leadership skills and take on additional responsibilities
• Traditions can also be established to build a sense of community and a shared identity
• The role of the school before and after the season should also be clearly defined. College athletics liaisons can be established to help students navigate the college athletics process

The NIAAA champions the profession of athletic administration through educational opportunities, advocating ethics, developing leaders, and fostering community. Find more information on their website here: niaaa.org.

This clip comes from a Digital Marketing Series episode, presented by Gipper. View this full episode here.