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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.

Become a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and gain access to discounted courses, invaluable resources, best practices, $2 million in excess liability coverage, and a supportive network of more than 15,000 athletic administrators nationwide - click here.

Get certified as an Athletic Administrator with the nationally accredited NIAAA Certification Program here.

1. Focus on transformational leadership instead of transactional leadership
2. Leave your ego at the door, as it is not about you
3. Make professional development training purposeful and meaningful for the coaches
4. Get creative and think outside the box

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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.

Become a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and gain access to discounted courses, invaluable resources, best practices, $2 million in excess liability coverage, and a supportive network of more than 15,000 athletic administrators nationwide - click here.

Get certified as an Athletic Administrator with the nationally accredited NIAAA Certification Program here.

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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.

Become a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and gain access to discounted courses, invaluable resources, best practices, $2 million in excess liability coverage, and a supportive network of more than 15,000 athletic administrators nationwide - click here.

Get certified as an Athletic Administrator with the nationally accredited NIAAA Certification Program here.

By: Kevin Broene, CMAA
Grand Rapids Christian High School - Grand Rapids, Michigan

As a practicing AD, I've come to realize that one of the most difficult and overlooked parts of this job is helping a newly hired coach succeed, especially when they're not new to coaching, just new to your school.

I've learned this the hard way. I've hired experienced coaches with incredible resumes, only to watch them struggle to gain traction. At first, I couldn't figure it out. But over time, I came to see that leadership success doesn't transfer automatically. A coach might have led a powerhouse elsewhere, but in our school, they were starting from scratch: new culture, new expectations, new relationships.

And that's when it hit me: if I want these coaches to succeed, I can't just hand them the keys and wish them luck. I have to lead them well. They need a framework, a way to build connection and credibility with players, parents, and the broader community. That's why I began using a simple acronym to help support my "new to you" coaches: CLIMB.

Here's how it works:

C - Connect with Players

Before tryouts, I ask new coaches to meet with returning players by grade level. I give them three conversation-starting questions:

1. What do you want to make sure continues in our program?
2. What do we need to stop doing?
3. What should we start doing to make this a program you're proud of?

This approach helps them identify team leaders, listen for patterns, and begin creating a culture of trust. I remind them to listen actively, avoid interrupting, and ask, "What else?" to keep the conversation going.

L - Listen to Feedback

Coaches need to get used to checking the pulse of their team. I encourage monthly student check-ins through the Grit Leadership system - short surveys with just a few reflective questions. These small inputs give coaches big insight.

Then, at season's end, we use the Grit Leadership system to conduct coach self-evaluations and collect feedback from players and, optionally, parents. This turns raw input into a usable report with belonging scores, leadership data, and practical development suggestions. It helps coaches grow - not just reflect.

I - Invest in the Community

New coaches need to be seen - and not just on game days. I ask them to attend school events, wear team gear, introduce themselves to families, cheer on other teams, and volunteer where needed. If they have a spouse or kids, they should bring them along. Being visible and approachable builds goodwill, and goodwill buys time, grace, and support.

M - Mentoring Matters

I always pair a new coach with a trusted staff member - not necessarily someone in the same sport. This mentor provides a safe space to ask questions and learn the culture. It takes the pressure off me as the AD and reinforces the idea that our school is a community of support. That new coach will eventually pay it forward, too.

B - Build Relationships First

I remind new coaches that before they win games, they need to win hearts. That means being present at workouts, jumping into drills when appropriate, being available to talk, and showing joy. It also means donuts at practice, team dinners, sharing stories at team meetings, and creating moments of connection. These small actions often lead to big results on and off the field.

Hiring great coaches is tough. If you get a great one, don't stop there or they'll leave too, eventually. Retaining and developing coaches is critical. But if we want to stop reacting and start leading, we need systems and habits that help us grow. The CLIMB model gives the new to you coaches a clear path to start strong, and it helps you support them, no matter how much previous experience they may have.

Give your coaches a better first season even if it is the start of their 10th or 15th. Help them CLIMB.

Kevin Broene, CMAA, is the high school assistant athletic director and middle school athletic director at Grand Rapids Christian Schools in Michigan. He is also the founder of Grit Leadership for Educational Athletics, a research-based platform that helps athletic directors lead more effectively in less time by building growth-oriented athletic cultures rooted in belonging and psychological safety. Reach him at kbroene@grcs.org.

  ]]> https://coachesinsider.com/athletic-director/helping-the-new-to-you-coach-climb-to-the-top/feed/ 0 124335 https://coachesinsider.com/athletic-director/personal-growth-monday-with-eliot-smith-lick-wilmerding-high-school-ca/ https://coachesinsider.com/athletic-director/personal-growth-monday-with-eliot-smith-lick-wilmerding-high-school-ca/#respond Mon, 22 Jun 2026 07:04:45 +0000 https://coachesinsider.com/?p=124676 Eliot Smith explains that during the first three Mondays at the beginning of each season, the first 30 minutes of practice are dedicated to meeting with all the players and coaches. The players meet in the gym, and the coaches meet in a classroom. The player sessions focus on character, being a good teammate, and adversity. The coaches’ sessions focus on how to treat your athletes, how you will be remembered, and always remembering that you are a role model.
 

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1. Relationships - shapes how athletes relate, grow, and support each other.
2. Identity - Unique traditions and rituals that identify the school and its heritage.
3. Representation - Athletes represent their school with honor and pride.

This in-booth Mini Session was filmed at the Coaches Insider | Clell Wade Coaches Directory, Inc. | AD Insider booth at the 2025 OIAAA (Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators) Conference.

This clip comes from our AD Insider | Thursday 30 episode #137. Click here to view full episode.

By:
Dr. Eric Forsyth, CMAA
Dr. Scott Smith, CMAA
Dr. Mark Rerick, CMAA

Being an athletic administrator means living at the intersection of change and continuity. As much as our world shifts—new tech, new pressures, new philosophies—the core challenges in our offices often feel stubbornly familiar. Journalist Alphonse Karr's old line, “The more things change, the more they stay the same,” hits home for us as much as anyone.

Among those issues that remain ever present are two familiar topics: coaches and officials. No matter what's happening in society, these two categories keep us up at night. As shown in NIAAA membership surveys over the years, concerns like coaches' education, shortages, and retention—as well as the same issues with officials—have only grown in importance.

Knowing that these issues remain important to athletic administrators regardless of the movement of society around us, the authors of this article requested comments from the past three NIAAA executive directors for their insight into the historical importance of focusing on finding good coaches and officials. Their historical perspectives serve as a baseline for practical suggestions today.

This article is the first of a three-part series exploring similarities between NIAAA membership survey data that was collected in 2006, 2016, and 2023. All issues discussed in this series were rated among the most important concerns across the membership in all three surveys. To highlight the impact of these issues in their contemporary times, the authors solicited comments from the current executive directors at the time the surveys were collected.

Coaches: The Ongoing Challenge

Finding and keeping good coaches has never been easy, and it's only getting tougher. Bruce Whitehead, who led the NIAAA from 2005-2016, put it bluntly when speaking in response to the organization's 2006 membership survey: "Hiring and retaining qualified coaches has become one of the most difficult areas for athletic administrators." If you've ever felt like you're on an island trying to fill positions, you're not alone. The reality is, fewer teachers are willing to take on coaching roles because of time demands, and sometimes we're left choosing between an underqualified candidate or cutting a program altogether.

Despite that concern, athletic administrators should never compromise on qualifications. As Bruce warned, "One unqualified coach who makes a bad decision can open the school district to huge liability exposure." It's tempting to fill a slot just to keep a program afloat, but the long-term risks—both for student safety and district reputation—are too great.

A better option is to invest in education and certification. Both the NIAAA and NFHS offer affordable, practical training for coaches and administrators. The cost of a course is nothing compared to the fallout from a lawsuit or a major incident. Make education and training a non-negotiable requirement in your hiring process if your state does not already require some level of training. This is a vital component for the integrity of all sports programs.

The relationship side matters, too. Mike Blackburn, who oversaw the NIAAA from 2016-2023, emphasized that the working relationship between ADs and coaches is just as important as the hiring process itself. "Hiring processes, support, mentoring, evaluation, retention, and dismissal are key parts of that development," Blackburn said. We can't just hire and hope for the best—we need to be present, supportive, and proactive in helping our coaches grow. This reinforces the importance of supporting coaches' education and training.

Recruitment is now a daily job. Current NIAAA executive director, Phil Rison, noted that attracting and keeping quality coaches is harder than ever. Other districts are always trying to lure away your best people, and once you get them, you have to help them navigate the toughest part of the job: dealing with parents. Negative parent interactions can drive even the best coaches away, so we need to equip our coaches with communication tools and make sure they know how much they matter to our schools and communities. This, too, reinforces the importance of supporting coaches' education and training.

Actionable Tips for Athletic Administrators:

• Make coach education and certification mandatory
• Funding for such training should be provided by the school district
• Set up regular check-ins and mentoring for new coaches
• Celebrate coaching successes publicly—recognition goes a long way
• Offer workshops or resources on parent communication and conflict resolution
• Treat recruitment and retention as ongoing, not seasonal, priorities

Officials: The Backbone We Can't Lose

Finding coaches certainly isn't the only personnel challenge; finding officials is also becoming increasingly more difficult. That pipeline of interested help continues to shrink, and many interscholastic districts across the country are experiencing a shortage in officials. As Whitehead had observed years ago, "The number of people who have an interest in officiating interscholastic contests is not growing and may be declining." The reasons haven't changed: minimal pay, long hours, and—most importantly—constant criticism from the stands.

Blackburn tied the decline directly to the rise in critical and verbally abusive parents and fans. "Many potential officials are unwilling to subject themselves to unnecessary criticism in return for extensive travel and often minimal compensation," Blackburn said. It's hard to argue with that logic. Why would someone sign up for abuse?

We have to be creative. Some districts are starting programs to encourage students to try officiating, framing it as a way to "give back" and stay involved in sports after graduation. The NIAAA and NFHS have even launched national campaigns to spread the word through radio PSAs. Many former interscholastic participants are now attending college. These former athletes could very well be the best recruitment pool out there to help fill the gap for needed officials. The point is, we can't just hope new officials will show up—we have to actively recruit and support them.

Retention is everyone's responsibility. Rison warns that without enough quality officials, our programs risk slipping into a club-sport atmosphere, where standards and experiences can vary wildly. "You cannot play without them," Rison said. We need to dig into the root causes of the shortage—mainly, the behavior of parents and coaches—and address them head-on. Lose officials, and we likely lose sport programs.

Actionable Tips for Athletic Administrators:

• Partner with local colleges or alumni groups to recruit new officials
• Educate your community—parents, coaches, and athletes—about the importance of respecting officials
• Offer appreciation events or small incentives for officials who stick with your program
• Consider shadowing or mentorship programs for new officials
• Address negative behavior at games swiftly and visibly—set the tone from the top

Final Takeaways: What We Can Do Now

If there's one thing all these voices agree on, it's that the challenges aren't going away on their own. Finding and hiring qualified coaches is hard, and keeping them is just as tough. But every coach you bring on board needs to be set up for success, not just thrown into the deep end. The same goes for officials: recruitment is tough, and retention is even tougher, especially when negative behaviors from the sidelines drive good people away. As athletic administrators, we have to lead the charge. That means:

• Refusing to lower our standards for coaches
• Making professional development a cornerstone of our programs
• Actively recruiting and supporting officials
• Creating a culture of respect at every - from the stands to the locker room

The landscape will keep changing, but the fundamentals of our job remain the same. Let's use the wisdom of those who've walked this path before not as history lessons, but as practical guides for the work we do every day.

  ]]> https://coachesinsider.com/athletic-director/coaches-and-officials-remain-top-priorities-for-ads-niaaa/feed/ 0 124666 https://coachesinsider.com/athletic-director/enhanced-livestream-broadcasting-technology-with-jeff-behrens-cmaa-pewaukee-high-school-wi/ https://coachesinsider.com/athletic-director/enhanced-livestream-broadcasting-technology-with-jeff-behrens-cmaa-pewaukee-high-school-wi/#respond Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:06:42 +0000 https://coachesinsider.com/?p=122864 Jeff Behrens, CMAA, explains the technology behind broadcasting sports events for school livestreams. Similar to live TV, the broadcasts feature on-screen graphics, sponsors, and commercials. Behrens also shares his personal experience and details the results the broadcasts have achieved, as well as plans for future improvements.

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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.

Become a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and gain access to discounted courses, invaluable resources, best practices, $2 million in excess liability coverage, and a supportive network of more than 15,000 athletic administrators nationwide - click here.

Get certified as an Athletic Administrator with the nationally accredited NIAAA Certification Program here.

----------------------------------------

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.

Become a member of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and gain access to discounted courses, invaluable resources, best practices, $2 million in excess liability coverage, and a supportive network of more than 15,000 athletic administrators nationwide - click here.

Get certified as an Athletic Administrator with the nationally accredited NIAAA Certification Program here.