By: Scott Battas, CMAA – Mascoutah High School (IL) Athletic programs at every level focus on details that will cultivate success on the field, court, or track and maximize the potential to reach goals and […]
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7 Steps to Changing a Culture with Deon Birkes, CMAA – Lincoln Consolidated School District (AR)
Deon Birkes explains the 7-step process that has helped his program get to the next level. This process has helped raise the level of expectations, the standard of the athlete’s behavior, and instilled the attitude […]
Leaders Must Be Great Communicators with Robert Grasso – La Jolla Country Day School (CA)
Robert Grasso explains his philosophy of leadership on how athletes must be great communicators. They must be able to communicate with teammates as well as the coaches. He stresses that team leaders should know the […]
Establishing a Coaches Academy [NIAAA]
By: Dr. Kechia Rowles, CMAA – Rockdale County Public Schools (GA) As an athletic director, whether at the school-level or in the district office, each school year presents its own challenges. In the same way […]
Handling Parent Expectations in a Positive Manner with Josh Mathews, CMAA – Pope High School (GA)
Josh Mathews discusses strategies for handling parent expectations in a positive manner. He uses a PowerPoint that is distributed to all the individual booster club/parent pre-season meetings. This PowerPoint explains the athletics programs’ expectations for […]
Title IX: Be an Advocate for All Voices with Sue Enquist – UCLA Hall of Famer
Sue Enquist explains that before Title IX, about 1 in 29 girls participated in sports and today, that number is 1 in 3. She credits athletic directors for not just being compliant on Title IX, […]
Hiring Coaches: Communication Under Pressure with Gilbert Leal – Brownsville ISD (TX)
Gilbert Leal explains that in the process of hiring coaches, he wants to see the candidate’s ability to communicate under pressure. In a Zoom call, he presents the candidate with 20 questions and expects an […]
Navigating the Ascent – Katherine Williams, CAA – St. Teresa’s Academy (MO) – [NIAAA]
By: Katherine Williams, CAA - St. Teresa’s Academy (Kansas City) When I started as an assistant athletics director before becoming the head athletics director, I realized it provided me with a unique vantage point to understand the […]
ADs are a Pivotal Part of a School’s Leadership Team with Donna Hayward – Haddam-Killingworth High School (CT)
Donna Hayward, the 2023 National Principal of the Year, explains how her school’s Athletic Director is a pivotal part of her leadership team. The AD is highly visible at athletic and non-athletic events, demonstrating that […]
Fan Code of Conduct with Johnny Lee – Silas High School (WA)
Johnny Lee explains the importance of having a designated seating area for your opponents in all your athletic facilities. The purpose is to prevent any confrontations and he recommends that if there is a problem […]
Cake Auction Fundraiser with Jason Schroeder – North Scott High School (IA)
Jason Schroeder explains how his athletic department’s wintertime cake auction generates $20,000 per year. There are 3 cake divisions: professional, amateur, and student division, based on baking expertise. The top cakes are auctioned off by […]
“Wringing Out the Sponge”: Providing a Helping Hand to Colleagues – [NIAAA]
By: Gary Stevens – (Retired) Athletic Administrator – Thornton Academy – Saco, Maine As a basketball coach early in my career, I was determined to be the master of my craft. I wanted my teams to […]
A Hidden Issue in High School Sports: NIAAA & AD Insider Roundtable Discussion
The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and AD Insider have partnered up to discuss an important (and hidden) problem in high school sports all over the country. Join us in this roundtable discussion, presented […]
Hire Coaches Who Can Impact Kids with Leslie Slovak – (Retired) Richardson ISD (TX)
Leslie Slovak explains what she looks for in hiring coaches. It is very important to her that candidates have a love for kids. Her favorite question to ask head coach candidates is what their greatest […]
Creating a Monthly Coaches Professional Development Meeting with Dave Miceli, CMAA – Burr and Burton Academy (VT)
Dave Miceli explains that having a monthly coaches meeting is a very effective way of enhancing professional development. These are athletic director-led, themed meetings with food and small rewards for those regularly attending. It is […]
When to Let a Coach Go with Joe Kimling, CMAA – Washington High School (OH)
Joe Kimling discusses when it is time to let a coach go and the importance of following the established process for doing so. He will discuss in detail the method of evaluation that he uses […]
Controlling Fan Behavior in an Emergency Situation with Josh Mathews – Pope HS (GA)
Josh Mathews discusses the importance of controlling fan behavior in an emergency situation. Usually, fans at an athletic event are evacuated due to severe weather, but it could be because of any number of issues. […]
Sharing Your Purpose: Weekly Life Lessons to Build Champions for Life [NIAAA]
By: Dr. Troy Urdahl, CMAA – St. Anthony Village High School (Minnesota) “Most people miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”-Thomas Edison I believe the transformative power of high school […]
Finding Resources and Tools for ADs with Craig Perry, CMAA – U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH)
Craig Perry, CMAA, discussing finding resources and tools for Athletic Directors. He explains that the NIAAA and its network of people, along with State AD Associations, and school districts provide valuable resources and information. No […]
Supporting Sportsmanship, Mental Health, and Well-Being [NIAAA]
By: Stephen Baldwin, CAA, Maureen F. Ruby, Ph.D., and Mel Horton, Ed.D. Class Act and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) What is the Class Act Program? The Class Act Program in Connecticut is a […]
What Is the Mission of Your Athletic Program with Chris Fore – Eight Laces Consulting
Chris Fore explains that one of the hurdles in building a championship-caliber athletic program is defining the vision and mission of the program. It is key that the school board, superintendent, principal, AD, and coaches […]
Promoting Culture with Student Recognition and Coach Accountability [NIAAA]
By: Denny Ziegler, CAA - Strongsville High School (OH) Many athletic administrators talk about culture and the importance of culture, but very few know how to recognize culture as the appropriate way to sustain a highly suitable […]
Preparing for Media Interviews and Understanding Your Influence with Anne Marie Anderson
Three-time Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster Anne Marie Anderson explains the steps you need to take when asked for a media interview. When the media calls, there is a real opportunity to get your message out […]
What Is Expected Has to Be Defined with Drew Tower – Hamilton Southeastern High School (IN)
AD Drew Tower asks what the goal of a team is. The response is usually around 99% of people saying “win”. He and his coaches believe that the true answer is to maximize ability and […]
Recruiting and Retaining Female Coaches [NIAAA]
By: Trish Betthauser, CMAA – Director of Athletics, Adlai E Stevenson High School (IL) The challenge of finding quality coaches and then keeping them in the position for several years is a daunting task for […]
Digital Marketing Series Episode 4: How to Elevate Your Social Media Posts & Brand Presented By Gipper
In this AD Insider – Digital Marketing Series Episode 4, presented by Gipper, we sit down with Timothy Schultz, MSA, CAA, Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Sports Information at Tampa Preparatory School in Tampa, […]
Digital Marketing Series Episode 3: Badin High School’s Ram Report Presented By Gipper
In this AD Insider – Digital Marketing Series Episode 3, presented by Gipper, we sit down with Nick Browning, Assistant Athletic Director at Stephen T. Badin High School in Hamilton, OH, to discuss his success […]
Promoting Leadership Among Your Coaches with Kevin Simmerman, CMAA – Blue Valley West High School (KS)
Kevin Simmerman discusses promoting leadership among your coaches and explains the 6 Big Es: Exemplify (Model) by being an example for your coaches and a role model. Educate involves teaching your coaches what is expected […]
Are You Trustworthy? with Dr. Timothy Baghurst – Florida State Univ.
Watch as Dr. Timothy Baghurst explains that trust is the #1 factor in building culture. It all starts with you and if the players, assistant coaches, and staff don’t trust you, it does not matter […]
Building an Interview Process That You Can Trust with Luis Solorio – Harlingen CISD (TX)
Luis Solorio explains and gives examples of an interview process that you can trust. All applicants are passed on to HR to start the background checks. The pre-screen consists of the athletic department emailing the […]