Jon Payne discusses “Being On” by projecting positivity to the students and to change the culture within the school community. He has visual reminders at home, on his office door, and in his office stating […]
Incorporating eSports in Your Athletic Program with Dan Talbot, CMAA – Polk County Public Schools (FL)
Dan Talbot explains that times are changing to a more technological world. They have created an eSports program as part of their athletic department. eSports has taken off and attracts a different type of student-athlete […]
Education-Based Athletics: The Extended Classroom [NIAAA]
By: Brittany Spencer Grant, CMAA – Oregon High School (WI) It’s probably safe to say that most of us have heard the statement that athletics is an “extension of the classroom.” But, what exactly does […]
EP 123: Leading Yourself to Lead Others with Dr. Troy Urdahl, CMAA – St. Anthony Village High School (MN)
In this AD Insider | Thursday 30 episode, presented by Honest Game, we sat down with Dr. Troy Urdahl, CMAA, Director of Athletics, Activities, Facilities, and Transportation at St. Anthony Village High School in Minnesota. […]
EP 122: Can I “AI” That? Keys to Managing the AD, Teacher, and Parent Role
In this AD Insider | Thursday 30 episode, presented by Hudl, we sat down with Dena Anderson, Athletic Director at Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. In this episode, we covered the following topics: Keys […]
Putting a Branding Plan into Action with Mike Giles – Needville ISD (TX)
Mike Giles discusses the importance of creating and executing a branding plan for the athletic department. The goal is to change the atmosphere and create a brand that is important to the students, community, staff, […]
The Best Thing We Did to Ensure a Safe Stadium Environment with Scot Hafley – Wichita Falls ISD (TX)
Scot explains the process of analyzing their stadium security and how they contacted the Department of Homeland Security, who provides a free security threat assessment for facilities. Based on the Department’s written report they were […]
Taking Care of the Students Is the Bottom Line with Holly Farnese – PSADA Executive Director
Holly Farnese explains that as an athletic director you are the most visible school representative to students and parents. It is important that you are constantly working to increase your knowledge and to be confident […]
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 […]
Lakeland High School’s Student-Led Media Team with Savanna Collins – Athletes Unlimited
Savanna Collins explains that when she was a student at Lakeland High School, she was a sideline reporter of the school’s sporting events. Savanna and her father, Athletic Director Deron Collins, discussed implementing what she […]
Policing the Packed House – Managing Indoor Events in Urban High Schools [NIAAA]
By: John Fraraccio, CAA – Memorial High School (NJ) Sitting atop the New Jersey Palisades overlooking the skyline of “The Big Apple,” the community of West New York lies directly across the Hudson River from […]
EP 121: Fall 2023 Kickoff – 7 ADs Share Thoughts, Strategies, & Insights for the Year
Welcome to the Fall 2023 AD Kickoff! In this Thursday 30 episode, presented by Hudl we have gathered seven athletic directors from various institutions and backgrounds to share their thoughts, strategies, and insights for the […]
EP 120: AD Insider Tutorial: Leveraging Google Tools for Compliance Checklists, Budget Tracking, Venue Requests, and More! with Laura Keahey – McKinney ISD (TX)
In this AD Insider | Thursday 30 episode, presented by Box Out Sports, we sat down with Laura Keahey, Assistant Athletic Director at McKinney ISD (TX)…aka the Google QUEEN. Laura shares some Google Workspace tips and […]
Prioritize Your Responsibilities: People vs. Management with Travis Daugherty – Champions 101
Travis Daugherty explains that making people the priority is the key in building a winning culture. He gives an example of compartmentalizing daily responsibilities by placing them into a leadership or management folder. Travis believes […]
Coaches Compliance Notebook with Mike Meeks – Lubbock ISD (TX)
Mike Meeks discusses Lubbock ISD’s coaches compliance notebooks which allows their coaches to understand what is expected of them and to be prepared for the season. He explains the coaches and team compliance requirements such […]
B.A.D. Marketing: Branding, Advertising, and Distribution with Jason Gordon, CAA – Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School (MD)
Jason Gordon explains how B.A.D. marketing, which is an acronym for branding, advertising, and distribution of information, is a perfect tool for an athletic department. When branding your program be sure to have a unified […]
How Coaches and ADs Can Deal with Difficult Parents [NIAAA]
By: Joe Breinig, Jr., CMAA Provided by: NIAAA Every year, thousands of coaches and athletic directors all over the world dedicate their time to teaching other parents’ children their sport. Most parents appreciate this good-natured […]
PRC Leadership Model with Albert Weeden, Jr. – Loachapoka High School (AL)
Albert Weeden, Jr. discusses a PRC Leadership Model that he uses in the hiring process of coaches, teachers, and staff. The focus is on being professional, building relationships, and being competent. Albert will explain in […]
Social Media Tips for Staff Members with Haley Percell – Chief Legal Counsel, Oregon School Boards Association
Haley Percell recommends having separate private (family and friends) and public (professional) accounts when it comes to social media. Always avoid political posts as well as sharing other people’s posts. If you decide to be […]
Maintaining Professional Boundaries with Karen Duke – Region 10 Education
Karen Duke discusses boundary invasions that can result in an act or an omission. Remember that the student-staff relationship is not equal. You are the student’s teacher and mentor but not a friend or parent. […]
EP 119: From SEC Coach to HS AD: Lessons on Social Media, Impactful Investments, and Hiring Coaches with Jared Hunt – Academy ISD (TX)
In this AD Insider | Thursday 30 episode, presented by Box Out Sports, we sat down with Jared Hunt, Athletic Director at Academy ISD in Texas. In this episode, we covered the following topics: How to […]
Extreme Fan Behavior and Parental Expectations with Jennifer Frazier – McKinney ISD (TX)
Jennifer Frazier explains that in today’s environment, a big issue is dealing with extreme fan behavior and parental expectations. She mentions that for this Fall she is going to record a short video of herself […]
Retaining Game Officials with Mike Powell – Tulare Western High School (CA)
Mike Powell discusses the difficulty of retaining game officials. He feels that everyone involved needs to become better at making officials feel welcomed. Mike will sometimes sit by a parent who is being loud and […]
Getting Apologies Right Is a Valuable Tool for Athletic Directors [NIAAA]
By: Dave Miceli, CMAA – Burr and Burton Academy (VT) I wasn’t always good at apologizing. I remember my father demanding I apologize for calling my brother a jerk. I was still angry with my […]
How ADs and Coaches Can Impact Performance with Dr. Cindra Kamphoff – Mentally Strong
Dr. Cindra Kamphoff discusses Athletic Directors and Coaches helping athletes perform to their full potential. Athletes always perform better when they know that coaches have their backs and really care for them. It is essential […]
Branding and Digital Ticketing with Antony Fisher – Minneapolis Public Schools (MN)
Antony Fisher discusses digital ticketing for seven district schools and how he makes sure that branding is consistent across the board. It is important that the public can easily recognize their school and when they […]
Follow These 2 Simple Rules to Maintain Balance with Brett Proctor – (Retired) Alta Loma High School (CA)
Brett Proctor discusses the two rules that are important to prevent burnout. The #1 rule is don’t sweat the small stuff and the #2 rule is everything is small stuff. It is key not to […]
Sports Parenting Checklist [NIAAA]
By: Dr. Mark Rerick, CMAA – Univ. of North Dakota Within education-based athletics, we spend large amounts of time critiquing and complaining about the role of parents in our programs. To combat the recent trend […]
The Ultimate Penguin Award with Renee Putter – Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD (TX)
Renee Putter explains what she believes separates a good coach from a great coach. A good coach is someone who does everything right and a great coach goes beyond that. The great ones always go […]
The Big 3 Create the Environment for Sports Success with Mike Elder – Avon High School (OH)
Mike Elder explains that if the Big 3 (Superintendent, Principal and Athletic Director) are aligned then they, as a group, have the power to make changes and set the culture. This is important especially when […]