Being an Athletic Director is tough. Over the years, growing responsibilities and dwindling resources have caused an increase in the likelihood of errors and a spike in anxiety.
But the job doesn’t have to be overwhelming or scary. Let’s take a look at how to make five of your biggest challenges less frightful!
Finding Qualified Coaches
Let’s face it. Finding coaches, let alone quality coaches, is difficult. But don’t throw in the towel, because hiring good coaches is one of your most important responsibilities. Taking shortcuts will cause headaches in the long run, and more importantly, have a negative impact on your student-athletes.
So what’s the solution?
- Start the hiring process as soon as you know a coach isn’t returning.
- Establish a job description that reflects the school district’s philosphy and values.
- Advertise all positions and get creative. For example, post openings at local universities, online, and on social media.
- Check references!!
- Use a team approach for interviews whenever possible.
Once you select a candidate, review your department handbook, relevent school policies and expectations together. Address problems as soon as they arise, and provide support as new coach acclimates to new position. Remember to be especially patient with first year coaches, as they are bound to make mistakes. Mentorship is key to their success.
Reduced Funding
Most athletic departments face shrinking budgets, so it’s important to make the most of your financial resources. Fortunately, BigTeams has two powerful solutions to help.
Our equipment utility catalogs uniforms and team gear to minimize loss and assist with budget planning. It even tracks reconditioning dates with automated reminders.
In addition, you can raise money for your athletic programs by selling advertising on your site. Local businesses help generate much-needed revenue for your athletic department. Check out our resource guide to learn how easy it is.
Additional Responsibilities
With depleting resources, athletic administrators often find themselves burdened with extra tasks. Proper time management and efficient workflows become even more critical in such situations.
Software products like Schedule Star eliminate duplicate entry and streamline every day tasks. If you find yourself entering events and rosters multiple times, it’s time to consider upgrading your tools.
Legal Issues
Liability concerns cause anxiety for most athletic administrators. They know that one simple mistake can yield catastrophic results.
But why worry needlessly? BigTeams offers peace of mind by automating dauting tasks like managing eligibility, PPE Clearance, safety and transfers. Online Registration minimizes mistakes and mitigates risk. Email sales@bigteams.com to learn more.
Parents
There is no easy solution for handling difficult parents. However, there are a few things you can do to reduce conflict.
- Promote a detailed parent-coach communication plan with clear expectations, proper procedures, and a chain of command.
- Publish accurate, complete team details on an easily accessible website. For example, https://slaterathletics.org/.
- Encourage parents to create fan accounts so that they may follow specific teams. Subscribed fans receive alerts any time their teams post announcements, headlines, or event changes. Promoting fan accounts greatly improves communication AND minimizes angry calls to the athletic department!