Who is Really in Charge of Your Athletic Program?

By Joe Loomis

Probably as many answers to this question exist as there are school districts in this country. Who is right? The current climate unfortunately does not give us much guidance. Education-based athletics should follow the standards proposed by David Hoch in the November 2007 issue of this publication - learning, improving, enjoying, and displaying sportsmanship and respect in their representation of the school, etc. However, to the surprise of no one, the standard that seems to matter most is winning.

For decades, high school principals have joked that it would be easier to drop two elective departments from the curriculum than to drop one winning athletic program. If you have not heard that one, it might be because it is now more true than amusing. Consider the current conditions that put enormous pressure on anyone responsible for athletics:

- Almost every athletic publication, local newspaper and coaches association maintain a top 10 or fabulous 15 list based on winning.

- Schools display trophies and banners awarded to winning teams.

- Student-athletes on winning teams are noticed more by college recruiters with scholarship money in hand.

- Gate receipts, the financial basis of most athletic departments, are up for winning teams and down for losing teams.

- Coaches are generally awarded one-year contracts. No tenure or longevity is guaranteed; only an examination of the number of wins is promised.

- During a season, the public has an opportunity to observe and evaluate a game performance at least once a week. Practices, offseason preparation and values taught to students are not observed . . . only winning or losing.

So who is in charge of such an education-based program that is so focused on winning? Is there a correct answer or a model that should be followed? The answer is yes - the management team. That team consists of the athletic director, the principal, the superintendent and the members of the board of education. The members of that team must display a positive commitment to young people, embrace a working chain of command and showcase a unified team chemistry while managing all programs and troubleshooting all problems. Each team member clearly understands the responsibilities of his or her role and is held accountable for them. While school districts may define these roles differently, they do need to define and follow them.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR ROLE DEFINITIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

Board of Education
No one says that he or she wants to be a school board member when he or she grows up, prepares for it with professional training, or expects to provide for a family with the salary attached to the position. Those who win these positions must, however, be trained in good boardsmanship and understand the huge policy-making responsibilities of their "calling." That training must also include (among 1,000 other items) the importance of an administrative chain of command, a background in athletic areas that does not exceed that of academic areas and no desire to manage the athletic program. Also, maintaining a good working relationship with the superintendent is critical for any board.

Superintendent
If the management team concept is to be successful, the superintendent is the key player. The superintendent provides the training for the board, keeps it informed on hundreds of topics, and coaches the board on the benefits of an effective chain of command. The superintendent is the administrative director of the entire school district and has (or should have) very little time to micromanage an athletic program. Maintaining a strong philosophical bond with the building principal, supporting the principal's control of the athletic program, holding the principal accountable for the success of that program, and coordinating information between the board and the principal are processes that must be led by the superintendent.

Principal
Since about every aspect of a high school falls somewhere in the job description of the building principal, to conclude that the "buck stops" on the principal's desk for the athletic program is not inaccurate. Since board members and superintendents are not evaluated on athletic topics, the principal becomes the first member of the administrative team to have job security sensitivities. The temptation to be overly involved with the athletic program is fed by the public's desire to win, by the insistence on keeping athletics education-based and by job security. However, the pressures of academic success are now greater and consume more time and attention than ever before.

Athletic Director
Successful principals are dependent on successful athletic directors. This may involve hiring, training, coaching and supporting an athletic director in whom the principal has great confidence . . . and then letting him or her assume total responsibility for all aspects of the athletic program. However, the athletic director cannot operate in a vacuum. Success, as well as longevity in the position, must include constant consultation with the principal and an accurate, ongoing barometer of community expectations. Regular dissemination of information to each member of the management team is also important. Knowing the pulse of all stakeholders on all issues is a trait of the exemplary athletic director. The enormous number of tasks, the tremendous detail associated with those tasks, and the overwhelming number of hours needed to accomplish those tasks make the position of athletic director complicated and difficult. No other person on the management team should pretend to have a greater knowledge of any aspect of the program.

The preceding paragraphs have acknowledged our obligation to operate an education-based athletic program, recognized the passion of all for winning, and outlined a team concept to manage the minefield we call athletic administration. Who is really in charge of your athletic program? You are. Unless your management team exhibits a flawless process that is embraced by everyone as a model of perfection, why not take the first step to change it?

That first step does not have to be a hostile one. Schedule a meeting with the management team (it probably meets regularly already), be sure each member has this magazine, point out this article and ask for reactions. You will, of course, encounter egos and obstacles. However, if "what is best for our students" is the bottom line of the dialogue, the discussion(s) over time just might result in consensus.
Take charge. Take the first step.

Joe Loomis is principal of Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Indiana, and is a member of the High School Today Publications Committee.