Roles Of Athletic Director

“If you’re a clock-watcher, this is the wrong job for you, according to Chelsea athletic director, Wayne Welton (Kalahar, 2011). Athletic directors (AD’s), who work countless number of hours daily, challenge this forward thinking or idea. Most taking on numerous roles day in and day out, only to find themselves with task incomplete of request unfulfilled. The role of the athletic director, specifically at the high school level, has changed due to an increased workload, leading to burnout, while on the colligate level, the changes in rules and regulations has seen the job transform drastically.
AD’s (Angst, 2017) oversee all aspects of an athletic program, including hiring coaches, scheduling, budget preparation, promotion, compliance and
They prepare a budget and allocate spending on items like coach’s salaries, team travel, equipment purchases, and facility upkeep. AD’s at the high school level work with other school administrators and staff to ensure student-athletes are successful in the class and academically eligible to participate in sports. At colleges, they also typically work with a compliance officer to make sure a program is acting within conference and NCAA (or other association) rules. At the major college level, some responsibilities are delegated, but the athletic director will oversee each process. Athletic directors spend time coordinating with coaches about the scheduling of games, practices, public events, etc., in addition, to scheduling conflicts. Travel plans, transportation, trips, etc., also fall under the AD’s supervision. They also maintain a dialogue with league officials about rule changes, post-season play, etc. AD’s are responsible for allocating when the athletic facilities (weight room, fields, etc.) are utilized amongst all programs. At the collegiate level, AD’s are responsible for hiring new coaches, which is often met with heavy criticism and scrutiny. On both levels, AD’s file reports on the status of the athletic program (each team), its successes and shortcomings. They
The two most noted examples of bad hires are he hires of former Domino’s Pizza executive Dave Brandon and former NBA executive Steve Patterson. “Brandon left his post as athletic director at the University of Michigan after what one sports writer called a “tumultuous three and a half years that included an unsuccessful coaching hire (Brady Hoke) and a series of unpopular decisions involving fans, increased ticket prices, and scheduling” (Abdul-Alim, 2017). “Patterson resigned from his post as athletic director for the University of Texas after what was described as a “dysfunctional stretch that included the alienation of big-time donors, nickel and diming everyone he possibly could, and strained relationships with coaches” (Abdul-Alim, 2017). Undoubtedly, the role of an AD has changed drastically over the last 20 years. Some duties or responsibilities have change, while others “enhanced”. At the high school level, increased workloads have led to burnout, while on the colligate level, the changes in rules and regulations has caused AD’s to take a more “businesslike” approach. As sports evolve, so will the responsibilities, duties, and qualification of the