We were so happy to interview fellow podcaster Nick DeForest! 

One of our wishes has been to have a guest who could explain what co-curricular programming looks like at international schools after school and on weekends. Nick, with his GLOBETROTTIN’ ADs podcast and website, is at the center of a global network of athletic directors and activity coordinators. As such, he can speak to what this programming looks like in international elementary, middle, and high schools. 

Nick DeForest is the Assistant Director of the Events Office at AIS Vienna, Austria. He is the founder of the Globetrottin’ ADs and the author of A Global Playbook, which can be found on Amazon. Originally from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, Nick has been in Austria since 2000 and is passionate about connecting international school Athletic Directors, Coaches, Teachers, and Students from around the world. 

Our Guiding Question was, “What does co-curricular programming look like in international schools?” 

Nick addressed several topics: 

• The difference between co-curricular and extra-curricular programming. 
• A breakdown of all the different people and roles in managing co-curricular programs. 
• A description of how co-curricular facilitation in an international school might differ from what teachers may have experienced in their home country, especially in a public school. 
• An unpacking of athletic and activity offerings for each division. 
• The benefits of athletic and activity coaching and facilitation. 
• An explanation of the term “educational athletics.” 
• A description of how international schools can be the hub of social life at some international schools. 
• Trends in international schools’ coaching, athletics, and activity coordination. 
• An explanation of how school leaders ensure that co-curricular programming is valued equally with academic programming.

Nick’s Contact Information: Globetrottin’ ADs Website and Podcast | Facebook Group | X - Nick_GTADS

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Nick’s Book - A Global Playbook: How Every International School Can Raise Its Game

International Coach: State of the Industry Survey 2023  

International Athletic Director: State of the Industry 2023

The show was recorded on April 12, 2024. 
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Music: YouTube. (2022). Acoustic Guitar | Folk | No copyright | 2022❤️. YouTube. Retrieved October 11, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOEmg_6i7jA.