In this episode of AD 360, Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg discuss the importance of senior nights with Amanda Waters-Nelson, an Athletic Director in San Diego. They explore the key elements that make senior nights special, including the role of families, coaches, and community engagement. The conversation covers planning and timing, the significance of playing time for seniors, logistical challenges, and memorable traditions. Amanda emphasizes the need for communication, transparency, and creating a meaningful experience for student-athletes and their families.

00:00 Celebrating Senior Nights: An Overview

03:10 Key Elements of a Memorable Senior Night

08:53 Planning and Timing for Senior Nights

14:49 Engaging Families and Communities

20:09 Playing Time Considerations for Seniors

25:10 Logistical Challenges and Solutions

34:48 Memorable Traditions and Unique Approaches

41:05 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

In this episode of AD 360, hosts Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg are joined by Atlanta Braves reporter for Bally Sports, Wiley Ballard, to discuss the transformative power of streaming for high school athletics.

Wiley shares his journey broadcasting high school, collegiate, and professional sports, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and the unique opportunities that streaming creates for students and fans.

The conversation highlights how streaming not only enhances visibility for school events but also fosters a sense of community and pride among students, parents, and alumni.

Wiley offers valuable insights for athletic directors and student broadcasters on streaming successfully, emphasizing the need for consistency, flexibility, and a willingness to learn various roles in broadcasting.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Streaming and Fan Engagement

02:50 Wiley Ballard's Journey in Broadcasting

06:31 The Impact of Streaming on Community Engagement

15:41 Enhancing Fan Engagement through Streaming

21:41 Accessibility and Connection in High School Sports

26:14 Personal Stories Highlighting Streaming's Importance

29:58 Comparing Streaming Across Different Levels

35:30 Building Campus Community Spirit through Streaming

38:32 Advice for Athletic Directors on Streaming

47:04 Skills for Young Broadcasters

56:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of AD360, Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg discuss the importance of effective communication for athletic directors. They cover communication with parents, students, coaches, and the community. They also discuss the importance of involving student-athletes in decision-making and maintaining open lines of communication. Additionally, they address communication challenges, like the evolving landscape of technology and the need to adapt to new communication methods.

Chapters

00:00 General Communications

08:50 Building Trust and Credibility

16:25 Involving Student-Athletes

25:06 Aligning Coaches with Department Goals

31:15 Adapting to the Evolving Landscape

In this episode, Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg discuss the responsibilities and challenges of athletic directors during the back-to-school season. They emphasize the importance of proactive planning, effective communication, and building relationships with coaches, teachers, and parents.

They also highlight the need for budget management and handling unexpected challenges like equipment delays and game management issues. For new athletic directors, they advise building relationships, staying positive, and asking for what they need.

Download Our Pre-Season Checklist

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:18 Responsibilities of Athletic Directors

06:44 Facility Scheduling and Management

10:53 Engaging with Coaches, Teachers, and Parents

16:25 Preseason Meetings and Communication

20:56 Budgeting and Fundraising

25:28 Approach to Budgeting for Equipment

31:41 Unexpected Challenges and Handling Them

36:18 Advice for New Athletic Directors

39:38 Advice for Experienced Athletic Directors

42:37 Conclusion

In this episode, Bill Carter, a leading voice in NIL education, sheds light on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in the context of high school athletics.

Join Greg, Scott, and Bill as they explore the definition of NIL, its impact on high school athletes, and the varying perspectives and reactions from schools and state associations. They also address common misconceptions about NIL and the evolving public sentiment towards it.

The conversation also examines the pros and cons of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in high school sports and the long-term implications of NIL in the high school space.

Chapters:

05:40 Defining NIL and Its Impact on High School Athletics

08:25 State Legislation and Varying Perspectives on NIL

20:36 Evolving Public Sentiment Towards NIL

24:14 Pros and Cons of NIL in High School Sports

26:26 Non-Monetary Benefits of NIL for High School Athletes

28:25 Drawbacks of NIL for High School Athletes

36:09 Regional Impact of NIL in High School Sports

42:35 Long-Term Implications of NIL in the High School Space

In this episode, Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg interview Paul Jones, a seasoned athletic director, about coaching evaluations. They discuss the importance of building relationships, developing championship human beings, and preparing student-athletes for life. The group also explores the role of metrics and data in evaluations, the challenges of evaluating different sports, and the value of student-athlete feedback. They also touch on the challenges of making difficult decisions and the ongoing nature of evaluations. The conversation concludes with a discussion on staying current with best evaluation practices.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

05:01 Building Relationships and Developing Championship Human Beings

09:16 Balancing Metrics and Data with the Intangibles

13:11 Challenges and Strategies for Evaluating Different Sports

19:23 Continuous Improvement in Coaching Evaluations

26:06 The Importance of Culture in Evaluations

31:29 Accountability and Leadership in Successful Programs

33:23 Navigating Difficult Decisions in Evaluations

38:35 Staying Up to Date with Best Practices in Evaluations

In this episode, Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg discuss how athletic directors can best use AI to be more efficient. They explore various ways in which AI can be leveraged, such as, creating articles, job descriptions, safety plans, press releases, surveys, and banquet speeches. They also discuss how AI can be used in live streaming events, providing equitable coverage for all programs, and analyzing stats and data. They also touch on the future of AI in athletics and the importance of early adoption and familiarity with AI tools. The conversation concludes with the hosts generating interview questions for a head girls volleyball coach position using AI.

00:00 Introduction and Overview of AI in Athletics

08:46 Streamlining Processes with AI in Athletics

26:09 The Future of AI in Athletics

32:13 Using AI for Note-Taking, Promotion, and Performance Analysis

In this episode, Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg discuss the importance of Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) in athletic departments. They highlight the need for proactive planning to minimize the impact of emergencies and ensure the safety of athletes and staff.

The conversation covers the components of an EAP, including facility information, emergency contacts, and procedures for different scenarios. They emphasize the importance of collaboration with other departments, such as police and EMS, and the use of resources like athletic trainers.

The hosts also discuss the equipment and training necessary for EAPs and the need for regular practice and rehearsals. The episode concludes with the availability of an EAP template for schools to use as a starting point in creating their own plans.

Download Our EAP Template

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:11 What is an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)?

06:13 Resources and Training for EAPs

10:02 Equipment and Supplies for EAPs

13:31 Collaboration and Involvement of Other Departments

16:32 Creating and Customizing EAPs

21:53 Practice and Rehearsals for EAPs

25:35 Importance and Benefits of EAPs

26:04 Conclusion and EAP Template

Summary

In this episode, former Athletic Directors Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg discuss event management for spring sports.

They cover the challenges and complexities of scheduling events, managing personnel, and creating a positive game-day experience.

You'll also learn more about the importance of emergency action plans and working with other departments to ensure smooth operations.

The episode concludes with a discussion on hiring and scheduling event personnel, along with the use of technology for game-day management.

Chapters

00:28 Scott's Perspective on Spring Sports Season

03:06 Difficulties in Game Management Personnel

04:28 Planning for the Spring Season

05:35 Creating and Managing a Game Day Experience

06:05 Preparing for the Unexpected

09:20 Hiring and Scheduling Game Day Personnel

09:57 Tools for Game Day Management

14:25 Challenges of Spring Sports

23:08 Working with Other Departments

27:28 Hiring and Scheduling Game Day Personnel

31:25 Tools for Game Day Management

34:30 Conclusion and Future Topics

Join us for our first episode of AD 360, where our hosts Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg recap the National AD Conference and share best practices for professional development. Discover new opportunities to elevate your program, support your students, and advance your career. 

Topics

00:00 - Introduction and Background

01:24 - Feedback on the National AD Show

03:21 - Importance of Professional Development

04:09 - Approaching Events and Prioritizing

07:04 - Networking and Building a Network

16:02 - Recommended Events to Attend

17:23 - Funding for Events

22:11 - Wrap-up and Future Topics

Hosts

Greg Vandermade 

Scott Rosenberg

Producers

Cole Aycock

Amanda Crowder