SPECIAL EPISODE … Zach Reed, Georgia Tech & Paul Hogan, Clemson—Sports Performance during Covid 19

Zach Reed….Georgia Tech, Player Development Coach.  Zach works with the Yellow Jacket’s football and track & field programs.  He is in his 9th year working in the strength and conditioning program at Georgia Tech.  Zach has served as a high school coach at Kennesaw Mountain prior to coming to Tech.  He holds multiple certifications in the strength and conditioning field as well as the fields of weightlifting and sports medicine.  He works alongside the Georgia Tech nutrition department to development their athletes in the Georgia Tech Total Person Program.  He was a four letterman at Tennessee Tech before he began his coaching career.

 Paul Hogan….Clemson University, Senior Assistant Football Strength & Conditioning Coach.  Paul is in his 9th year serving in his role in the Clemson strength and conditioning program.  He trains the lineman in the Clemson football program.  He holds multiple certifications in the strength and conditioning field as well as the field of nutrition.  Paul played four years at Alabama prior to signing a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders.  He has spent time working in the weight rooms and on the field as a coach at the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama prior to coming to Clemson.  Hogan is a native of Valdosta, GA, playing at Valdosta High School.  He was inducted into the Valdosta High School Hall of Fame in 2019.  He is married (Jennifer) and they have two sons.

0:51- What NCAA is allowing for virtual workouts and conditioning.

4:58- The Challenge of Nutrition during Covid19

8:20- Developing Athletes who may not be as Talented

11:48- Aptitude for High School Athletes

15:21- The Focus for Coaches coming out of Coivd19

21:23- Resources for Strength & Conditioning during Covid19

26:40- Basic Exercises that can be done Anywhere, Anytime

About Hangin With The AD Podcast….

Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.          

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.         

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

EPISODE # 4 ...Tonya Sebring 

The essence of competitiveness is liberated when we make people believe that what they think and do is important - and then get out of their way while they do it. This is a statement I believe today’s guest Tonya Sebring would agree with. Tonya serves as the Director of Athletics for the Cherokee County School District in Ga. She has been a trailblazer from a young age as a member of the first fastpitch softball team at Kennesaw State University followed by a successful transition from player to coach that culminated in a state championship. She also was inspired to begin a small celebration of female athletes that just recently was attended by over 700 female athletes in her district and it is her vision for this celebration to eventually spread throughout the state and beyond. Let’s settle in and get to know Tonya Sebring.  

1:12- Introduction
3:22- What should Success look like to the Athletic Administrator?
5:13- Challenges Facing the AD Moving to Lead at a Local Rival School
6:46- National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration
9:33- College Recruiting Perspective from the First Fastpitch Recruit in Kennesaw State History
-How Social Media Fits In
12:47- The Appreciation of Being the First Fastpitch Coach at Woodstock
14:05- What Makes Up a Special Team?
-Blind Faith 
15:57- Assisting the Local School ADs from the Top Down 
19:06- Leading with a Competitive Spirit 
21:31- 2-Minute Drill 

You can follow Tonya Sebring on twitter @CCSDSports
Find more about Mrs. Sebring and Cherokee County Athletics at: Cherokee Athletics 

About Hangin With The AD Podcast…. 

Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.           

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.          

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

Special Edition: Amanda Waters, Carlsbad High School Athletic Director; Carlsbad, California

0:33 - AD Collaboration Idea...Where did it come from?
4:35 - Special Guests on the AD Collaboration
6:20 - Highlights from the AD Collaboration
7:55 - Virtual Banquets, Signings Days, and Other Virtual Events
11:06 - Where does this Virtual World take the Role of AD?
13:25 - What are you trying to do during this "new normal?"
15:14 - How to be a part of the AD Collaboration

Links to Connect for the AD Collaboration
www.nationalADresource.com
Amanda Waters on Twitter @CarlsbadAD
Email Amanda Waters [email protected]

About Hangin With The AD Podcast….

Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.          

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.         

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

Episode # 3 … John Cohen

Today you are truly in for a treat. Our guest today is John Cohan the Director of Athletics at Miss. State University. A true forward thinker, under Cohen’s watch, 34 teams have advanced to postseason play, including a school-record 13 during the 2018-19 athletic year and the top four Director's Cup finishes in school history have occurred in the last four years with three being under Cohen’s watch. 

Since becoming athletic director, Cohen has been the driving force for numerous state-of-the-art facility projects on campus, including the new $68 million Dudy Noble Baseball Field, which opened in full capacity in the spring of 2019. A winner of almost 300 games as head baseball coach at Miss. State, John Cohan delivered so many winning ideas and practices in our conversation today. 

Cohen, who spent more than two decades coaching college baseball, was named MSU’s head baseball coach in July of 2008. Nine years later, Cohen’s official role in administration began when he assumed the role of associate athletic director in addition to head baseball coach. The following November, he took charge of an athletic department that has since achieved new heights in athletic, academic, facility, and fundraising achievement. Cohen is the only coach in SEC history to win an SEC championship, SEC tournament championship, and advance to the College World Series both as a player and head coach. 

1:23- Introduction
4:03- The John Cohen Podcast
5:29- Being A Forward Thinker in the World of Athletics
       -What’s Best for the Kids and the Program               -Putting Your Pride Aside
8:41- Caring for the Total Student-Athlete
10:28- Hiring and Teaching Younger Coaches
         -Get Experience Doing the Little Things
14:17- The Smallest Change that Produced the Greatest Results
16:08- How Did John Cohen Train to be an Athletic Administrator?
         -Listen and Take Notes when around Greatness
         -Train Others So They Can Help You as the Leader
19:40- Crucial Nature of Being Out & Amongst Your Staff, Players, Community
               -Let the kids know you (AD) are in the trenches with them
22:42- Perception of Others & Focusing on the ‘Totality of Mississippi State Athletics’            24:52- The Life as a SEC/D1 Athletic Administrator
              - ‘It’s A Lifestyle. See you at the Park!’
28:02- The Traits of a Prepared Freshman Collegiate Athlete
              - ‘Precision Dominates Opinion'
31:05- The Advantage of an English Degree
32:27- The Hiring Process
38:24-The Question That John Cohen Has Never Been Asked
40:36- 2-Minute Drill
Book Mentions: The Fish That Ate the Whale (Rich Cohen)
You can follow John Cohen on social media Twitter:@JohnCohenAD                       Instagram: @hailstate     Facebook: Mississippi State Athletics
Find out more about Coach John Cohen and Mississippi State University Athletics at: Mississippi State University Athletics

SPECIAL EPISODE … Stephanie Blackwell, Athletic Director, Bixby (OK) High School

0:35 – Oklahoma State BOE Cancels School & Activities for the Remainder of 2019-20 school year

2:35 – Grading & Eligibility in terms of Digital Learning

4:31 - What the Decision Means for Summer Activities in Oklahoma

6:41 - Other Decisions Coming from the OSAAA

7:18 - Addressing the Mental Health of Athletes during this Pandemic

9:31 - How to Handle Special Events like Senior Nights, Awards Banquets, Signing Days, etc.

11:47 - Extra Year of Eligibility for Sports?

13:06- How to Encourage Coaches & Athletes During Quarantine

 You can follow Stephanie Blackwell on social media Twitter: @SBlackwell34 @HomeofSpartans

Find more about Mrs. Stephanie Blackwell and Bixby High School Athletics at: www.bixbyspartanathletics.com

About Hangin With The AD Podcast….

Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.          

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.         

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

Episode # 2 … Tony Wolfe 

Today’s guest is Tony Wolfe. Tony serves as the Director of Athletics at Buford High School in Buford, Ga. Tony brings a wealth of knowledge to his position following an extremely successful coaching career in football, baseball, and in his current role as the Wolves softball coach. A Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Famer, Coach Wolfe is a true servant leader who pours into his coaches and athletes and is the definition of a life-long learner, always looking for ways to get even better. Let’s settle in and get to know Coach Tony Wolfe.  

1:00- Introduction
4:28- What Drives Winning, Brett Ledbetter Leadership resources
- Processes, People, Connections….
5:45- Relationships…Making an Impact on the Modern High School Athlete
9:08- Using Your Platform as an Athletic Administrator
12:11- Mentors…Who Influenced Your Leadership Style?
14:43- Strategies Coach Wolfe uses to Lead Coaches & Students
- “Intangibles must be better than your Talent!”
- “Where is your Culture?”
20:00- Leading an Elite Group of Coaches in an Elite Program
24:12- Being an Elite Leader Among Elite Coaches
- Learning to Lead from the Younger Generation
27:47- Annual Kickoff Dinner for the Buford Athletic Staff
34:48- Renovating Fields…Switching to Synthetic Turf
40:33- Reaching Your Highest Potential as an Athletic Leader
43:47- Learning from a Legend-Dexter Wood
-Poise and Class
-Process Over Outcome
-Vision of Greatness
47:46- 2-Minute Drill

Book Mentions: Chop Wood, Carry Water (Joshua Medcalf)
The War Room (Michael Holley)  What Drives Winning (Brett Ledbetter) 

You can follow Tony Wolfe on social media Twitter: @bhscoachwolfe or @bufordathletics    Instagram: @bhscoachwolfe  Facebook: Tony Wolfe 

Find out more about Coach Tony Wolfe and Buford Athletics at: Buford Athletics

About Hangin With The AD Podcast…. 
Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.           

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.

SPECIAL EPISODE … Jasper Jewell

2:14 - The Decision to Postpone the 2020 GADA Conference

5:18 - Potential Dates for Rescheduling the 2020 GADA Conference

7:07 - Possible Alternatives for the 2020 GADA Conference LTI classes

9:03 - Thoughts on the GHSA Decisions for the Remainder of the 2020 school year

11:35 - Thoughts on Spring Sports in Georgia based on the current state of the COVID-19 Coronavirus 

13:03 - What have you learned through handling the Circumstances around this Pandemic

You can follow Jasper Jewell on social media Twitter: @1APS_Athletics 

Find more about Mr. Jasper Jewell and Atlanta Public Schools Athletics at: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/athletics

About Hangin With The AD Podcast….

Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.          

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.         

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

Special Episode  … Scott Pederson

Welcome to a special edition of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. In an attempt to bring some normalcy to a very abnormal time …today we sit down with the President and CEO of a great organization…Scott Pederson of Positive Athlete. Positive Athlete is a celebration of young Athletes who have overcome difficult circumstances, given back to their schools and communities in a significant way, or just have an infectious positive attitude that makes everyone around them a better person. Through public recognition, scholarships, and job opportunities Positive Athlete gives student-athletes a national media platform to inspire other athletes through their stories of perseverance and positivity. I hope you enjoy our conversation with Mr. Scott Pederson.  

2:39 - What is the Positive Athlete?
8:00 - Recent Book Release from Positive Athlete
13:22 - The Story of Carson Oaks…Strikeouts for the Macon Food Bank
16:03 - Reach and Growth of Positive Athlete
18:48 – Using your School Programs to Grow the Program within your School
-Scholarships, Free Tickets, Resume…Free Gifts!
21:50 - Jobs Pipeline on the Positive Athlete Website
24:18 - Changes to the 2020 Nomination Deadlines…Nominate Now!
29:13 - Why is this Program Important for Schools Today

Book Mentions:           The Positive Athlete (Scott Pederson)

You can follow Positive Athlete on social media…
 Twitter: Positive Athlete          Positive Athlete Georgia
Instagram: Positive Athlete

Find out more about the Positive Athlete program at: Positive Athlete

About Hangin With The AD Podcast….
Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.          

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.         

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)
Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

EPISODE #1… Jasper Jewell 

The only thing constant in life is change and there’s nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction. Our guest today, Jasper Jewell, has been a driver of positive change in his district for more than a decade. Jasper serves as the Director of Athletics for the Atlanta Public School System in Atlanta, Ga. After a distinguished career as a teacher and coach Jasper made the transition to administration and has never looked back. The current president of the Georgia Athletic Directors Association, he has a true calling for student-athletes and creating safe and positive environments that allow them to reach their full potential while always having an open door to help those in the industry. I hope you have something to write with and on as we sit down with our guest today…Mr. Jasper Jewell.  

1:11- Introduction 

2:43- Changing the Culture of a District-level Athletics Department… Changing vs. Sustaining 

5:23- What makes a District-Level AD proud? 

7:36- Learning ‘Your Craft’ through being involved with the NIAAA and State AD Associations (GADA);The WHY for All ADs Attend Conferences? 

13:30- Participating in Professional Development Opportunities 

15:45- Creating, Fostering, & Implementing the Vision of the Athletic Administrator 

20:55- How to Have Balance as an Athletic Administrator? 

22:41- 3 Pieces of Advice for the Local School Athletic Administrator 

24:18- Do You Want to Be an Athletic Director? Do This! 

27:09- What’s Next? 

29:00- Mentors… Whose Shoulders are You Standing On? 

32:10- 2-Minute Drill 

You can follow Jasper Jewell on social media Twitter: @1APS_Athletics  

Find more about Mr. Jasper Jewell and Atlanta Public Schools Athletics at:https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/athletics

About Hangin With The AD Podcast…. 

Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker, Cobb County School District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews, Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities.           

We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests.  Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.          

Don Baker.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb). @mathews14 (twitter) @jwmathews14 (instagram) 

Host Don Baker (Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District, GA) interviews co-host Josh Mathews (Athletic Director at Pope High School, GA) in the second of two "Getting to know your host" episodes. 

Josh Mathews...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb) since July 2012.  He attended Shorter College, where he played baseball from 1997-2001 receiving a degree in middle grade education.  In 2007, Josh received his master’s in educational leadership from Jacksonville State University.  Started his career coaching in 2001 at Centennial High School (Roswell, GA) before moving to Lassiter High School (Marietta, GA) in 2005.  He was a part of state championship coaching staffs in 2006 (baseball) and 2007 (softball).  Since becoming AD at Pope, the Greyhounds have won several region and state championships and achieved two GADA Regions Bank Directors Cup Awards, recognizing the top athletic programs in the state.  Josh has been an active member of the GADA and NIAAA since becoming AD in 2012.  He regularly attends the state and national conventions and received his Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) certification in 2016.  Finally, Josh was named Region AD of the Year in 2015 and 2017 and was the GADA 6A AD of the Year in 2017.