Today we head west to speak with Dr. Dustin Smith who serves as the Executive Director of Athletics at Broken Arrow Public Schools in Broken Arrow, OK. Dustin is also the co-host of the Pairadocs podcast and if you aren’t listening to it you need to make sure to make it part of your podcast lineup. 

Dustin drops some great information in our conversation today and you’ll see why is one of the shinning stars of our profession once your done today. Let’s settle in and get to know Dr. Dustin Smith. 

Today we travel to the Sunshine state and sit down with one of the best in the business as we learn from Lanness Robinson who serves as the Director of Athletics for the Hillsborough County Public School District in Tampa, FL. 

This is no small feat as Lanness oversees athletics for one of the largest districts in the country while also maintaining an important presence at the national level evidenced as his role of president of the NIAAA leading athletic leaders through the pandemic. 

You better have something to write with and on for this one. Let’s settle in and get know Mr. Lanness Robinson. 

Today we once again stay close to home and chat with Ashley Lott. Ashley serves as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Fayette Co. High School in Fayetteville, GA. Ashley is a rising star in the state of Georgia and on the National level who brings a wealth of knowledge across multiple sports from her days coaching that is helping guide her as a leader today. 

At the time of our conversation, Ashley was the Athletic Director at Hampton High School before making the move to Fayette Co. this summer. Let’s settle in and get to know Ms. Ashley Lott.

This week we stay close to home and chat with one of Georgia’s best in Ricky Turner of Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, GA. Ricky is a people first leader with a servant’s heart, and it won’t take long for you to understand why he is a go resources for athletic leaders in the deep south. Let’s settle in and get to know…Mr. Ricky Turner. 

Topics of discussion with Coach Turner:

• Leading through 23 years of change
• What relationships have brought inspiration to your leadership?
• When did you think athletic administration was something you wanted to do?
• The number one thing ADs should focus on!
• Navigating the negative situations.
• Connecting the Mundane with the Meaningful
• Maintaining a healthy Work-Life Lifestyle
• Fighting the Mindset of Having it all figured out.
• 2 Minute Drill

Today we head back to the college ranks and the SEC as we sit down with Ray Tanner, the Director of Athletics at the University of South Carolina. A champion on the field leading the Gamecock baseball program to back-to-back titles, Coach Tanner has proven to be a winner in his role as an athletic administrator and we know you’ll learn a lot from him today. Let’s settle in and get to know Coach Ray Tanner.

Topics of Discussion with Coach Tanner:

• What is the most important statistic for an AD to evaluate?
• Where does 'FUN' fit in to the ADs evaluation?
• Making the transition from Coach to AD at the same school
• Giving equitable treatment to all sports
• What is getting most of your timer right now?
• Equipping our students for NIL
• Gamecock Student Athlete Promise
• Using a Foundation to serve others
• 2 Minute Drill

Today we have the pleasure of learning from a name you may recognize most from tuning into a college basketball broadcast on ESPN as we sit down with broadcaster and author Jimmy Dykes. We break down his book “The Film Doesn’t Lie” and talk about the intersection of athletics, leadership, and faith and how best to navigate each one. Let’s settle in and get to know Coach Jimmy Dykes. 

Topics Discussed with Coach Dykes:

• Guarding our hearts by Listening to Truth
• Observing Practice
• The process of changing loses to wins and preventing wins from becoming loses
• "It's hard to be relentless."
• What do the best do that the pothers don't do?
• Commitment: "Hard beats most people"
• Guarding Your Thoughts and Guarding Your Words
•  Minute Drill

Today you are in for a treat as we sit down with one of the best leadership experts in the business in Mr. Kevin Paul Scott. Kevin is an author, a speaker, and an entrepreneur whose leadership journey has taken him from a small town outside of Atlanta, GA to six continents and seen him speak to leaders from more than 100 countries. He believes that when organizations pause and invest in their leadership, they discover new potential and we’re glad you’ve taken the time to learn from him today. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Kevin Paul Scott.

Topics Discussed with Mr. Kevin Paul Scott:

• How to inspire our staff
• Being Engaged vs Being Inspired
• The Intersection of Inspiration
• Connecting the dots to get us to go ahead with our vision
• Connecting the dots of looking back to be able to go forward
• Exchanging Expedience for Excellence
• The Cow and The Buffalo...be willing to do hard things!
• 2 Minute Drill

Today we head to the Midwest and sit down with Steve Throne of Millard South High School in Omaha, NE. Steve is a lifelong learner with a heart for kids and the desire to ensure that the interscholastic athletic experience is the best it can possibly be. He teaches us that the road to teaching leadership is more of a slow burn highlighted by modeling the behavior we want to see in those around us and after our conversation today you’ll know why Steve is one of the best in the business. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Steve Throne. 

Welcome back to the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. This week we finish our conversation with leadership expert and performance coach Brian Kight. We began discussing what he calls “super skills” at the end of our last conversation and that is where we pick up today. Get ready to do the work to get better as we continue our conversation with Brian Kight.

Over the next two weeks, we look forward to bringing you an extended conversation with leadership expert Brian Kight. Brian’s philosophy of E+R=O is a game changer and once we started talking to him, we realized we had to break this conversation up to ensure you are able to digest the great material he left us with. Make sure you have something to write with and on as we sit down and learn from one of the best! Let’s settle in and get to know Brian Kight.