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What does an Athletic Director actually do? If your first thought is “schedule games and unlock the gym,” this episode is going to open your eyes.
In this deep-dive solo episode, Coach Sullivan pulls back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood roles in education and athletics: the high school Athletic Director. From balancing budgets to managing facilities, handling parent concerns, supporting coaches, enforcing compliance, and dealing with last-minute emergencies—this isn’t a job for the faint of heart.
Coach Sullivan walks listeners through the real responsibilities of the AD role, weaving in personal insight, national statistics, and stories from the field. Whether you're a parent, coach, school admin, or just curious about what happens behind the scenes in school sports, this episode will give you a whole new level of respect for the person behind the whistle—and the clipboard, the walkie-talkie, the AED, the budget spreadsheet, and about 17 other things.
🎯 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Why scheduling isn’t just a calendar task—it’s a strategic balancing act
- The reality of athletic budgets, and how ADs stretch every dollar
- How ADs navigate parent concerns, drama, and expectations
- Why facilities management is one of the most overlooked stressors
- The legal and compliance duties every AD carries (and how they stay on top of it)
- How hiring and mentoring coaches shapes the culture of an entire program
- The truth about stress, work-life balance, and why ADs burn out
- And what “All Duties, All Day” really looks like in practice
💬 Featuring quotes from:
– Doug Ute, Executive Director, OHSAA
– Survey data from NFHS, NIAAA, Coach & A.D. Magazine
– Insights from Coach Sullivan’s years in the trenches
If you’re a parent wondering why the AD hasn’t returned your call at 6:30 p.m. on game night, a coach looking to understand your AD better, or an aspiring administrator trying to grasp what this job really is—this episode is for you.
📢 Don’t forget to subscribe to Talkin’ with the AD and visit BetterYouthCoaching.com for more resources and tools to support coaches, parents, and athletes.
🎧 Listen now to gain a behind-the-scenes perspective of school sports you’ll never forget.
#AthleticDirector #HighSchoolSports #BetterYouthCoaching #SportsLeadership #CoachLife #AthleticAdmin #NFHS #YouthSports #ParentEducation #TalkinWithTheAD
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Better Youth Coaching
Mission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes
Better Youth Coaching
Mission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes
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