Changes in High School Athletic Administration the Past 10 Years

Change is a constant and remaining static is not really a viable option. Whether you agree with or like a particular development isn’t the point. Many changes are simply out of your control and are the result of legislation, new technology or directives from supervisors. And the world of high school athletics is not immune. A great deal has changed the past 10 years.

Very few would argue that technology and the manner in which everyone communicates has changed considerably. The athletic director at Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Fountain, Colorado, Jared Felice, mentioned that, “Many schools prioritize digital communication, specifically social media as a vital means of promoting and branding their programs. Schools that have and utilize a large social media platform probably benefit from strong community engagement and recognize that it can be a positive, beneficial showcase. Social media can be truly transformational.”

Jim Quatromoni, director of athletics at Hingham High School in Massachusetts, had similar comments as Felice: “Between Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and blogs, athletic administrators have basically added the role of sports information director to their massive list of responsibilities,” Quatromoni said. “In addition, being able to broadcast and stream videos of games even across the country to family members has been a tremendous new development.”

“It is getting harder to find teachers who are willing to put in the time and effort to coach,” said Steve Borer, the former longtime athletic administrator at Seward Public Schools in Nebraska. “This development could be due to pressure and problems caused by misguided parents. As a result, many positions have to be filled by out-of-the-building personnel. This means that athletic directors may experience more stress by having to provide mentoring and professional development programs for this group in addition to efforts to also help teacher-coaches. Also, communication with non-teacher coaches is often difficult, which increases the challenge.”

While Scott Heinauer, the director of athletics at Mars Area School District in Pennsylvania, had similar thoughts regarding assessment concerning the lack of teachers willing to coach. “Qualifications and certifications of coaches has changed greatly over the years,” Heinauer said. “In some states and districts, non-teacher coaches have to complete a coach education program (the NFHS certification initiative and the NFHS Learning Center course would be a great example) in order to coach. And this is a good thing!”

Kristin Crites, the director of athletics and activities at the Ewing Marion Kauffman School in Kansas City, Missouri, noted that “many in athletic administration have had to adjust and define the difference between education-based athletics versus club or community-based programs for parents and the community. While we would like winning teams and for athletes to reach their full potential, winning is not the only or ultimate objective.”

“As athletic administrators, we have to be ever mindful of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Crites continued. “This has rightfully become more apparent in the last 10 years. We have to continually make sound, carefully crafted decisions regarding the student-athlete’s welfare, and growth and development, and that we are providing the best environment and opportunity for all.”

Mark Edgemon, longtime former athletic administrator in the state of California, also discussed the increased opportunities for online professional development for coaches, that being the decrease in teachers willing to coach and the impact that social media has had on communication and the promotion of athletic programs.

“Fundraising is no longer simply a supplemental effort; it has become for some an absolute necessity in order to keep their programs in operation,” Edgemon said “This means much more time and effort have to be put into this aspect. There are increasing opportunities for athletic administrators to increase their knowledge and competencies, which will benefit student-athletes, coaches and their program. More schools are recognizing the value of having an athletic trainer who is connected to the school either as a teacher during the day or in a full-time capacity.”

Of course, COVID-19 also represented a major change in the last two to three years. According to Felice, “This development forced athletic administrators to focus on emergency measures and preparedness, and to collaborate more closely with state and local health departments. Changes in communication, game operations and flexibility caused everyone to develop skillsets that were unprecedented and largely non-existent.”

Another major change in the past few years has been the shortage of officials, and this poses a major threat to high school athletic programs.

“The way that we treat officials is something that needs to fundamentally change,” Quatromoni said. “To have athletic competition, you need officials. But spectator abuse should not and cannot be the reason individuals avoid this profession. We may also need to develop outreach and developmental programs before it is too late.”

Sportsmanship has been an issue for decades and some may take it for granted. Heinauer thinks that there is more reported violence by participants, coaches and spectators than at any time.

“This may be due to the overemphasis of winning, lack of adequate supervision, the need for better protocols at some venues, the overall lack of respect, social inequities in schools and perhaps misguided, overinvolvement by parents and some in the community,” Heinauer said. He said efforts have to be made to regain control and to ensure a safe, positive environment for high school sports.

“A good place to improve sportsmanship and decrease the level of violence is to start by trying to instill or reinsert respect into our programs,” Heinauer said.

“It is imperative for athletic administrators to help their coaches with decision-making, improving interactions and communication, and to limit liability,” Crites said. “The more that we can do to provide the tools, training and guidance, the better the results in many of the situations that they may face.”

“There are increasingly more issues with poor sportsmanship and anger issues by fans, coaches, athletes, and especially those directed at officials,” Borer said. “Some might say this issue has been around for ages, but it has become especially difficult in the past 10 years.” It might be a microcosm of society in general, and restrictions on attendance at games due to the pandemic may also have had an effect, since fans were not exposed to established sportsmanship expectations.

And a common response from these athletic administrators was that this position is still the best job in high schools, and collectively everyone agreed that it takes a lot of time and work. But it is also extremely rewarding, and they wouldn’t trade the experience and the journey for anything.

While changes have certainly occurred over the past 10 years, it is also safe to assume that more will take place in the future. This is, after all, the normal process. But athletic administrators will learn, adjust, meet the challenges, and continue to provide the best education-based environment for their student-athletes and coaching staff.