Creating Program Pride and Establishing Education-based Expectations

Success in sports may be defined by some through wins and losses. In education-based athletics, wins or championships are not the only or ultimate objective – providing learning opportunities for student-athletes is the No. 1 goal.

Creating program pride and establishing education-based expectations should be at the top of every athletic administrator’s todo list. The two aforementioned areas are vital to the daily and long-term success of programs, not only in the win or loss column, but the overall morale and student and community involvement with the teams.

One way to create this atmosphere is by hosting a celebratory event at your school that can shed light on the significance of creating program pride and establishing education-based expectations.

The Pioneer Pride Classic was designed to positively influence and educate the Lampeter-Strasburg (Pennsylvania) School District athletic community involving student-athletes, coaches, parents or guardians, and community members. This celebratory evening highlights the previous year’s athletic accomplishments, provides an opportunity for the athletic administrator to speak to coaches, student- athletes, and the community about sportsmanship and citizenship, and officially kicks off a new school year and the sports seasons.

The free event includes performances from the varsity football cheerleading squad, and the high school marching band. Along with recognizing athletes and coaches from fall, winter and spring teams, and mentioning the success they had during their seasons, sharing examples of positive sportsmanship, and earning all-academic awards are included.

The impetus behind the first Pioneer Pride Classic was twofold. First, the evening was an opportunity to unveil and celebrate the grand opening of a $5 million athletic renovation plan that included two new turf fields. Second, the event was meant to create awareness that an athletic community can become accustomed to winning, while losing the perspective of what education-based athletics is supposed to provide. When winning championships happens consistently, winning becomes second nature and an expectation. Student-athletes and coaches may feel added pressure and can struggle with how to manage this pressure. This stress may especially be felt by coaches, since they may be trying to maintain a program that is built upon education-based athletics and not simply winning. This event is used to educate – and more importantly influence – the community, and that begins with the message offered by the athletic administrator.

It is important that athletic administrators not only share their philosophy of education-based athletics at an event like this, but also live it daily when interacting with student-athletes, coaches and the community. Servant leadership is an approach where individuals such as athletic directors, coaches and student-athletes complete tasks to serve others rather than accrue power or try to control them. This method has proved to be fruitful in teaching student-athletes about the purpose of education-based athletics, all while assisting those special people behind the scenes who keep the athletic programs operating. As adult leaders of teams and programs, you must consistently communicate and demonstrate to student- athletes how all people should be treated and the importance they play in the success of our programs, no matter what their role.

An important piece of the athletic administrator presentation during the event should focus on delivering a message that resonates with the crowd such as thanking those people who work behind the scenes in preparing for practice and competition such as athletic trainers, bus drivers, custodians, grounds crew and other support personnel. It is vital to talk about education-based athletics so that all who are involved know that participation in sports consists of more than just winning. It is about being servant leaders, picking teammates and opponents up after getting knocked down, shaking hands after the game, and most importantly, realizing it is just a game, and a game that attempts to teach everyone lessons on every play.

As an athletic administrator, you may reflect on this event and think, “This is why I love my job!” On the evening of this event, you should be reminded of why working with student-athletes and coaches in the field of athletic administration is so impactful. This event is about being a part of a team and community. It is not about playing time, which player is starting a game, scholarships, poor spectator behavior, or winning and losing. It is about celebrating one another for exactly what education-based athletics is all about: the growth and development of young people, lifelong qualities, traits, and skills such as leadership, teamwork and communication, along with character traits such as perseverance and sportsmanship.

This event should also provide athletic administrators an opportunity to delicately offer expectations for the athletic department and community. This evening includes the opportunity to improve the morale and attitude of the athletic department and community with regard to keeping education-based athletics in perspective and should encourage the involvement by all stakeholders – student-athletes, coaches and spectators at athletic events. As this event begins to grow, consider additional ways to enhance the lessons provided in each opportunity when speaking to your audience. The following are a few expectations involving education-based athletics that might be added in the future:

• Increase the number of teams involved in community service. Very much like sportsmanship, giving back to the community is a great benchmark.

• Initiate student-athlete leadership programs, which is a concrete way to emphasize and develop this lifelong quality that is usually associated with education-based athletics.

• Emphasize efforts to thank officials after games. This step demonstrates respect and is critically important to develop a good relationship.

• Create initiatives to educate parents and fans in order to improve behavior at games.

By implementing these initiatives, this event will inevitably strengthen your school spirit and benefit your athletic program, the school and community at large.