In High School Athletics, Don’t Try to Keep Up with the Joneses

With regard to the current college landscape, some see an arms race in athletics with respect to building new, spectacular facilities and providing amenities to attract athletes. The obvious question has been raised, will this or has this approach begun to seep into the high school level?

Some people believe they have to have better facilities and more money to succeed. Other schools might be behind the 8-ball because they aren’t on the same level as their opponents. They can’t keep up with the Joneses.

Certainly, you always want the best facilities possible for your athletes, but facilities and money do not make a program! Instead, it is always the people who make the difference. If your school has subpar facilities and limited financial resources, it does make things a little more difficult. But talented, dedicated, hard-working people can and do overcome hurdles. The secret, therefore, is to fill your coaching positions with individuals who have these positive qualities and who will do everything possible to help their athletes to be the best that they can be.

It is noteworthy that corporations figured out decades ago that talented and qualified employees are the most important ingredient. Therefore, creative, passionate, dedicated and visionary individuals are coveted in the business sector. They have ideas, ideals and come up with solutions that propel their companies forward. It is for this reason, that corporations put great effort into their human resources initiatives in order to identify, hire and train the best candidates. While facilities and amenities are nice, people are the key to success!

Educational research, for example, has determined that the No. 1 element or ingredient needed for high school students to achieve academic success is the leadership of a principal. Logically, therefore, it is the athletic administrator who should create the vision, organization and implement the strategic plan to develop a great education-based environment for the school’s student-athletes and coaches to succeed.

There may be one exception to the concept of not building new venues to keep pace with neighboring school systems. If your school is located in a fast-growing area with new housing starts, new athletic and performing arts facilities may help to attract families in order to maintain the enrollment and tax base of the district. While this may represent a good incentive, simply building to match or surpass other districts as a form of competition beyond the results on the court or playing field is not a sound educational approach.

Also, a distinction needs to be made. The goal is not to develop a “winning” culture or program. With caring, dedicated coaches in place who work hard with good athletes, victories may occur. But the objective always has to be to establish a positive, supportive, nurturing education-based environment. Victories will take care of themselves and it should not be the ultimate objective!

What’s an athletic administrator to do when others have better facilities, more money and seemingly every advantage?

• Persevere and constantly give everything that you have to the responsibilities of your position. This means being the best leader and manager that you can be, and it does take both skill sets in order to be successful. But all efforts and initiatives to overcome limitations start with the athletic director.

• Always stay positive, encouraging and supportive. While this isn’t always easy, it means being a role model and an example for your coaches. The terms of being a leader by example or a servant leader is exactly what is needed. In order for coaches to serve their athletes, they have to set the proper tone.

• Look for and hire individuals who care, are committed and will serve as mentors and role models for their student-athletes. It is vital that coaches see the big picture and only think in terms of doing everything they can to help their athletes. Coaches – not facilities or money – make the difference with teams.

• Develop a mindset that fundraising will be an integral, necessary part of your responsibilities. While this effort will take time and work to survive, it is a better alternative than simply decrying the lack of financial resources.

• Engage and convince your coaches that their help with fundraising may be necessary. Worrying or complaining doesn’t solve anything. Most problems require a plan, time and effort to develop a solution. Coaches will need to pitch in to help themselves in order to close any gap that may exist, and a good appeal to use is that a team effort is needed.

• Form a single, overall booster club to help with the fundraising efforts. This step means that you will have to provide the oversight and leadership with this group, but their help can be an essential ingredient for providing additional financial support.

• Constantly and publicly praise your coaches for all of their great efforts on behalf of their players.

• It is vitally important, therefore, to try to retain individuals who work selflessly, overcome hurdles and nurture student-athletes. While you may not be able to provide the newest facilities and all of the amenities, you can and need to let them know that you greatly appreciate everything that they do. This step and the working-relationships which they have forged may help to keep exemplary coaches in your program.

• Work diligently to prepare and submit proposals to create new or to refurbish existing facilities. In spite of the difficulties, it is vital to persevere, perhaps take a different approach and constantly work to improve the environment for your athletes and coaching staff. Even if your latest effort is shot down, it is important for everyone involved to see that you are behind their interests and want the best for them.

While continuing to do everything that you can to improve your situation, it is important to also appreciate, recognize and accentuate the growth, development and accomplishments of your student-athletes. Instead of being consumed with keeping up with the Joneses by adding new facilities and amenities, step back and enjoy the efforts that your coaches constantly make on behalf of their players. People are the most important, critical ingredient to any efforts or objectives of an organization. It’s not money and it’s not facilities – it is caring, dedicated, committed people!