Training Game Management Staff – a Task for Athletic Directors, Administrators

High school athletic events are among the most visible and emotionally charged activities within a school community. Football and basketball, in particular, present unique challenges due to crowd size, emotional intensity and heightened safety considerations. While coaches and athletes are the focal point of competition, experienced administrators understand that the success, or failure, of an event often hinges on the effectiveness of the game management staff.

For athletic directors, principals and superintendents, training game management personnel is not simply an operational task. It is a leadership responsibility directly connected to student safety, community trust and district liability.

Establishing Clear Roles and Administrative Authority
Effective game management begins with clarity. Every individual involved in event supervision must understand their role, responsibilities and reporting structure. This includes site supervisors, ticketing staff, security personnel, crowd control staff, scoreboard operator, clock and public-address announcer, athletic trainers, and administrative supervisors.

Equally important, there should be a clearly defined chain of command. Administrators must determine in advance who holds decision-making authority for situations such as contest suspension, weather delays, ejections due to unacceptable spectator behavior, or a facility evacuation. If this authority dynamic is unclear, response time slows and the potential of risk increases. Clear expectations will empower the staff to act decisively and confidently under pressure.

Aligning Game Management with School and District Values
Game management training should reflect the broader values and expectations of the school and district. Sportsmanship, respect for officials, and appropriate spectator behavior must be reinforced consistently through both policy and practice.

When administrators, coaches and game management staff share a common philosophy, expectations are easier to enforce. In addition, coaches play a critical role in modeling behavior for student- athletes and spectators. Training sessions should emphasize collaboration between coaches and game management personnel, reinforcing shared responsibility for maintaining a positive and respectful game environment.

Selecting and Preparing the Right Personnel
While experience is valuable, the most effective game management staff demonstrate sound judgment, professionalism, and strong interpersonal skills. Athletic directors should prioritize reliability, communication ability and composure when selecting personnel.

Many schools successfully utilize retired educators, former coaches and current school employees. Regardless of their background, all personnel should receive standardized training to ensure consistency across events, sports and venues.

Preseason Training as Risk Management
Preseason game management training is one of the most effective risk-reduction strategies available to school leaders. These sessions should be held in conjunction with seasonal coaches’ meetings and should be mandatory and comprehensive, addressing district policies, state association regulations, emergency action plans, and legal considerations.

Scenario-based training is particularly valuable. Reviewing situations involving spectator ejections, bench decorum issues, confrontations involving coaches or players, medical emergencies, and the potential for severe weather allows administrators and staff to align responses before facing real-time decision-making. For athletic directors, preseason training establishes expectations before the first whistle and reduces the likelihood that critical decisions will be made under pressure without preparation. Written protocols, emergency contacts and event checklists should be reviewed annually.

Sport-Specific Planning for High-Risk Events
Football and basketball require heightened planning due to their increased risk profiles. Football events often involve large crowds, multiple entry points, tailgating, field access concerns, and weather-related challenges. Basketball contests present issues related to confined spaces, student sections, visiting fans unfamiliar with your standards and expectations, bench decorum involving coaches and athletes, and elevated emotional intensity.

Administrators should adjust staffing levels, security presence and supervisory coverage based on the anticipated environment of each contest. Rivalry games, playoff contests and community events demand proactive planning rather than reactive responses.

Communication and Unified Decision-Making
Clear communication before and during events is essential. Pre-game administrative briefings allow athletic directors, principals, site supervisors and security personnel to align expectations and responsibilities. Established communication protocols ensure rapid and coordinated responses when issues arise.

Coordination with contest officials is equally important. Administrators should make their presence known before the contest, clarify expectations, and establish open lines of communication. By working as a unified event management team, administrators and officials reinforce authority, support one another’s decisions, and reduce the likelihood that inappropriate behavior will escalate during the contest.

Conflict Management and Administrative Support
Game management staff must be trained in de-escalation techniques and appropriate intervention strategies. Administrators should emphasize professionalism, consistency and restraint when addressing spectator or bench issues.

Clear protocols for the removal of individuals need to be established and thorough documentation of incidents is vital to protect both staff members and the institution. When administrators visibly support officials and trained personnel, they reinforce credibility and establish a clear standard for acceptable behavior.

Emergency Preparedness and Student Safety
Emergency preparedness should be one of the highest priorities for school leaders. Game management staff must be familiar with emergency action plans, medical response procedures, evacuation protocols, and the coordination procedures with local emergency services.

Administrators should ensure athletic trainers and medical personnel are fully integrated into event planning and that postevent incident reports are completed accurately and promptly.

Continuous Evaluation and Program Improvement
Effective game management is an evolving process. Post-event reviews allow administrators and staff to assess performance, identify areas for improvement, and refine protocols. Mentoring new personnel and providing ongoing professional development strengthens the overall program.

This commitment to continuous improvement reinforces a culture of preparedness, accountability and professionalism.

Leadership Sets the Standard
For athletic administrators, coaches, principals and superintendents, well-trained game management staff are a reflection of strong leadership. When administrators prioritize training, clarity and collaboration, they create safer environments, protect their institutions, and enhance the overall athletic experience.

Game management is not simply about supervision; it is about modeling expectations, safeguarding students, and ensuring athletics remain a positive extension of the educational mission.

Chip Salvestrini is the athletic director for the Danbury (Connecticut) Public Schools. A veteran administrator with more than four decades of leadership in education-based athletics at the secondary and intercollegiate levels, his extensive background includes experience as a head football coach and a professional career as a player in the NFL.