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What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Curious observer ()
Date: January 03, 2013 11:09AM

Anyone know what a Athletic Director is supposed to do at a high school?

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: nothing ()
Date: January 03, 2013 11:10AM

NOTHING
go online and read blogs,
attend some games and act like a happy guy

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: BEH ()
Date: January 03, 2013 11:20AM

Wasn't that Jerry Sandusky's title?

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Hay Zeus ()
Date: January 03, 2013 11:49AM

He's probably the basketball coach. Much like football coaches teach drivers ed. Its way to pay someone to be a coach.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Date: January 03, 2013 11:51AM

Schedules games
Oversees facilities
Ensures rules compliance

My guess is a pretty thankless and headache-filled job, all things considered.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Ex Teacher ()
Date: January 03, 2013 12:11PM

It's real PITA job, in addition to scheduling, compliance, equipment responsibility, overseeing coaches, dealing with complaining parents (see Lake Braddock girls' basketball thread), usually reponsible for administering/evaluating PE Department, physical plant responsibility, often responsible for managing custodial staff, and other general administrative duties. They spend an inordinate amount of time at the school, because they are responsible for all activities. Most midlevel, governement and government contractor personnel get paid more.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: The man ()
Date: January 03, 2013 12:11PM

They aren't Athletic Directors in Fairfax County. They are Directors of Student Activities, so they don't just oversee sports. It's a job many want but very difficult and time consuming, despite what morons will write on this site.

They are responsible for homecoming dances, proms, clubs, and other activities the school puts on, in addition to overseeing the sports programs. That alone is a full-time job. They have to hire and fire coaches, deal with the booster club, arrange referees for every game/match/meet/contest, arrange buses for away games, manage game finances, set up gyms and fields for games, take parent meetings, deal with discipline issues with athletes, go to the region DSA meeting once a week, work nights and weekends at games home and away, arrange ticket takers, snack bar workers, floor sweepers, score keepers, announcers. They ensure coaches have uniforms and equipment, they have to deal with scoreboards that break, bleachers that don't function, lights that go out. Locker room issues.

In addition, many DSAs and their assistants must oversee the school's PE Department.

It's a lot of work.I've never worked in the school system but have volunteered long enough to know what it entails

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Hay Zeus ()
Date: January 03, 2013 12:15PM

Tedious job does not = hard job

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Date: January 03, 2013 12:27PM

Its time consuming, but that's it. And most HS's have two assistants plus an admin. Its not rocket science, get paid like an AP. Easy gig.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Jack Dale ()
Date: January 03, 2013 12:32PM

If you are a C student in college, then you major in PE and become a PE teacher. And then you kiss the principal's ass for 5-10 years and become a sorry ass athletic director who plays favorites with athletes and parents all while collecting $100,000 per year to babysit grown children and helicopter dads at sporting contests.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Jess1 ()
Date: January 03, 2013 12:41PM

From FCPS:
"The DSA is a full-time Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) administrative position responsible for the athletic program and student activities; a DSA in FCPS has the same educational qualifications as a Principal in FCPS. In addition to managing the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Athletic and Activities Program of a local high school or secondary school, DSA’s have instructional responsibilities, building managerial responsibilities, and other duties assigned by the school principal. Some DSA’s have additional training through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators’ Association (NIAAA) where they have qualified as a Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA), Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) or Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA). "

In other words, what "jackdale" wrote above...

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: CHS ()
Date: January 03, 2013 12:46PM

There was an AD with the first name of Donna at Chantilly when I was there and I'd have to say she was one of the most unpleasant FCPS employees I've ever met. She was partial to certain teams and it was well known that players & coaches alike avoided her like the plague. Not sure if it was job stress or her personality that made things that way.

That being said, I know that Oakton's AD at the time was extremely well liked.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Charger time ()
Date: January 03, 2013 03:14PM

Her name was Donna King at Chantilly and is in the Hall of Shame for DSAs in the County. This was a dark time in Chantilly history for sports. Coaches couldn't stand her and she was a nightmare. She did stupid things like schedule boys/girls varsity basketball doubleheaders, but would schedule the boys games first and everyone would leave after the game and not stay for the girls game. That would anger the other school's administrators and they would vow never to do that again. She hired a female to coach the boys soccer team, which was a disaster, and she hired a baseball coach without really opening the job up to outside applicants and he hadn't coached in about 20 years. She also hired Marty Riddle, who was a disaster as a football coach and was 0-10 in his one year there. She was awful.

She had to be removed from her position by the higher ups in the county because the community came together and basically did everything they could do to get her out. And it worked. And it was the right thing to do.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: from coaching inner circle ()
Date: January 03, 2013 05:02PM

Well, let's see...To address the statements and add some background.....

DK @ CHS might have been terrible according to some folks, but she won the NATIONAL AD of the year award before "retiring" and moving over to county parks and rec. Protecting their own.

DSAs all have at least one full-time assistant and at some schools, two full-time assistants who do not teach, along with a secretary and in many cases handfuls of voluteers. It is a thankless, time consuming job, but it is cushy and lucrative.

Nearly every DSA makes above 90K. Many are well over 100K as they are on the admin scale. However, only half in FCPS have ever been head coaches, let alone successful head coaches.

They have ample opportunity to pad they our pockets and those of their assistants and the faculty/staff they like by awarding stipends. There is 3K for mowing the field grass, another 3 K for painting lines and yet another 3K for ticket collection. YES! There is money allotted for paying BOTH the folks who take money at the gate and the person (usually their secretary) who counts all the money and synchronizes the tickets numbers. wink, wink

How many of you have "volunteered" to take tickets for a game associated with your own kids sport? You got duped!!! Some DSAs pay out and others don't. That is BS.

Many of you attend sporting functions, pay at the gate/door, get a hand stamp and go into the event. Ever wonder how much money is collected? Don't worry the volunteer working the door gladly gives up the box just after halftime. The money certainly matches the report submitted to the county the next day because the tickets that have to match up are right here in the closet. No need to be skeptical. This is certainly all legit. Not!

Also, every DSA runs at least one district tournament. Nearly every one of them gets a bonus of a grand for that....you know.....their job!

There are a few that are good folks, but others are "Yes men" who never stand up to helicopter parents, they botch bus scheduling, are absent in oversight of programs until there is a problem do not mentor any coaches (because most can't) and are rarely seen at events for smaller teams, unsuccessful teams and/or away games.

They have to deal with the drug and alcohol problems, as well as academic issues and attendance infractions. What a crock attendance is. When was the last time the lead in the school play was suspended from performing for being late to school? That never happens, but the same DSAs suspend athletes to "send a message" a total load of bull there too. On the other hand, each year there are at least a half dozen cover ups of alcohol parties affecting entire teams in-season. The opponents do not find out until after the boozers beat them and suspentions are handed out after the season.

Like the presidency, the folks organized and best suited for the the job are also smart enough to stay away from the headaches and scandals.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Jack Dale ()
Date: January 03, 2013 05:14PM

Jess 1:

Most male principals are former dimwit PE teachers who have networked into administration. So yes, you are right. An AD is a principal jockey. Who are we fooling. These ADs can't spell cat if you spotted them the C and the A. Most of time they are off playing golf or working out.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Jim Beam ()
Date: January 03, 2013 05:17PM

DSA responsiblities translation: You must exhibit janitorial skills, equipment management capabilities, and be able to look professional while alwayws carrying a clipboard and megaphone. "Get off the field." "Stay away from the balls." "Tickets are $5 for both games." Hard work indeed.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: dotey ()
Date: January 03, 2013 06:28PM

Jack Dale Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are a C student in college, then you major
> in PE and become a PE teacher. And then you kiss
> the principal's ass for 5-10 years and become a
> sorry ass athletic director who plays favorites
> with athletes and parents all while collecting
> $100,000 per year to babysit grown children and
> helicopter dads at sporting contests.


"Collecting $100,000"...LOL. Like that is some ass-load of dough.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Dsa ()
Date: January 03, 2013 07:25PM

You must have a masters degree in administration to be a DSA. Not just some random PE teacher.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Jess1 ()
Date: January 03, 2013 08:08PM

"masters degree in administration"

... the modern equivalent of what we once called a "High school Diploma".

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Curious observer ()
Date: January 08, 2013 07:32AM

Guess that explains why the Woodson DSA rescheduled a bunch of basketball games without telling anyone so that the assistant girl's varsity coach could watch her son's varsity games. Great for her, but mighty inconvenient for other parents who have to re-juggle schedules and leave work early to watch their kids play at different times. Apparently there was no need to talk to all the other parents who support the program and run the concessions, just like there's no need for the DSA to actually play a role in the sports program - much easier to sit back and let the coaches do what they want.

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: JoeyD ()
Date: January 08, 2013 01:44PM

curious observer, you are a complete moron, not one part of your statement has any truth to it

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Re: What does a high school Athletic Director do?
Posted by: Stevens ()
Date: January 08, 2013 01:50PM

Nearly every DSA makes above 90K. Many are well over 100K as they are on the admin scale. However, only half in FCPS have ever been head coaches, let alone successful head coaches.

They have ample opportunity to pad they our pockets and those of their assistants and the faculty/staff they like by awarding stipends. There is 3K for mowing the field grass, another 3 K for painting lines and yet another 3K for ticket collection--- NOT TRUE, DSA'S CANT PAY THEMSELVES ANY OF THESE STIPENDS, . There is money allotted for paying BOTH the folks who take money at the gate--NOT TRUE, THERE IS GAME MGMT (SUPERVISE THE EVENT) $$ BUT NOT TICKET TAKING $$


Also, every DSA runs at least one district tournament. Nearly every one of them gets a bonus of a grand for that....you know.....their job!- ITS ABOUT $250, NO WHERE NEAR $1000,


They have to deal with the drug and alcohol problems, as well as academic issues and attendance infractions. What a crock attendance is. When was the last time the lead in the school play was suspended from performing for being late to school? That never happens, but the same DSAs suspend athletes to "send a message" a total load of bull there too. On the other hand, each year there are at least a half dozen cover ups of alcohol parties affecting entire teams in-seasoN- NOT TRUE The opponents do not find out until after the boozers beat them and suspentions are handed out after the season.

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