When it comes to sports, the idea
of being a team player is crucial. It is about putting all the right pieces
together to help form the big picture.
This is not just the players. It starts with the administration and
coaching staff. What qualities must the staff possess to be successful to win? In Career Patterns of Athletic Directors, the article discussed how choosing the
wrong coach can lead to the end of an athletic director’s career.
The Athletic Director is looked
at as the foundation for his coaching staff. The AD must be able to look
through interview after interview and chose the perfect candidate. The win
column does not always solidify a job. Looking
in depth is definitely needed in order to have a successful staff. A coach has to be the front face of their
sport, and any scrutiny can bring the whole program down. Don’t always fall for
the pep talk. Pick the right pieces to complete the puzzle.
An article by Orlando (2012) discussed how difficult it can be to build the
perfect program. Too many times the AD thinks that they have hired the “right
guy”, and their program has suffered due to it. Seeing coaches like Sandusky
and the Rutgers coach, who was caught throwing basketballs, can give a real
scare to athletic directors. Most athletic directors would save their program
before they save a coach who is making bad decisions. Landing a golden coach like Bob Stoops can be
hard, but it also takes risks. Anyone can
ace the interview or rack up the win total, but it also takes good character
off the field to be a top-notch coach.
References
Orlando, M. (2012). Leadership Implications and Ethical Solutions SOF
Athletic Directors In Producing A Successful Division 1-A Football Program. Review
Of Management Innovation & Creativity, 5(14), 81-87.
Fitzgerald, M. P., Sagaria, M. D., & Nelson, B. (1994). Career Patterns
of Athletic Directors: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom. Journal Of Sport
Management, 8(1), 14-26.
Anytime a coach is hired there are good reasons behind it. As we see many times today some coaches are not out what the AD thought they were going to be. Athletic directors have a tough job as it is and sometimes can be blind sided. It is very hard to read people today so I am not sure if there is a better way to do things during the hiring process. Whatever the case may be there athletic directors do need to look deep down at who they are hiring as this is the person that they are making the "face" of the program.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, anyone can dominate an interview process, but coaching is an entirely different story. As an AD I can imagine how difficult it could be to truly judge a coaches character. And, as a coach it can be difficult to live by your character, especially when your job is dictated and evaluated by your win-loss record. I honestly think that if AD's redirected their focus of success towards moral education versus the win and loss record, coaches like Sandusky would be completely eliminated from the profession.
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