Athletic Management 22.4 by Momentummedia

Athletic

Management June/July 2010

The Next Step

Helping athletes transition to life after sports › Community-Based Hiring › The Art of Internal Fundraising › 2.0 to Play › Fitness Facilities

Vol. XXII, No. 4

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Contents June/July 2010

Vol. XXII, No. 4

WARMUP

4 High School News Fighting stipend cuts

9 New Media

The power of video

12 Sports Medicine New concussion rules raise questions

16 Fundraising

Rookie makes good

17 30 COVER STORY The Next Step

For student-athletes who have focused on athletics their whole life, the years after graduating from college can be extremely difficult. Fortunately, more and more schools are implementing innovative programs to help their athletes successfully leave the sports world behind.

41 STUDENT-ATHLETE WELFARE Better Than Passing

What happens when your school board implements a 2.0 minimum GPA requirement for student-athletes? This athletic department is currently going through the transition.

17 Academic Reform Division III collects data

Q&A

19 Rick Cole Jr. Dowling College

GAMEPLANS

23 Celebrating a Title By Dr. David Hoch 27 Diversity Programs

By Doug Tiedt, Bridget Warren, and Sean Frazier

47 FUNDRAISING Inside Move

Being an effective fundraiser requires leaving no stone unturned—even on your own campus. Here’s a look at the art of internal fundraising.

53 HIRING Public Pulse

When it comes to choosing a new head coach, everyone has an opinion. In response, some high schools are opening up the hiring process to the community.

59 LEADERSHIP On Center Stage

In today’s tough economy, revenue is king, but don’t overlook the various ways that public relations can add to the bottom line.

77 SCOUTING REPORT Focus on Fitness

Our Straight Talk article features new ideas in using video, while product sections include fitness facilities, washers and dryers, and tools for equipment storage. Also, preview exhibitors at the NACDA and AEMA conventions.

66 Web Site Directory On the cover At the University of Oregon, senior student-athletes like Neena Bryant transition to post-college life with the help of special programs and mentoring. Story begins on page 30. Photo by Eric Evans/University of Oregon Athletics.

88 Advertisers Directory 96 Next Stop: Web Site

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 1

Editorial Board VOL. XXII, NO. 4

Elizabeth “Betsy” A. Alden, PhD, President, Alden & Associates, Inc.

JUNE/JULY 2010

PUBLISHER Mark Goldberg

Dixie Bennett, MEd, CRSS, Director of Recreational Sports, Loyola University Steve Blake, Regional Manager of Capital Giving, Bucknell University

EDITOR IN CHIEF Eleanor Frankel

Craig Bogar, Director of Administration, United States Sports Academy

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Dennis Read, Greg Scholand

Dan Cardone, Athletic Director, North Hills High School, Pa. James Conn, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Health & Human Performance, Central Missouri State University Robert Corran, PhD, Director of Athletics, University of Vermont

ASSISTANT EDITORS RJ Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Abigail Funk, Kyle Garratt, Mike Phelps

James Cox, Director of Athletics, Miami Dade College Joan Cronan, Women’s Athletic Director, University of Tennessee

ART DIRECTOR Pamela Crawford

Roger Crosley, Coordinator of Athletic Operations, Emerson College Bernie DePalma, Head Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist, Cornell University

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR David Dubin

Tom Douple, Commissioner, Mid-Continent Conference

CIRCULATION MANAGER John Callaghan

Douglas Duval, CAA, Athletic Director, Mundelein High School, Ill.

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Maria Bise

Jay Gardiner, Director of Athletics, Oglethorpe University

GRAPHIC ARTIST Trish Landsparger

Dale Gibson, EdD, Chair, Dept. of Education and Sport Management, Tusculum College

PREPRESS MANAGER Neal Betts

Mike Glazier, Partner, Bond, Schoeneck & King

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Natalie Couch

Steve Green, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Northwestern University Kevin Hatcher, Athletic Director, Cal State San Bernardino

BUSINESS MANAGER Pennie Small

Phillip Hossler, ATC, Athletic Trainer, East Brunswick High School, N.J.

SPECIAL PROJECTS Dave Wohlhueter

E. Newton Jackson, Jr., PhD, Chair, Dept. of HPER, Florida A&M University

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Sharon Barbell

Dick Kemper, CMAA, Athletic Director, St. Christopher’s School, Va. Bob Knickerbocker, Athletic Equipment Coordinator, Michigan State University

MARKETING DIRECTOR Sheryl Shaffer

John Knorr, EdD, Professor of Kinesiology, former Director of Athletics, St. Edward’s University

AD MATERIALS COORDINATOR Mike Townsend

Donald Lowe, MA, ATC, Executive Director, College Athletic Trainers' Society Keith Manos, Wrestling Coach, Richmond Heights High School, Ohio Glen Marinelli, Head Athletic Trainer, Marist College Robert Mathner, PhD, Assistant Professor, Sport Management, Troy University Kirk McQueen, Director of Campus Recreation, Georgia Institute of Technology Anthony “Chick” Napolitano, EMC, Equipment Manager, Newburgh Free Academy, N.Y. Fred Nuesch, Coordinator of Athletic External Affairs, Texas A&M-Kingsville Tony Pascale, Athletic Director, West Genesee High School, N.Y. Jamie Plunkett, Head Athletic Trainer, Allegheny College

BUSINESS & EDITORIAL OFFICES 31 Dutch Mill Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 Phone: (607) 257-6970, Fax: (607) 257-7328 e-mail: info@MomentumMedia.com ADVERTISING SALES ASSOCIATES Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Pat Wertman, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21

Chris Ritrievi, Associate Director of Athletics, University of Utah Matthew J. Robinson, EdD, Associate Professor/Director of Sport Management Program, University of Delaware Calli Theisen Sanders, EdD, Senior Associate Athletics Director, Iowa State University Terry Schlatter, EMC, Equipment Manager, University of Wisconsin Tim Slauter, CMAA, Director of Athletics, McCutcheon High School, Ind. Michael Slive, Commissioner, Southeastern Conference Donald Staffo, PhD, Dept. Chair, Health, Phys. Ed., & Rec., Stillman College Ellen Staurowsky, EdD, Associate Professor of Sport Sciences/Coordinator of Sports Information and Communication Program, Ithaca College William F. Stier, Jr., EdD, Director of Sport Management/ Coordinator of Sport Coaching, State University of New York at Brockport Lou Strasberg, University Travel Coordinator, The University of Memphis E. Michael Stutzke, CMAA, Athletic Director, Sebastian River High School, Fla. Michael Thomas, Director of Athletics, University of Cincinnati

Athletic Management (ISSN 1554-2033) is published bimonthly for a total of 6 times a year, by MAG, Inc., 31 Dutch Mill Rd., Ithaca, NY, 14850. Athletic Management is distributed without charge to qualified high school and collegiate athletic program and athletic facilities personnel. The paid subscription rate is $24 for one year/six issues in the United States and $30.00 in Canada. The single copy price is $7. Copyright ©2010 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Periodicals postage paid at Ithaca, NY, and additional mailing offices.

Brian Trotter, District Athletic Director, Penn-Delco School District, Pa. Michael Vienna, PhD, Athletic Director, Salisbury University Randy Warrick, Athletic Director, University of South Carolina at Aiken William Whitehill, EdD, ATC, Director, Athletic Training Curriculum, Middle Tennessee State University Sister Lynn Winsor, BVM, CMAA, Athletic Director, Xavier College Preparatory, Ariz. Tom Yeager, Commissioner, Colonial Athletic Association 2 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Athletic Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, NY 14852-4806. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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WarmUp How do you raise $110,000 in one night and have a ton of fun in the process? At the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, the answer was to host a dance competition and dinner event based on the hit TV show “Dancing with the Stars.”

Fundraising

DancE party

Called “Dancing with the Wilmington Stars: Seahawk Style,” the competition generated money for UNCW’s student-athlete scholarship fund and drew a sell-out crowd of 450 guests. Eighteen local volunteers, some well known in the community and some not, danced with their spouses, other volunteers, or dance professionals from the school and local community.

High School News

A TOUGH FIGHT For school districts struggling to make ends meet and looking for more places to cut, a drastic idea has emerged: eliminating coaching stipends. Chris Johnson, Athletic Director at Ripon (Calif.) High School, is one administrator who faced such a proposal, fought it, and won. In January, a Ripon budget committee proposed cutting all extra duty pay for after-school activities, including $76,000 in coaching stipends. More than 20 years ago, the district stopped funding other expenses for the athletics program, relying on fundraising and charging athletic participation

4 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

fees to pay for transportation, officials, and equipment. Coaching stipends were reduced by 20 percent last year. Johnson believed eliminating coaching payments completely would ultimately destroy the athletics program. “Most coaches put the money right back into their teams,” he says. “If there were no stipends, it would actually cost them to keep coaching. Most would go look for jobs at other schools—maybe be an assistant coach and face a lot fewer headaches.” Johnson’s first step was to make it clear to the community what was

UNCW publicized the night with press releases, posters, and cards the dancers handed out to their friends that included directions on how to vote. Voting required a $10 donation and could be cast through the mail and online. On the night of the event, each pair performed for 90 seconds, and the four top vote getters danced a second round. Attendees and anyone voting online weighed in again and the person who received the most overall votes was the winner. “Although it was a daunting task to get everything to come together, we were having so much fun we didn’t consider anything too hard,” says Mehrtens. “People were excited because it was something new and different.” UNCW Athletic Director Kelly Mehrtens rumbas with community member Corey Barbour during the school’s dancing fundraiser.

ap photo/MICHAEL CLEVENGER (top)

Thanks to the efforts of Athletic Director Chris Johnson, coaches at Ripon (Calif.) High School will continue to receive stipends next year. Ripon tennis athlete Chris Kem competes, above.

“The participants will say I twisted their arms to get them to dance, and I owe them all,” says UNCW Athletic Director Kelly Mehrtens. “I recruited them through different acquaintances I’ve made in the community and people stepped up.”

Circle No. 102

WarmUp at stake. That included writing a letter to the editor of the local paper that outlined how the impact would extend beyond sports.

afford it. The result would be less students, and the money we get from the state based on daily attendance would decrease. “Plus I really believe that athletics is a school’s direct connection to the community,” he continues. “When people look from the outside, they don’t see the science experiments and all the other academic activities. They see the basketball teams and the football team.”

“Our community rallied together to let our school board know how much they value the athletic program … It will take community wide efforts to continue to keep high school sports alive.” “I argued that it would be the death of the school,” Johnson says. “Fifty percent of our students play sports, and I believed that many parents of those students would move their kids to a private school or another district if they could

NACDA Booth Nos. 519, 521 Untitled-3 1 6 JUNE/JULY 2008 | AthleticManagement.com 2010

Johnson also talked to parents, asking them to initiate discussions with others. “I needed them to realize that it was getting serious—their kids and their school were going to be directly impacted,” he says.

One of the discussions that arose was how the entire community could better work together. “Instead of having a travel team that’s raising money over here and a high school team raising money over there, maybe we need to come together as a community and decide what kind of programs we should provide for our kids,” Johnson says. “Are we looking at having a cohesive program or many teams go their own way and compete with each other for funds?” Throughout his pleas to the community, Johnson was careful to not talk about money specifically. “One in seven people in San Joaquin County are unemployed, so it’s tough to start complaining about losing a $2,000 stipend,” he says. “It’s really about valuing the programming we have.” He was also careful not to pit teams against each

other. “Everyone in the athletic department spoke with a unified voice,” says Johnson, who is also the school’s head football coach. “But that only works if there’s no hierarchy. The football coach is no more important than the softball coach who is no more important than the swimming coach.” In the end, all of Johnson’s efforts paid off, as the school board eventually removed the coaches’ stipends from the proposed budget cuts. “Our community rallied together to let our school board know how much they value the athletic program at the high school and the coaches that drive the program,” he says. “We will see what the future holds, although I imagine this is an issue that’s not going to go away. It will take community wide efforts to continue to keep high school sports alive.”

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WarmUp New Media

FROM PAGE TO SCREEN In late April, NCAA Division I leaders voted to prohibit schools from providing printed media guides to prospective student-athletes, a move intended to help members reduce recruiting costs. In anticipation of such a change, some schools have already begun to reformat their publication strategies, focusing on how today’s recruits (and fans) consume information. The University of South Florida is one school that did not print any traditional media guides in 2009-10. Instead, it created a record book for

each sport with all the information media members would need, which is available online as a PDF and printed upon request. Then it focused on building online interactive guides specifically geared toward prospective studentathletes and their parents, with fans of the program a secondary target. The USF Web guides cover much of the same ground as traditional guides, but present the information in a new way. Individual pages typically contain a limited amount of text, one or two large color pictures, a video, and links to more

information. Video clips run the gamut from a head coach’s welcome message on the first page, to player highlight reels, to a tour of Tampa’s beaches. While the new content is easy on the eyes, it’s also easy on

For every athletic director, ensuring the safety of student-athletes is top priority. Pre-participation forms, injury prevention, and educating coaches on risk management are par for the course.

“We decided it would be in the best interest of everybody [to close the game],” says Seneca Athletic Director Duke Lee. “We put a premium on the safety of our student-athletes, and our fans.”

But what do you do when athletes may be in danger of being harmed by something outside of your control? That was the situation for athletic directors at Seneca and Daniel High Schools in South Carolina this winter.

But that was not the end of the story. Just before the game, police discovered the threats were not connected to Daniel. This information prompted administrators to soften their restrictions, and they decided to allow parents into the games.

The first week in February, Seneca was set to host Daniel in Friday night boys’ and girls’ basketball games, when the athletic directors at each school received phone calls from the local police department. Police were investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred the previous weekend and believed two Daniel players might be in danger, specifically during the Friday night games.

Kenny FEY/THE (SENECA) JOURNAL

At USF, new online media guides feature video clips on most pages. Clockwise from left, an athletic trainer explains the sports medicine program, a player talks about their great fan support, and team members are shown working out.

Administrators from both schools immediately met. They decided to still play the game—but not allow any spectators. Attendees were limited to team members, coaches, officials, game personnel, school administrators, law enforcement officials, and properly credentialed media members.

the athletic department’s bottom line. “We were able to eliminate almost our entire printing budget, which averaged about $90,000 in each of the previous two years,” says Chris Freet, Assistant Athletics Director for Communi-

Game Security

Closing the doors

Then, Mother Nature got involved and a winter storm shut the games down completely. Administrators rescheduled for Feb. 10—this time open to the public. The games went smoothly and aside from the assist from the weather, Lee credits everyone’s willingness to talk. “As an administrator you have to take the information you have at a given time and work jointly with others to make the best decision you can,” he says. “We immediately opened up the lines of communication and that is the key—to hear everything and talk to everyone involved.”

With safety issues finally cleared up, host Seneca (S.C.) High School was able to allow fans into its gym for its game against Daniel High.

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 9

WarmUp cations at USF. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We reinvested about $25,000 of that into new equipment, but the rest was put to other uses in the department.â&#x20AC;? At St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University, Mark Fratto, Associate Athletics Director for Communications, is focusing on adding video content to the Red Stormâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online publications. For the baseball, softball, menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lacrosse, and menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball teams, he printed a traditional media guide, but also produced special team Web sites loaded with video to appeal to recruits and fans. Users are greeted with a clip of St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highlights and can choose to

one of their peers tell them what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to play in the Big East in their own voice, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very powerful.â&#x20AC;? Like USF, Jacksonville University has eliminated printed media guides, but by using software purchased by the school, it stayed with a magazine format in making the online switchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; users flip through virtual pages just as they would with a printed book. The online pages look very different than a printed media guide, however. Player profile pages feature a large color action shot along with a head shot and secondary smaller action photos. Users will also find a link to a video clip,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more engaging when you can see and hear a person speaking in front of you instead of just reading what they have to say. When a prospective student-athlete can hear one of their peers tell them what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to play in the Big East ... itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very powerful.â&#x20AC;? watch video tours of St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities or video messages from various program personnel. Typically, the head coach will explain his or her coaching philosophy with game highlights interspersed in the background. Athletes provide their thoughts amid footage of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities, from playing and practice venues to on-campus housing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When it comes to capturing the imagination of prospective student-athletes and generating interest among our alumni, fans, and boosters, we think that video is the right avenue,â&#x20AC;? says Fratto, who this winter led a Webbased seminar about online media guides for the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). â&#x20AC;&#x153;About 70 percent of all new Internet content is now video. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most highly consumed media among younger demographics, which includes student-athletes and recent alumni. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more engaging when you can see and hear a person speaking in front of you instead of just reading what they have to say,â&#x20AC;? he continues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When a prospective student-athlete can hear

in which the coach talks about the particular player. Another link leads to the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bio page on the department Web site. Most other staples of the printed media guide, such as season previews, coachesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bios, and program history, are also presented in video format, with short clips providing the coachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commentary. Some coaches offer their own personal greeting to the guide through a special overlay that appears atop the opening page. When video is not available, color picture collages accompany links to detailed information on the department Web site. Although Joel Lamp, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations at Jacksonville, was pleased with the inaugural version of the interactive guides, he is already thinking about their evolution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The big buzz in my head is the idea of using microsites for each sport,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re publishing these materials online now, why are we pigeon holed into a book model? Why not find a different way to build these guides so we can really feature all of the great things our programs have to offer?â&#x20AC;?

3#/2% !./4(%2 7). 7)4( -),+ The workoutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finished, the body isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. The two hours after exercise are when rebuilding begins. And lowfat chocolate milk has the right mix of carbs and protein, plus fluids that can help student athletes refuel and rehydrate. Tell us how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve helped your athletes refuel with chocolate milk. You could win a got milk?ÂŽ cooler, or other great monthly prizes, and maybe even be our Spotlight On Winner for 2010, with a Milk Mustache ad of your own.

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To view the online guides mentioned in this article visit the following addresses:

â&#x20AC;ş Jacksonville University: www.judolphins.com â&#x20AC;ş St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University: www.redstormsports.com and STJBasketball.com â&#x20AC;ş University of South Florida: www.gousfbulls.com ÂŠ 2010 Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Milk Processors. got milk?ÂŽ is a registered trademark of the California Milk Processor Board.

10 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com milkpep-spotlight-third-traincon.indd 1

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Jason Tindal, Head Coach

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After drills, his team chills. The workout’s finished, the body isn’t. That’s why the Screaming Eagles of Eugene Ashley High School drink chocolate milk after games, practices and workouts. They know that the two hours after exercise are crucial for taking in the right balance of carbohydrates and protein, plus fluids and electrolytes to help replenish what’s lost in sweat. And that research suggests that lowfat chocolate milk may be just as effective as certain commercial sports drinks in helping athletes refuel muscles after a workout. Coach Jason Tindal checked out the data, and he’s a chocolate milk believer. See the science for yourself, or even tell us your success story, at milkdelivers.org. You could be our next winner, with a Milk Mustache ad of your own.

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Circle No. 106

WarmUp Sports Medicine

heady questions There are few detractors when it comes to decreasing the risks of serious head injuries, so there wasn’t

much argument against the recent tightening of NFHS and NCAA concussion safety guidelines. Earlier this year, the NFHS tweaked its football guidelines to say that an athlete must be removed from play if he shows signs or symptoms of a concussion, and must be cleared by a healthcare professional before returning to play. The NCAA instituted a similar rule, starting in 201011, for all sports across all divisions, and will require athletes to sign a statement that they take responsibility for reporting any signs of concussions. It also didn’t prove difficult for legislators in Oregon and Washington to implement new laws aimed at keeping youth athletes out of action until return-to-play clearance is obtained from a medical professional. A handful of other states,

including California, Idaho, and New Mexico, are close to approving similar legislation. While the changes represent a positive step for athlete safety, they do come with some important questions. For example, who determines if an athlete has suffered a concussion? Who qualifies as a “healthcare professional” with the power to determine when a concussed athlete can return to play? And what if your school can’t afford to hire an athletic trainer or contract a physician to be on the sidelines? “Unfortunately, these questions are not easily answered,” says Michael Koester, Chair of the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and Oregon School Activities Association Medical Aspects of Sports Committee. “There’s a lot of gray area when it comes to concussions, and it’s understandable that the changes seemingly add to the burden for administrators. But instead of looking at it like

Southern Illinois University Athletic Director Mario Moccia (left) says reaching out to fans is key. When season ticket holders at Southern Illinois University raised questions about Saluki Way, a project that will include a new football stadium and renovated basketball arena, Athletic Director Mario Moccia knew he had to deliver answers, so he called a meeting. But it was not other administrators in the athletic department he gathered around. The meeting was with the fans themselves. Two town hall forums, which Leadership were open to all current SIU season ticket holders, served to educate fans and answer questions about how the changes to facilities would affect everything from seat locations to parking. “I thought it was important to speak with people face-to-face,” Moccia says. “There are so many rumors that go around when you make big changes, but once we showed our fans the plans via a PowerPoint presentation, it mitigated a lot of their fears. It also worked well to answer questions in a public setting, which allows people the opportunity to express their opinions.”

Town Hall Talks

One key to the event’s success was having a range of people represent the department. “We had our Associate Head Football Coach there, and he spoke about how the new facilities can help recruiting,” Moccia says. “Also, our chief of police who handles all the parking was there, as was our facilities manager.”

12 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

JASON O. WATSON/US-PRESSWIRE (LEFT)

University of California running back Jahvid Best is attended to after sustaining a concussion in a game last fall. New rules and laws on concussion treatment at both the high school and college levels are raising many questions.

Southern Illinois sent out information about the meetings to season ticket holders four to six weeks in advance and publicized them through the radio and press releases. They also held the two forums in different locations. “We didn’t throw a date out there and hope nobody came,” Moccia says. “If you’re going to open up discussion to the public, try to get a lot of people there.”

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Circle No. 107

WarmUp one more thing they have to worry about, athletic directors need to understand that this is a safety issue.” The biggest questions most administrators have center on exactly who qualifies as a healthcare professional

“Athletic trainers are definitely qualified to make these decisions,” he says. “But others, like primary care physicians or nurse practitioners, are qualified as well. “If your school doesn’t have an athletic trainer on staff,

“If your school doesn’t have an athletic trainer on staff, you really need to find a healthcare professional in the community that the athletic program can have a relationship with.” and can approve a concussed athlete’s return to play. The NCAA is requiring each institution to have a concussion management plan that spells this out. At the high school level, Koester says that the decision is being left up to individual schools, their districts, or conferences.

you really need to find a healthcare professional in the community that the athletic program can have a relationship with,” Koester continues. “It doesn’t have to be a physician on the sideline at every game, but just somebody you can call or shoot an e-mail asking if they would evaluate

an athlete who’s had a concussion.” The NCAA rule change includes a provision that steps up the referee’s role in concussion assessment, and has brought up other questions. In football and men’s and women’s soccer, “signs of a concussion” has been added to the list of instances in which a referee may stop the game clock. Barry Mano, President of the National Association of Sports Officials, wonders if referees will be comfortable with the new rule. “We don’t want to be judging medical conditions like concussions because we’re not medical people and we’re not trained in that area,” he says. “However, if a rule or management policy says that we’re to use our own judg-

›

ment to decide, we’re going to try our best. If the NFHS or NCAA needs us to do some enforcing, we certainly will.” Koester hopes the new rule will be seen as something that empowers officials to protect athletes. “We’re asking an awful lot of coaches and administrators in this area,” he says. “It only seems fair to also ask referees to do their part. It should be as collaborative an effort as possible.” To help everyone in their roles, both the NFHS and NCAA are currently working on beefing up their educational materials. In June, the NFHS plans to release a 30-minute educational video for coaches, officials, athletic directors, and parents. And the NCAA is revisiting the concussion education section of its Web site.

For a list of Web sites with concussion resources, go to: AthleticManagement.com and search “concussion education.”

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WarmUp Fundraising

relentless rookie When Teach for America corps member Brian Bordainick arrived at George Washington Carver High School in New Orleans in the wake

of Hurricane Katrina, the school was little more than a handful of temporary trailers in a parking lot. Three years later, Bordainick has become Athletic Director at G.W. Carver and at age 24, he is closing in on a dream that once seemed impossible: raising $1.85 million to build a new athletic field at the school.

cially in New Orleans, everybody knows somebody who knows somebody. So we tried to get in contact with everyone we could and work our way up the chain. “On a weekly basis, I send emails to a lot of people who I’ve never spoken to in my life,” he continues. “I’m of the firm belief that, except for maybe five people in the world, if you consistently email someone, they will eventually respond. And those who have taken months to

ple’s lives and about revitalizing youth sports.”

with wants to throw on a tuxedo and eat hors d’oeuvres.”

As a young leader new to fundraising, Bordainick has learned a great deal during the drive that started in 2008. The first lesson was how to delegate. “I had cooked up this idea, and wanted to do everything by myself,” he says. “But I need other people’s help on so many levels. Being able to let go and divvy out pieces of my vision was something that was very difficult for me at first.”

An event that did work was a benefit concert held at one of the city’s biggest music venues and organized with help from students at the University of New Orleans. The fundraiser brought together all of the project’s partners for a night of casual entertainment that included a silent auction.

At George Washington Carver High School in New Orleans, Athletic Director Brian Bordainick, student Richard Davis, and Head Football Coach Shyrone Carey (left to right) pose in front of the school. Bordainick is undertaking an ambitious plan to build a new athletic field at the school, which is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

“It was a matter of being relentless,” Bordainick says of his eventual success. “Espe-

16 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

get in touch with, tell us they really respect our tenacity.” Once Bordainick is at the table with a potential donor, he doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary. He’s found the school’s story is enough. “All I’m asking for is 15 minutes of their time, and once I have that, I explain what we’re doing,” he says. “I’m not out here selling vacuum cleaners—we’re talking about peo-

He also learned how to deal with failures. “We’ve done some terrible fundraising events, but now we know who we are and what we need to do,” Bordainick says. For example, initial high-brow fundraisers fell flat. “We tried to host these sophisticated, high society events,” Bordainick says. “But we’re not a black tie organization. We’re a down and dirty sports organization. No one we work

Although most high schools won’t ever find themselves in such dire circumstances as G. W. Carver, there’s still a takehome message for every athletic director. “A lot of conversations get held up because we’re afraid of how people will react,” Bordainick says. “We’re afraid to go after our dreams because we don’t know how we will be perceived. What if it fails? “This project started in a similar fashion,” he continues. “No one wanted to be part of a pipe dream. But I learned to not be afraid to stand up at a meeting and say, ‘This is what I want to do.’ You have to be okay with a few people laughing, and just work toward what you believe in.”

AP PHOTO/JUDY BOTTONI

To date, Bordainick has raised almost $1.3 million—primarily from individual contributions and in-kind donations of services—for what is being billed as the “9th Ward Field of Dreams.” But at the beginning, Bordainick’s fundraising dreams looked like a nightmare as he was laughed out of nearly every office he walked into.

“It’s more fun to get many different people in the same room together who otherwise never would have been in contact,” says Bordainick. “We found that everyone just wants to come out and have a good time. The mark of a successful event is getting people talking about our organization the next day and e-mailing us wanting to get involved.”

At the NCAA Division III level, the assumption has always been that student-athletes are as academically successful as their non-athlete peers. More recently, however, that belief is being questioned.

AP PHOTO/BRETT WILHELM-NCAA PHOTOS

This spring, the NCAA launched a voluntary data collection pilot that will compare graduation rates of athletes and non-athletes at Division III schools. Initial findings should be ready this fall, and division members will analyze the data at the 2012 NCAA convention. “The problem is that we have not defined academic success in a uniform manner in Division III,” says Division III Vice President Dan Dutcher. “An even more significant problem is that we haven’t collected data on a division-wide basis or The academics of NCAA Division III athletes will receive increased scrutiny in upcoming months. The 2009 men’s soccer title game is shown above.

from a representative sample to really be able to support the assumption that student-athlete success is comparable to the rest of the student body.” Impetus for the pilot comes from two years of research results from the College Sports Project. In its most recent study, the group found that Division III male student-athletes who entered college in 2006-07 had class ranks nine percentile points lower than other students at the end of their first year. Recruited male student-athletes also showed class ranks six percentile points lower than those not recruited. The difference between female athletes and non-athletes was “relatively modest.” Because the study primarily followed student-athletes from highly selective institutions, some NCAA Division III administrators feel the results may be skewed and that academic reporting is not worth the time and cost. However, if results of the NCAA pilot and further findings from the College Sports Project reveal a problem, a proposal to begin an academic reporting requirement in Division III could arise. “If the administrative burden is minimal and there seems to be a great amount of utility, it is a possibility,” says Dutcher.

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Q & A

Rick Cole Jr.

Today’s economic climate can make athletic directors feel like fundraising is a full-time job. For Dowling College’s Rick Cole Jr., it actually is. Now entering his seventh year as Athletic Director at the NCAA Division II school, Cole is also Dowling’s Vice President for Institutional Advancement. Cole was asked to take over the school’s development efforts in 2008 with the hope that he could replicate Dowling’s athletic success. Under Cole’s watch, the Golden Lions won the Division II men’s soccer title in 2006 and reached the title game again in 2008. The men’s lacrosse team also reached the national final in 2006, and the baseball and volleyball teams have made deep NCAA playoff runs. Since coming on board in 2004, Cole has added three sports to Dowling’s offerings—women’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, and men’s cross country— and opened a $12.5 million outdoor athletic facility. He is currently a member of the Division II Management Council and serves as its liaison to the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Prior to his arrival on the Long Island campus, Cole served as an Associate Athletic Director at St. John’s University and Stony Brook University. In this interview, he talks about filling two tough jobs, encouraging criticism, and the breakfast meeting that changed his professional life.

DOWLING COLLEGE

AM: How does an athletic director end up also becoming in charge of institutional advancement? Cole: There are actually a lot of similarities in the two roles. Running an athletic department is about managing people, developing a plan, and then executing that plan. Fundraising is about managing relationships, developing a vision, and then executing that vision. In both cases, it really comes down to delivering on what you promise to do. In fact, we’re applying the model we use to operate our athletic department to our development efforts.

How do you balance the two jobs? It would be easy to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week doing just one of the jobs, so it’s a challenge. First and foremost, I have the great fortune of working with exceptional professionals who are very capable. Second, I make sure to focus on the highest priorities and try to be as clear as I can with our vision and our plan. In both advancement and athletics, it’s important that I articulate beforehand who is responsible for what. I have a fabulous righthand person in Associate Athletic Director Melody Cope, who has the confidence to make any decision on behalf of our institution as it pertains to athletics. And I think

there’s a good understanding with the rest of the administrators and coaches about what needs to be brought to whose attention and when.

What did you do to build that understanding within your department? The key is making sure everyone knows your expectations. If people don’t know the expectations of the organization, gray areas develop. But if we’re clear about who we want to be and the expectations that come with being a part of our organization, then people usually make good decisions.

You helped Dowling land a corporate sponsorship with adidas and one of its local retailers. What does it take to bring in corporate sponsors at the Division II level? No matter the size of your school, sponsors want a return on their investment—they need to see how their money is being used. We’ve been successful by showing sponsors how their money is helping student-athletes directly. We also take time to listen so that we know what matters most to them. We never had corporate sponsors here before, so we looked for folks who enjoy being part of building something. We relayed our vision and found a lot of people who believe in what we’re trying to do.

What do you do to show them the impact their money has? We’re constantly communicating with our sponsors and provide them a year-end summary of specifically what their money was used for. We also do all we can to bring sponsors to campus so they can meet our student-athletes and the athletes can acknowledge the sponsors’ support.

How did you end up at Dowling? The Dowling baseball team has gained spots in the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Tournament three of the last four years.

While I was at St. John’s, somebody who was helping Dowling with their search for a new athletic director asked me to have

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 19

breakfast with their president to talk about possible candidates. As a courtesy to this person, I was happy to meet and offer suggestions. But as I talked with the president and learned more about the institution and

“I’m totally okay with my staff telling me they don’t agree with a policy or they’ve changed their view on an issue. My expectation is that they will give me that feedback.” the vision he had for the growth of the athletics program, I became intrigued about the job itself. I ended up spending the entire day with the president and soon thereafter I was offered the position. When I went to breakfast that morning I had no intentions of looking for a new job, and I certainly did not think my next position would be as an athletic director at a Division II institu-

tion. But when I explored the opportunities Dowling presented, it became a no-brainer. The president was excited about building an athletic program the school could be proud of and it was clear he would be a supportive leader throughout the process.

tors help in the planning process. When people feel they are a valued part of the vision and a valued part of building something, there is ownership. For example, our student-athlete code of conduct is reviewed by our student-athletes and voted on by our student-athletes. They feel ownership of it and therefore are more likely to want to follow it.

Plus, it was the right fit for my family. I now live in the same community I work in, and my three children are in an elementary school near campus. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I’ve really enjoyed it.

We also listen carefully to their thoughts and ideas on national issues. When the NCAA first started discussing new rules for non-championship segments, I had no idea how important an issue it would be to our student-athletes. They told me they understood that some changes may need to be made, but under no circumstances should we take away their off-season practices or severely modify them. They told us that’s when they develop as athletes—without the pressures of competing, they can work on mastering new skills. So now I’m a strong advocate for non-championship opportunities.

Are you doing anything to make the Division II Life in the Balance efforts meaningful to your student-athletes? Our core mission at Dowling is to build champions in academics, athletics, community, and life. And we really try to represent those attributes in everything we do. We’re creating a culture that asks not only, “Who do we want to be?” but also, “How do we want to get there? How do we collectively buy into the goals of building champions in these areas?”

What do you do to continue to improve as an athletic department?

How do you establish that kind of culture? By being inclusive. Every step of the way, we have our athletes, coaches, and administra-

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Q & A for example, maybe we could have done a certain piece of game operations better. We embrace the fact that even if we’re doing something well, we can still do it better. Just as important, we remember that doing a lot of things well doesn’t necessarily mean we’re always doing the right things. So we constantly take a look at every aspect of our department and promote a culture where our athletes and coaches can provide us feedback.

How do you get people to feel comfortable with sharing criticism? When we meet with athletes, we tell them, “Our goal is to give you the best athletic and higher education experience you can have. My guess is we’re not perfect, so your feedback is pivotal in making this a better organization. Please help us identify the things we should do better.” When they realize we really mean that, they make suggestions. Two administrators meet with each team at the end of every season, and student-athletes can also fill out an anonymous survey. I’m also totally okay with my staff telling me they don’t agree with a policy or they’ve changed their view on an issue. My expectation is that they will give me that feedback if they feel what we are doing is not on point.

You recently went through a rebranding effort. How did that progress? When I got here, our teams were wearing six different colors on their uniforms, and there was no unifying theme. Now everything we do reflects one thought with one brand: “Building Champions.” We really work hard to say who we are and have uniformity throughout our colors, logo, and publications. Our slogan is important because we’re very process focused and it reflects that winning is a result. So “Building Champions” is something we preach all the time. It’s displayed on our Web site, in the weightroom, and throughout our academic support rooms. It’s part of who we are.

How do you reconcile wanting to win with only one team being able to win a championship? It’s how you define winning. Only 88 teams out of 1,000-plus institutions win NCAA titles each year. If capturing a national title is the only standard, there are a lot of people who do not have success. So we need to establish better measures of success and celebrate them. If we’re per-

forming better academically and our graduation rates are stronger, that’s success. If we raise more money for the community than last year, that’s success. We like to view success as a pendulum. We want the pendulum to be moving in the direction of success. And if it isn’t, we want to find out why and address it.

What are the biggest challenges you currently face? We all face the challenge of funding college athletics, and we’re certainly working hard on that. But one of the most difficult things is staying committed to your principles—even if doing so is not popular. We will not sacrifice doing the right thing for winning. None of us are bigger than the organization.

What do you like best about your job as athletic director? I enjoy working with student-athletes who are committed to succeeding in their athletic, academic, community service, and life pursuits. When you can make a difference in the lives of student-athletes and the greater community, it’s a productive and rewarding place to be. It’s not always easy, but I don’t know what job is.

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GamePlan Leadership

throughout the speeches and photos. However, I did take a moment after the coaches finished their comments to share my congratulations: n

GARY HOVLAND

I told team members I was proud of them and they should enjoy the experience. They had created a lifetime memory. I thanked them for representing the school in an exemplary fashion. Winning without class doesn’t mean much, and they won while displaying great sportsmanship and teamwork. I asked the players to please thank their coaches for all of their efforts this season.

Back in school on Monday, we had requests from newspapers for background information and coaching contact information. Next, I had to order a few extra individual plaques for the players, and, of course, our two championship banners for the gym.

How To Celebrate

What will you do? How will you act? Who will you share it with? Winning a state title (or two) is exciting, but also brings up some questions. By Dr. David Hoch In November, our high school experienced a very special moment. Both the Loch Raven High School girls’ and boys’ soccer teams won state championships within two hours of each other at the same venue. This was the first time that any of the 24 high schools in Baltimore County achieved the soccer double, and only the seventh time in Maryland history. While we might have been a slight favorite in the girls’ match, we were definitely the underdog in the boys’ contest, playing the four-time defending state champions. Needless to say, it was a unique celebration for the school—and for me as Athletic Director. It’s rare enough to win one state championship in any sport!

In fact, winning a state title can be a once in a lifetime occurrence for many coaches and athletic directors. And that can lead to some uncertainty: What exactly is our role when one of our teams hoists a trophy? Are there unique tasks to take on after a championship season?

Postgame Cheer The very first duty any athletic administrator must tackle in this situation is to thoroughly enjoy the celebration. Let the cheers out or the tears fall—enjoy whatever emotions hit you. But then what do you do? It has always been my philosophy that athletics should be all about the kids and coaches, so I made sure they stood center stage

Another duty to take care of was the purchasing of jackets, which has been our longtime tradition for any team that wins a state championship. But the economic downturn and two championships in one day provoked the questions: Where do we find the money? How do we justify this expense when budgets are so tight? The solution was to see if the cost could be divided up. A polite request to the booster club got everything started and then we looked at the soccer teams’ fundraising accounts and our gate receipt account to piece together the rest of the necessary funds. The players got their jackets without jeopardizing any academic initiatives. While we did make a school-wide announcement highlighting the two David Hoch, EdD, is Athletic Director at Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County, Md., and a 2009 regional finalist for the NASPE Athletic Director of the Year award. He can be reached at: dhoch@bcps.org.

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 23

GamePlan Leadership championships Monday morning, there was no special assembly or parade. Why? Our philosophy is that every accomplishment by a student at Loch Raven is important and should be treated with equal respect. Also in the fall, several students brought home honors from a student United Nations competition, others progressed

sphere, I also had to get back to the everyday business of running the athletic program. I needed to check the eligibility of our winter athletes, schedule team photos, and mentor some of our young coaches. I may have been walking around with a lilt in my step, but I didn’t slow down—all our other teams couldn’t be ignored.

teams are successful, sometimes winning becomes most important. I wanted to make sure we hadn’t gone down the wrong path. At Loch Raven, we use the following three questions to determine success: n

When I did finally have some time to breathe, I made sure to reflect on the success of our teams. And the first thing I thought about was whether we remained true to our philosophy while on our championship journeys. from local through national competition in public speaking, and many earned academic recognition. These students were not lauded with any special celebrations, and sports is not more important than any other activity. While enjoying the celebratory atmo-

Philosophy Check-In When I did finally have some time to breathe, I made sure to reflect on the success of our teams. And the first thing I thought about was whether we remained true to our philosophy while on our championship journeys. When

Did the athletes learn and improve throughout the season? This refers to more than sport-specific skills and should include life lessons. Did the players have a memorable experience? Did they enjoy being on the team, work hard toward a common goal, and develop camaraderie with their teammates and coaches? Did the athletes and team represent our school in a positive manner? This means that they exhibit sportsmanship, are good citizens, and serve as positive role models and ambassadors for our school.

I was able to answer “yes” to all three questions with utmost confidence. If we don’t achieve our primary goals, the state title isn’t worth as much now or in the future. In going through this mental exercise, I was reminded of an interview I conducted

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with a coaching candidate for another sport. As part of several answers to questions, this coach repeated, “I’m here to win a state championship for you.” But he never mentioned how he would help our players or guide them to become better people. He was not hired. Another part of our philosophy is to encourage multi-sport participation among our student-athletes. On the Monday after the state championships, it was great to see many of the soccer stars trying out for winter sports teams. For example, our all-state girls’ goalie (who will play at the University of Virginia) was at basketball practice, eager to go.

A Pat on the Back A final aspect of my reflection was to think about my role in building the team. As mentioned previously, I never want to take center stage as athletic director. However, we need to pat ourselves on the back every once in a while. I felt good about: n

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Putting both coaching staffs together. Our coaches are hired based on a solid education-based philosophy. They not only prepare our athletes for competition, but they also instill sound values of citizenship and teach life-long lessons. Creating a game schedule that allowed our teams to learn, improve, and develop to their potential. Our coaches wanted challenging games early in the season, even if it meant more losses, so our players had the opportunity to see what it took to succeed against tough competition. The support and encouragement I provide for all the coaches. Frustrations, problems, and concerns pop up and I always try to be there for them, whether they need solid solutions or just to vent. The mentoring and guidance I provide coaches. During our staff meetings, throughout conversations, and with frequent e-mails, I constantly emphasize our desired educational philosophy. Taking care of the many necessary details for the season to progress. This includes all the unnoticed particulars such as scheduling buses, field maintenance, team photos, verifying the eligibility of the athletes, and so on.

The double championship day was exciting, exhilarating, and a lot of fun. I enjoyed the emotion and the enthusiasm. But I know the real rewards are in running an athletic department with a strong philosophy and attention to detail. The great news is that education and winning can go together.

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them with the transition to UW campus life, increasing communication, linking with community resources, and providing training and leadership opportunities. Comprised of athletic administrators, students, coaches, and alumni, DIG meets monthly. Its mission is to:

GARY HOVLAND

“Increase the qualitative campus experience for all student-athletes and staff by addressing the emotional, social, intellectual and physical needs of our diverse population. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics recognizes student-athletes and staff of diverse backgrounds which include, but are not limited to: individuals of color (African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian), those who identify as LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally), individuals of different genders and individuals with disabilities.”

Student Voice

Coming Together At the University of Wisconsin, the athletic department uses a multipronged plan to ensure the effectiveness of its diversity inclusion programming. By Doug Tiedt, Bridget Warren, & Sean Frazier One of the great things about intercollegiate athletics is that it provides opportunities for students from different cultures, ethnicities, lifestyles, and belief systems to achieve a common goal. That goal can be furthered by developing diversity inclusion programming in an athletic department. Here at the University of Wisconsin, we’ve been furthering our efforts in this area for several years. The keys, we’ve found, are to take the time to coordinate programs, seek input from student-athletes, and partner with others.

Coordination Today’s college campuses tend to have many programs for minority students and today’s athletic departments offer a variety of life skills programming options. But

given student-athletes’ time demands and commitments, it can be difficult for them to tap into these activities. That’s why one of our focuses for diversity inclusion is on coordinating programming. A first step was to create the position of Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator, who is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Office of Academic Services’ diversity related initiatives. This person, co-author Bridget Warren, also heads up our Life Skills program. Another step we took was to develop the Diversity Integration Group (DIG), which coordinates both student and staff athletic department efforts concerning diversity and inclusion. The group strives to improve the student-athlete, coach, and staff experience through assisting

When our Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator started, one of her first tasks was to gather feedback regarding the experiences of our student-athletes, which she did through surveys and focus groups. The focus groups spurred further dialogue and two African-American women’s basketball players took the lead to meet regularly to discuss relevant topics. The two invited others to join their meetings and the group soon grew into a registered student organization, Student-Athletes Equally Supporting Others (SAESO). The group now has a board of directors and a constitution, and it meets monthly. Its mission is to bring together studentathletes of different cultures, ethnicities, lifestyles, and belief systems in order to enhance their experience on campus. The

Doug Tiedt is Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services, Bridget Warren is Director of Inclusion and Life Skills Programming, and Sean Frazier is Senior Associate Athletic Director for Operations at the University of Wisconsin. Their contact information can be found at: www.uwathletics.com/phone. AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 27

board of directors is elected by studentathletes during a SAESO meeting, and the president of the SAESO board also holds an officer position on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

are inclusive and support all studentathletes, but specifically target those from underrepresented groups. Another project that is fueled by student-athletes is the production of pub-

In 2007, we started the Academic Athletic Mentor Partnership, which pairs first-year student-athletes of color with community members, former student-athletes, and faculty members. Mentors are asked to develop relationships with their mentees, and all attend monthly meetings with specific topics. SAESO impacts over 400 student-athletes annually by organizing events, forums, and programming that enhance the knowledge and experiences of our student-athletes. Examples of activities include Soul Food Night, diversity dialogues, after-school programs for middle school students, study jams, and a breast cancer awareness event in collaboration with a campus sorority. SAESO programs

lic service announcements during Black History Month, which highlight the successes of former African-American student-athletes. Current student-athletes record the announcements and the spots are shown on our video board, aired on the radio during men’s and women’s basketball games, and featured on the department’s Web site.

Partnering We’ve also found success by partnering with others to develop programs. We have looked both on campus and in the community for help with such initiatives. For example, in partnership with our athletic alumni association, we host a diversity barbeque during the summer. The event, which attracts over 150 individuals annually, includes a Southern-style barbeque, a brief program, and networking opportunities for student-athletes to connect with alumni and members of the Madison community. In 2007, we started the Academic Athletic Mentor Partnership (AAMP), which pairs first-year student-athletes of color with community members, former student-athletes, and faculty members. Mentors are asked to reach out and develop relationships with their mentees, and all attend monthly meetings with specific topics. The gatherings may include guest speakers, student-athlete panels, networking, and/or one-on-one discussions. Since its inception, AAMP has had 17 active mentors who have met with and mentored over 50 studentathletes.

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GamePlan Student-Athlete Welfare Another program is called Career Links: Diversity Networking Event. Held each fall, the event is an opportunity for student-athletes of color to network with campus leaders, faculty members, community business leaders, alumni, and other students of color. As a way to maintain an active connection with community members of color, the athletic department works closely with the group, 100 Black Men of Madison. Student-athletes participate in the annual 100 Black Men “Back to School Picnic” to pass out backpacks and school supplies to Madison’s youth. 100 Black Men also provides guest speakers and mentors for the AAMP events and members attend the annual diversity barbeque.

Staff Programming Our staff initiatives have also been effective. The athletic department started a program called “Lessons Learned … or Not,” which gathers coaches together to discuss issues related to diversity. For example, in one program, some of our coaches partnered with community business members to make a presentation on recruiting minority student-athletes. The information was not only relevant

to recruiting student-athletes, but also applied to recruiting staff. Another program, “Badger Connection,” brings together new employees in an effort to allow them to meet different people within the department. One of the main focuses of this idea is to assist employees from diverse backgrounds in connecting with others. We also advertise to our staff any training and educational opportunities that become available on campus, including the many diversity training initiatives. Most recently, the athletic department identified the need to better relate and communicate with employees who speak English as their secondary language. An informational session was held for the building and grounds superintendents on the changing workforce and ways we could better accommodate these employees. The university offered “English as a Second Language” classes to all staff, and Spanish classes were offered to supervisors who oversee employees who speak Spanish as their first language.

Moving Forward To ensure that student-athlete diversity

programs are meeting the needs of the student-athletes, feedback is gathered through surveys, exit interviews, and one-on-one interaction. Moving forward, we hope to expand the programming and support for other underrepresented populations, such as LGBTQA studentathletes. Additionally, AAMP will expand to include sophomore, junior, and senior studentathletes. We will search for more collaboration opportunities with organizations on campus, and there will be a focused effort to increase the number of studentathletes and sports participating in governance and decision-making groups, such as the SAAC and SAESO. While the department will continually face challenges in improving the qualitative experience of the diverse student-athlete and staff population, the development of the diversity programming within the department has been a success. DIG has centralized programming efforts, the number of programs offered and participants attending the offerings have increased, and we have developed a better understanding of the needs of our student-athletes and staff.

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At the University of Oregon, athletes are helped with their transition from sports both physically and mentally, and can receive career mentoring from alumni athletes. Above, senior outfielder Neena Bryant competes in her final season for the Ducks this spring. PHOTO BY ERIC EVANS

e h T

COVER STORY

T X E N For student-athletes who have focused on athletics their whole life, the years after college can be extremely difficult. Fortunately, more and more schools are implementing innovative programs to help their athletes successfully leave the sports world behind.

P E T S

ou’ve likely seen the NCAA public service announcements that show an athlete in action, then cut away to the same athlete wearing a business suit, lab coat, or hospital scrubs as he or she says, “There are over 380,000 studentathletes, and most of us go pro in something other than sports.” The athlete is proud and confident and gives you the sense that making the transition from college to the working world is an exciting next step in life. For many student-athletes, however, such is not their reality. Leaving behind their teammates, the structure of sport, and the athletic department support system is a scary and difficult proposition. The confidence portrayed by the student-athletes in the NCAA commercial is not their own. Alison Ruff, Assistant Director of the Academic Support Program for StudentAthletes at North Carolina State University, vividly remembers this time in her life. “A huge part of my transition from college to the real world had to do with losing my identity,” she says. “I was always Alison the volleyball player. Suddenly, I had to redefine

By Abigail Funk who I was. Athletes have a certain set of skills they’ve been defined by, and they lose that when they graduate. Their role in life is suddenly less certain.” In response, more schools are examining how to help student-athletes with their passage to life after sports. Instead of leaving them to figure it out on their own, athletic departments are creating workshops, seminars, athlete alumni networks, and even classes for credit aimed at giving athletes the tools they need to be successful, including landing that first job. “It’s a very competitive job market out there, especially right now,” says Augie Maurelli, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Leadership and Performance at Georgetown University. “Administrators are realizing that with everything we ask our student-athletes to do, we owe them some support with their post-graduation endeavors.” PERFECT STORM

Why is it that athletes have a tougher time transitioning to the “real world” than their non-athlete peers? For many, two factors come into play. There is the practical

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 31

COVER STORY

side: finding a career path and a job. And there is also the psychological side: shedding one’s identity as an athlete. On securing that first job, Russ Hafferkamp, Founder and Managing Director of Career Athletes, a career development service for college athletic departments, says there is a perfect storm brewing. “One problem is that we have increasing competition in job markets,” he says. “The other problem is the development of a sports arms race in which we’re pushing year-round, full-time participation—even at the lowest levels. And when those two things intersect, college athletes end up inadequately prepared to move on and compete in the next segment of their lives.

In “Transitions for the College Graduate,” student-athletes are required to obtain a copy of their credit report and the class ends with hypothetical budget presentations from each student. “It’s directly traceable to the fact that athletes had to forgo basic life skills development because they didn’t have time to participate in endeavors outside of sports,” Hafferkamp continues. “With all their time spent on their sport, it’s no wonder studentathletes lag behind the general student body in formulating their career goals and plans.” For some athletes, the psychological transition can be just as difficult. To start, there is a huge change in their daily routine, which can be disconcerting. While in school, days are typically structured with lifting sessions, classes, and afternoon practices, leaving just enough time for meals, homework, and a good night’s sleep. “Athletes have always had lots of structure, especially by the time they’re in college,” Ruff says. “The sudden lack of routine and the support group pushing that structure isn’t necessarily there in the real world.” At the same time athletes are adjusting to setting their own schedule, they’re figuring out how to judge their own performance. “There is no scoreboard in real life,” Ruff Abigail Funk is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management. She can be reached at: afunk@MomentumMedia.com.

32 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

says. “In athletics, we’re constantly keeping score, and coaches are always evaluating us. In the real world, it’s pretty different. We may get feedback, but not nearly as much and not in the immediate way we got in athletic competition.” James Harris III, Assistant Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Development and Nutrition at the University of Oregon, adds that athletes also miss being on a team. “There is no more team atmosphere, no more real camaraderie,” he says. “It’s just you looking out for yourself and that can be a scary thing.” An important point to remember, Hafferkamp says, is that these challenges aren’t limited to Division I athletes. “Division III people may say, ‘Our athletes really don’t have that problem because they don’t put as much time into their sport,’” he says. “But they still play the athlete role, and they still put most of their waking energy into their sport. So they experience a sense of loss, too.” REALITY CHECK

The first step to helping your studentathletes as they prepare to leave sports behind is making sure they understand what lies ahead. It’s likely some of them have dreams of landing professional sports contracts, but the reality is that most athletes’ chances of reaching the next level are small. Even for those who make it, most careers will be short-lived. Both Ruff and Harris are careful not to crush anyone’s dreams while urging studentathletes to be realistic. “We really encourage them to have a plan B,” Ruff says. “If a pro career doesn’t work out, what are they going to do? Or when their pro career is over, what are they going to do? The average professional football career only lasts three years, and there has to be something else beyond that. We give them those real statistics.” “If you come to the University of Oregon, we want you to go as far as you can in sports,” Harris adds. “We don’t discourage playing professionally by any means. But even if you do go pro and have a 10-year career, you’re done at 31, and I hope your life’s not over at 31. So we don’t talk in terms of having to choose a sports career or a typical career—we talk about doing both.” Hafferkamp says another part of the reality check is dispelling common myths, including that a student’s participation in athletics will automatically land them a job. “Athletic experience isn’t the leverage tool it once was,” he says. “An athlete can’t simply get the name of an influential booster and expect to get a job. That athlete is competing with resumes

from around the world, thanks to Internet search engines and job boards. “Therefore, teaching self responsibility for career development clearly needs to become a higher priority,” he continues. “We’re seeing some interesting workplace trends today in that everyone is an entrepreneur—their own brand, a sole corporation. The rules of employment have been altered dramatically and you now really have to sell yourself in order to get a job. Athletes need to understand that.” While explaining today’s realities certainly helps, getting the light bulb to switch on in a student-athlete’s head will likely take more than talking. And that’s where programming comes in. Most NCAA Division I and II schools have CHAMPS/Life Skills programs that focus on succeeding at college, but some are adding classes that cover how to develop an overall life plan and skills needed post-college. At Oregon, it’s mandatory for freshman scholarship athletes to take a class called “Issues of Intercollegiate Athletics,” where the seed is planted early. “The very first class session involves a panel of senior athletes who have done it the right way,” Harris says. “They give the freshmen insight into what they’re about to face, and advice on time management, study skills, and character. “We also talk a lot about the perception of a student-athlete,” Harris continues. “You can be the person in the back of the classroom with your hood up and your earphones in or you can be the kid in the front who no one knows is a student-athlete.” Two other topics include credit management and declaring a major. Athletes are also educated on resumes and everyone develops one by the end of the semester. In the last class, students present their “plan for life.” At North Carolina State, Ruff teaches a class titled “Transitions for the College Graduate,” which is open to any senior, and student-athletes are strongly encouraged to enroll. It focuses on different aspects of transitioning to the real world, including money management, taking advantage of emerging careers, civic engagement, and continuing education opportunities. Students leave the class with an updated resume, refined interviewing skills, at least one connection to a professional network, and an understanding of how employers choose job candidates in an application process. They are also required to obtain a copy of their credit report, and the class ends with hypothetical “real life” budget presentations from each student. At the University of Pittsburgh, an evening financial education series has proven

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successful. Broken down into three 90-minute sessions, student-athletes learn how to create a personal budget, use credit cards, move off campus and pay bills, understand salaries, prepare for graduate school, and more. Donna Sanft, Executive Associate Athletic Director at Pitt, says a role-playing game has been a big hit among the studentathletes. “In a group of about 15 athletes, each person is given an envelope with hypothetical information like the city they live in and the salary they make, along with three options for rent, car payment, and cell phone bill. The athletes discuss a personal budget and they start to come to grips with questions like, ‘Do I want to live in a really nice place and not have a car, or would I rather have three roommates and get my

WORLD OF WORK

Along with developing an initial life plan and a host of skills for being on their own, student-athletes need an introduction to the working world. Many struggle to figure out what they want to do in life because their only experiences so far have related to their sport. “I think everybody finds their passion eventually,” Sanft says. “But if you haven’t yet, that can be a scary thing. The classroom education on the real world is important, but I’m very big on getting athletes out in the workplace, which can provide them with at least some idea about what they want to do.”

ou’ve probably heard of the “freshman 15,” but how about the “post-graduation pudge?” Without

daily practices and mandatory lifting sessions, former student-athletes working 9-to-5 jobs may find themselves packing on a few unwanted pounds. More importantly, they may be falling into unhealthy lifestyles that are hard to alter after a couple of years. At the University of Oregon, administrators try to educate athletes on the physical transition before they leave campus. “The key is for athletes to not give up their workouts, but to change them,” says James Harris III, Assistant Athletic Director of StudentAthlete Development and Nutrition at Oregon. “So instead of a twohour practice every day, we give them advice on how to do a great 30 minute workout. And instead of eating tons of everything, a football player should eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water, and reduce his sugar intake.” Harris also gets some help from Oregon’s strength coaches. “For example, with our soccer team, our strength coach starts transitioning the seniors into running 5K races and marathons,” he says. “We try to give them ideas on how to stay competitive and find a reason to continue training.” The football strength coach provides workouts for graduating seniors and then motivates them with a challenge. “He has weightlifting competitions for alumni to compete in,” Harris says. “That gives the guys some motivation to continue training and the opportunity to come back and compete.” As a final step, Harris encourages the athletes to call when they need advice. “Some of our athletes, especially football players, get a pretty rude awakening in terms of their physical health once they leave here,” he says. “If in two years, they find that they’re bigger than they want to be, we tell them to turn to us for help and use us as a resource.”

34 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

A w e i g h t y m at t e r

rent down so that I can have cable and Internet and a big cell phone bill?’ They have some pretty good discussions about what they think is important and why.”

Sanft encourages Panther student-athletes to take advantage of the school’s Outside the Classroom Curriculum as a first step. A Web page lists workplace-related tasks any student can complete, such as attending a job fair, completing an internship, updating their resume, or participating in an on-campus club. After a student completes an activity, they record it and an online transcript is maintained for them. Then, when the student is a junior or senior and ready to put a resume together, all of these experiences are in one easy-to-find place. North Carolina State’s sophomore student-athletes have the opportunity to enroll in a class called “Introduction to the World of Labor,” where each student is paired with a local business, such as a recreation center or YMCA. Athletes spend eight hours a week getting on-the-job experience, and a seminar course meets on the off-days to cover topics including the power of work, employers’ expectations, and potential conflicts in a workplace. “This class is for student-athletes specifically because most of them haven’t had jobs before,” Ruff says. “They all have something besides sports to be passionate about, it’s just that they’ve not tapped into it nearly as much as other students. This class allows them to do that.” It may seem like asking a lot from student-athletes with little free time to get some workplace experience under their belts. But offering credit for completing an internship, and asking employers to take on studentathlete interns during the off-season will make the idea more appealing. Even an internship that has nothing to do with a student-athlete’s eventual career choice can be valuable. “Time spent in the workplace before graduation is never wasted time, even if the athlete didn’t view it as helpful for their resume,” Hafferkamp says. “The worst case scenario is that they’ll determine what they want to do career-wise by process of elimination instead of by throwing darts at a board after graduation.” ALUMNI ON BOARD

Another important step is to get studentathletes networking with people in their career interests, whether it’s business, teaching, or technology. And more and more schools are turning to their student-athlete alumni for help. At Yale University, the Career Alumni Network has been up and running since October and already features almost 700 alumni who have signed up to serve as mentors to current student-athletes. It is being developed by Don Scharf, Special Assistant

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last week, six athletes sat down with one of our top donors, who gave them information on his field â&#x20AC;Ś Nobody is giving anyone a job, but our athletes are learning about the real world from real people who once were athletes, too.â&#x20AC;? Director for Development and Outreach, and Bryant Blount, Development and Outreach Assistant. They started the project by sending out an e-mail inviting athlete alumni to join the network. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through all the generations and

different sports, what current and former athletes have in common is the studentathlete experience, so we try to tap into that through our invitational e-mails,â&#x20AC;? Blount says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our alumni have always been very willing to give financially, but this is more about creating a connection through that shared experience. Our alumni really took to the idea of helping someone going through exactly the same things they did.â&#x20AC;? Interested alumni are directed to a Web page on the athletic department site where they fill out basic personal information, including what sports they played at Yale, where they work now, their position, and how they envision helping. This can include offering advice over the phone, meeting for lunch to discuss career options, inviting a student-athlete to shadow them for a day, or even providing an internship or job opportunity. Within a week of the pageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s launch, 500 athlete alumni had signed up to serve as mentors. To spread the word to Yaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current student-athletes, information was posted on the

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athletics Web site in late October and head coaches received lists of alumni mentors specific to their sport to distribute to their athletes. While the Development and Outreach Office staffers want to see all of Yaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduating student-athletes make meaningful connections with alumni, Blount stresses that athletes have to take the initiative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We help student-athletes make a connection, but then they need to set up their own phone interviews, lunch meetings, and internships, and be willing to explore these opportunities by themselves,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some athletes are intimidated by the thought of reaching out to someone they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know, so we make sure they understand that these mentors have all said theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re willing to help and the worst thing that can happen is they say they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time. And then you just move on to one of the other hundreds of mentors who do.â&#x20AC;? Oregon also launched a career mentoring program involving its athlete alumni this school year and though in its infancy stages, Harris already has more alumni signed up than he needs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There has not been one person weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve approached who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t jump

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in wholeheartedly,” he says. “I think a lot of that has to do with not asking our donors to open up their wallets or pocketbooks again. They have told us it’s refreshing to have us ask for their time and expertise instead. For most alumni, this kind of donation just makes them feel good.” Harris and his staff help connect athletes with mentors by learning about the athlete first. “We meet with every single one of our student-athletes to find out who they are, what their passions are, and what they’re planning on majoring in,” he says. “Then, every day, my staff and I talk about possibilities. For example, we might focus on an alumni who’s said he is willing to help us as a mentor and his field is business. We’ll ask ourselves, ‘How many business studentathletes do we have with resumes ready who want to make a connection?’ “Last week, for example, six junior and senior athletes sat down with one of our top donors,” Harris continues. “He gave them information on his field and what he looks for in resumes. He also said he was willing to interview them, or host them for a day so they could see the ins and outs of the

business world. Nobody is giving anyone a job, but our athletes are learning about the real world from real people who once were athletes, too.” ATHLETE BUY-IN

From engaging programs to networking options, offering an array of choices is great, but getting your student-athletes to take advantage of them can prove difficult. What are some tips for drawing your student-athletes in? Maurelli has found it invaluable to work with the school’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s Subcommittee for Career Skills to help plan curriculum for the Leadership Academy—a non-credit program offered to student-athletes. “The athletes are involved in every component of the planning and execution of our programs,” he says. “It’s very much pulled together by the athletes rather than us spoon-feeding them. As a result, buy-in is created because they’re not going to propose things they don’t think are worthwhile.” Some of the ideas the subcommittee members have come up with include panel

discussions, mock interviews with alumni, and a trip to Wall Street. In October, for example, the Leadership Academy organized a panel featuring the Dean of Admissions at Georgetown’s law school, Georgetown’s Director of Career Management, the recruitment director at Teach for America, and a former baseball student-athlete who now works for an international financial services group. Georgetown also offers an extra incentive to get student-athletes involved. Each year, the Hoyas team that tallies the most participation in non-athletic endeavors receives an athletic department award. “If your team shows up for another team’s game, it gets points,” Maurelli says. “If that month’s community outreach task is a food drive and your teammates attend, you get points. And the same goes for our Leadership Academy panels and workshops. We try to put a competitive component in everything we do, and that helps drive a lot of participation.” Maurelli says coaches play an important role as well. “Our coaches are very involved in the whole process,” he says. “Our athletic department senior staff members and

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coaches meet three times a semester just so that our coaches are abreast of everything we’re doing, including what’s happening in the Leadership Academy. It’s not uncommon for our coaches to ask how they can help get involved.” Ruff has gotten coaches on board at N.C. State, too. “Many of our coaches really encourage their athletes to think about what they want to do,” she says. “They’ll support a student who wants to change their major or has to take a class at a time that conflicts with practice.”

“It’s powerful to be able to say to your recruits, ‘This is what our alumni are doing now and they’re willing to help you. If you come here, it’s not just a four-year athletic decision, but a 40year career development decision.’”

If your players wash their uniforms at home, it could be.

Another way to get coaches to participate is showing them how they can benefit. “I’ve explained to our coaches that the alumni network is a recruiting tool,” Scharf says. “If you sit down and tell the parent of a recruit about our alumni career program and how that’s going to help their kid get a job after they graduate or an internship for the summer after their sophomore year, they listen.” “It’s powerful to be able to say to your recruits, ‘This is what our alumni are doing now and they’re willing to help you. If you come here, it’s not just a four-year athletic decision, but a 40-year career development decision,’” Blount adds. Finally, it’s important to remember that workshops and classes need to be worthwhile for your extremely busy athletes. “It sounds simple, but we try to make every program excellent,” Sanft says. “We would rather offer five exceptional programs than 10 mediocre ones. Sometimes I think our athletes feel like they’re on warp speed, so we want to provide the kind of programming that really stops them for an hour. This is about their life—we want them to slow down and think about what’s ahead.” n

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STUDENT-ATHLETE WELFARE

Better Than Passing

What happens when your school board implements a 2.0 minimum GPA requirement for student-athletes? This athletic department is currently going through the transition.

By Kirby Whitacre & Chris Matthys

JIM RIDER/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

It all began innocently enough. A pair of our high school football players were selling coupon cards for a team fundraiser when they approached the home of former Notre Dame men’s basketball coach and current ESPN analyst Digger Phelps. As the three engaged in small talk, the topic of the students’ grades came up. One of the athletes revealed that he had mostly

C’s and D’s. Coach Phelps was astounded the young man was eligible to play football with a GPA that was clearly below a 2.0. He told them that 2.0 was the standard his athletes had to meet when he coached. Soon after, Coach Phelps was in front of our school board, making an enthusiastic plea to set higher academic standards for student-athletes in the South Bend (Ind.) Com-

munity School Corporation. The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) requires that student-athletes pass at least 70 percent of their classes, but he argued that bar was too low. He urged the board to consider a 2.0 minimum GPA standard. Without question, our school district needed to improve grades, graduation rates, and matriculation to post secondary educa-

At South Bend’s Clay High School, Athletic/Academic Coordinator Tom DeBaets helps a student-athlete with her algebra during an afterschool study support program.

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 41

tion. However, singling out athletes as the focus for this effort did not make sense to us in the athletic department for one clear reason: Athletes already had a higher average GPA than students who did not participate in athletics or other extracurricular activities. In fact, the difference was about twothirds of a point. On the other hand, athletes are the “attention getters” and to some extent the standard bearers of any school district. Additionally, many people felt that extra curricular activities are a privilege, and in order to partake in them, students should be held to a higher standard. We found ourselves in the middle of a discussion many other high school athletic departments are having. Should academic Kirby Whitacre is Director of Athletics for the South Bend (Ind.) Community School Corporation, which includes four high schools and 10 intermediate centers. A former football, basketball, and tennis coach, Chris Matthys is currently the Athletic/Academic Coordinator and a biology teacher at Washington High School in South Bend. They can be reached at: kwhitacre@sbcsc.k12.in.us and cmatthys@sbcsc.k12.in.us.

standards be raised for student-athletes at the high school level? And if so, how do you incorporate such standards in a way that encourages achievement and does not reduce participation? A GOOD IDEA?

With the school board leaning heavily toward following Coach Phelps’ suggestion, the athletic department started researching the topic. Looking mainly at higher standards implemented in Texas and Indianapolis, we found no proof that the practice had ever improved graduation rates or matriculation to post secondary education for school districts as a whole. And there was considerable literature suggesting that higher academic standards for athletes was discriminatory toward minorities and could be detrimental to those groups. We learned that when Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) adopted a similar requirement about seven years earlier, 15 percent of its athletes became ineligible after the first grading period. IPS is the largest school corporation in the state, and we are the fourth largest. Both systems have a large

percentage of minority students and a high rate of poverty. However, the Indianapolis students did grow accustomed to the higher requirement over the years, and far fewer athletes now become ineligible. Although IPS administrators did not have hard data, they estimated that current ineligibility rates run at about eight percent (or lower). This seemed to indicate that students can rise to new expectations. We were most concerned that we might be “throwing some kids away,” so to speak. We feared that student-athletes who struggled academically and lost the privilege to be on a sports team would have no incentive to go to class and then be more apt to drop out of school altogether. With all this in mind, we cautioned the school board about the negative consequences of higher standards, especially if it made a drastic move from the IHSAA policy to a 2.0 minimum GPA. We also proposed adding a support system for our athletes, arguing that it would be unfair to ask students to increase their academic standing without offering extra help.

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STUDENT-ATHLETE WELFARE

After much debate surrounding a variety of ways to implement higher GPA standards for athletic eligibility, we came to an agreement. Rather than suddenly drop a higher GPA policy into place, it would be eased in gradually. We also agreed to implement a study support program, the ICU (Intellectual Care Unit), borrowing the name from a similar program at a high school in Virginia. The final policy put into place states that athletic eligibility will be governed by the IHSAA standard during this first year (2009-10), but certain student-athletes are required to attend ICU. This includes: > any athlete with a GPA lower than 2.0 > all incoming freshman athletes until the first grade reports are issued. Athletes who fail to show up for required ICU sessions are suspended from practice and competition until they make up the missed time. The ICU program is also open to any student wishing to take advantage of it, regardless of involvement in athletics or other extracurricular activities. This was important, because, after all, we are educators, and the end goal is the education of all students. We would not turn away anyone who wanted the academic support provided. To maintain eligibility in the second year of the plan, student-athletes will need a GPA of 1.85 or greater in addition to meeting the IHSAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70 percent passing rate. In the third year, the GPA minimum standard will be bumped to a 2.0.

athlete is deficient in, and talking with teachers as needed. Coordinators would also be expected to find tutors for their schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program. Overall, with a few exceptions, there was enthusiasm for the program from teachers and coaches. Our first hurdle was funding coordinator stipends. We wanted to make the positions directly related to athletics, so we decided to combine them with event management duties. We took $5,000 of event manager

Along with mandatory attendance by freshmen and struggling students, some of our coaches require attendance at after-school study support by the whole team ... When the whole team is there, it becomes less of a punishment and more of an opportunity for everyone to work on their academics together.

STUDY TIME

For this new policy to work, we knew the ICU would be key. We also knew we had a great opportunity to help kids reach new academic heights. Therefore, our goal was for the ICU to not just be a study hall, but to be far-reaching in scope. We wanted to provide tutoring, SAT prep, reading remediation, help with the college application process, study skills instruction, and even some counseling. We envisioned the program covering two hours per day, three days a week, manned by athletic/academic coordinators in each of our four high schools. The responsibilities of the coordinator would include monitoring grades, communicating with athletes and coaches about subject areas that an

money from each school and put it toward the ICU coordinator funds, while adding assistance with game management to the job description. Along with helping to fund the ICU program, we felt this idea would provide a connection between academic tutoring and athletic operations as a whole. We combined the $20,000 from our event manager money with a $20,000 grant that we obtained from our local educational foundation. This gave us the $40,000 we needed to pay for ICU coordinators at each high school. We were also able to secure $1,000 to help fund supplies for the program from AM General (makers of the Humvee), which has its headquarters and assembly plants in the South Bend area. In hiring, we were fortunate to attract individuals with experience in athletics who were also skilled and respected teachers. Two had been head coaches, one an assistant coach, and the other a frequent helper at athletic events. We were extremely pleased with their combination of academic and athletic credentials. Our original plan was to tap several different sources for additional tutoring. This included National Honor Society students, Circle No. 130

student council members, volunteer teachers and counselors, retired teachers, college students, and community members from service clubs and volunteer groups. (We arranged to have limited criminal history checks for these people.) The reality is that it has been difficult to get volunteer tutors to consistently show up for the program, despite a lot of recruiting. We do have some college students helping at two of our four high schools, but most teachers wanted compensation for assisting with the program and we did not have money available for that. Even without as many tutors as we’d like, we have learned what are the most important components of a successful after-school study support program. First, it’s critical that as many students attend as possible. Along with mandatory attendance by freshmen and struggling students, some of our coaches require attendance by the whole team. This has been a great way to make sure all student-athletes are getting in some homework time before practice, and it allows honor roll student-athletes to serve as role models for

IS IT WORKING?

Unfortunately, not every coach has embraced the new program. Some especially did not like that ICU required flexibil-

hile South Bend is just starting to implement a 2.0 GPA minimum for student-athletes, Norfolk (Va.) Public Schools has had the policy in place for over a decade. Director of Athletics Joel Wagner believes the idea has been a success and even become part of the district’s identity.

“It’s been exceptional,” says Wagner. “I was on the front line, so I saw kids who were just meeting the minimum state requirements of passing five classes. Now the grade point average of athletes is higher than that of the non-athlete students.”

ity in scheduling team practices. However, the reality of more stringent standards in upcoming years is definitely on the coaches’ minds, and generally speaking, they have gotten on board. What do the kids think of having to attend ICU? Over 90 percent of the studentathletes we surveyed expressed the same thought: “We don’t like having to be here, but we are glad we have a place to get our homework completed. When we go home after practice and are tired, we might or might not do our homework—and probably not all of it.” Students have been held out of practices and games due to not attending ICU, and in all of those cases, the students got back on track and regained eligibility. We’ve also seen grades improve from the mid-marking report to the end-of-quarter official grades among students in ICU. Because of the many variables in a school, it is not possible to say that ICU was the reason, but we do know that hundreds of students have attended ICU and taken the opportunity to do homework, catch up on studying, or get help with a subject.

students whose grades have fallen to attend study hall, even if their GPA is above 2.0. “For example, if a kid goes from a 2.7 to a 2.3, he has to jump into study hall,” says Wagner. “But it depends on the situation. Going from a B to a C+ in chemistry is different than going from a B to a C+ in basic reading.” Juniors and seniors who fall under a 2.0 can use a waiver to exempt themselves from the rule for one semester. And students transferring from other high schools have nine weeks before the policy applies to them. Last year, the district also adopted an exemption for freshmen, giving them one year before having to maintain a 2.0 to participate in sports.

The policy was phased in over three semesters. In fall 1998, student-athletes were required to hold a 1.3 GPA, which rose to 1.65 for the spring semester and 2.0 the following fall. The 2.0 rule also applies to middle school student-athletes.

“Coming to a larger school environment, sometimes they need that semester to get a foothold,” says Wagner. “What’s astounding is that there only have been a few kids who needed the exemption.”

Each of Norfolk’s six high schools has an academic advisor who communicates frequently with teachers and coaches and evaluates each student-athlete’s progress reports. If an athlete falls below a 2.0, he or she must attend study hall after school and before practice, which is monitored by the academic advisor and coaches (and is open to all athletes). The advisor can also require

Wagner believes the 2.0 rule has been successful largely because the district didn’t simply announce it and walk away. “At each school, the principal, the athletic director, coaches, and the academic advisor are all monitoring what is happening academically,” he says. “The study hall has also been essential. The emphasis is on academics first for all of our kids.” — Kyle Garratt

44 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

In The Long Run

others. When the whole team is at ICU, it becomes less of a punishment and more of an opportunity for everyone to work on their academics together. The second component is having adults in the room who are well versed in teaching and learning styles. All of our coordinators are very experienced teachers, and we have a few tutors in key areas such as foreign language and chemistry. We also partnered students in a peer tutoring program that offered remedial learning. In addition, we learned it was important to have well-defined rules and consequences for violations, buy-in from the coaching staff, community support, and adequate facility access. Finally, we found studentathletes responded well to special programs that tied into future personal goals, such as college planning, SAT prep, and NCAA Clearinghouse registration.

STUDENT-ATHLETE WELFARE

What we are trying to do, ultimately, is change the culture surrounding expectations of athletes as students. Changing a culture, of course, takes time, but we feel we have begun the process. The penalties for failure to attend ICU have been a big help. An additional culture change centers on our in loco parentis role. Some student-athletes spend more time with their coaches than their parents, and we need to recognize our moral obligation to ensure that children in our care as athletes also grow as students. This program makes sure academic success for student-athletes is on our minds every day. We are compiling data on the impact of the program on GPA, graduation rate, and college or post secondary education plans. But it is too early to know if our program is working in this regard. One thing we do know, though, is that more homework is getting done. And if homework gets done, grades tend to improve. GOING FORWARD

Midway through the first year of the program, we are most concerned with con-

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tinuing to cover the expenses related to the ICU. Our district faces a 3.5 percent cut in state funding for 2010-11, so it is unclear whether the $40,000 for coordinator salaries will make it through budget cuts. We have also come to realize that additional money is needed to truly reach our goals of having the ICU fully staffed with tutors and offering in-depth special programs. In response, our district applied for a 21st Century Learning Center grant, of which we were awarded $200,000. Not all of the money will go to ICU and it can only be used at two of our high schools (that currently have some state sanctions), but it will greatly help us expand those two programs without tapping district funds. We are considering funding more teachers, a site coordinator, a guidance counselor, transportation home for kids staying late, paid tutors, and enrichment activities for both studentathletes and parents. At the other two high schools, we may

have to devise new solutions. Some options include securing outside contributions or placing grade monitoring and study table

What we are trying to do, ultimately, is change the culture surrounding expectations of athletes as students. Changing a culture, of course, takes time, but we feel we have begun the process. responsibilities on individual sport coaches. But, with or without additional funding, we know our future success hinges on consistent support from the coaches and the community. We also believe that, with the right commitment, the rewards of shifting a culture are well worth the efforts. n

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FUNDRAISING

Salisbury University Athletic Director Michael Vienna regularly reminds internal constituents about the success of the men’s lacrosse team.

Inside Move

Being an effective fundraiser requires leaving no stone unturned— even on your own campus. Here’s a look at the art of internal fundraising.

By Dr. Michael Vienna

o be successful as an athletic director today, at any level, requires proficiency in fundraising. It is rare to find a position announcement that does not emphasize the ability to raise external funds, and retention decisions can hinge on how much money you bring in. From cultivating donors to running money-making events, we are required to increase revenue any way we can. But there is another aspect of fundraising that is just as important, yet can easily be overlooked: internal fundraising. This entails developing strategies to ensure your department receives its fair share of university monies. AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 47

FUNDRAISING

Especially in these difficult economic times when money for athletics can be seen as cutable, a plan for securing resources is critical. As upper-level administrators continue to make budget cuts, we need them— as well as faculty and staff—to understand the importance of athletics. The obvious time to make the case for internal resources is during the normal budget planning period as established by the institution. However, lobbying for funding should also be an ongoing process. If you show the worth and needs of athletics only during a formal annual presentation, you are not doing enough to secure a strong future for your department. MAKING FRIENDS

The first step to internal fundraising has nothing to do with money or arguing for your cause. Instead, it involves making sure athletics is seen as an integral part of the institution. If upper-level administrators and faculty view the athletics department as its own separate entity, they will have little sympathy for

Another good idea is to attend schoolsponsored activities. Just as we often talk about the importance of campus support at our athletics events, we must remember it is a two-way street. Theatrical productions, art shows, student festivals, retirement functions, ground breaking ceremonies, honors convocations, and many other special events look for support through attendance. Being present at these happenings shows you are interested in other pursuits and are a team player. It’s also a great way to chat informally with other campus leaders. Faculty and student government meetings should also be on your radar. If your faculty governance structure is open to everyone, try to attend as many meetings as possible. If not, look for other opportunities to interact with these people, such as campus forums. Participating in this type of engagement will help to develop relationships, but just as important, it keeps you in tune with the struggles of others. For example, you may learn at a faculty meeting that professors are very frustrated with a freeze on money

It may seem easier to wait until budget time to present facts and figures, but it is better to continually feed information to supervisors. This keeps your department at the top of their mind. your needs. But if they understand how athletics fills a critical role in the university’s success, you will have built-in allies at budget time. A key part of this integration is for the athletic director to be a respected and trusted leader on campus. This means extending yourself beyond normal athletics business and becoming a partner in the larger community. One way to do this is through service on committees, even if they don’t relate to athletics. This could include anything from judicial affairs to search committees to various student and staff advisory groups. Ideally, try to serve on a diverse array of groups that touch different areas of the campus. Such work shows you are interested in assisting with issues outside of sports and provides an opportunity to exhibit your leadership and decision-making skills to important people on campus. Michael Vienna, PhD, is Director of Athletics and Recreation at Salisbury University, where he has worked since 1989. The program is consistently ranked in the top 25 of the NACDA Directors Cup, and Vienna was named the group’s Athletic Director of the Year for Division III’s Southeast Region in 2007. He has served on many state, conference, and national committees during his career and has received the Salisbury University Presidential Appreciation Award. He can be reached at: mpvienna@salisbury.edu.

48 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

for professional development. Now, even though the athletics department has funds set aside for staff development, it may be best to temporarily limit those activities. Otherwise you run the risk of alienating the rest of the campus by appearing to have privileges others cannot afford. Working with colleagues can also help you to form collaborative relationships. For example, getting to know the staff in the physical plant might lead to sharing a piece of equipment for landscaping athletic fields. Another area could be working together to increase energy efficiency within facilities. It’s great to also get your coaches and student-athletes to engage with others across campus, which will further the work you are doing as athletic director. Such activity could even be a part of a coach’s annual evaluation criteria. The more positive interactions any athletics staff member has with other campus groups, the more your department will be seen as an integral part of the institution. ONGOING UPDATES

Along with campus interaction, regular updates to those making the final financial decisions is an important tactic. It may seem

easier to wait until budget time to present facts and figures, but it is better to continually feed information to supervisors. This keeps your department at the top of their mind and shows you are proactive. One of the most important things to share with upper-level administrators is a set of goals for athletics, and how the allocation of internal resources affects those goals. This provides the key people in the budget process an understanding of the items deemed most important as well as a reference point to gauge progress. Then, be sure this list of goals is always on your radar. It can work well to put it on your office bulletin board or in your day planner where it will catch your attention. As you accomplish or adjust goals, update your supervisors. In addition, bring them to senior staff meetings and discuss them at appropriate times during the year. By making the goals important, the individuals who control the purse strings are more likely to remember your needs when making decisions. Along the same lines, let others know about department struggles and successes. This should include budget trends as soon as they become apparent. For example, when transportation bids come in or officials’ costs are due, it is time to document trends from previous years and anticipated costs in the future. In a short note or conversation, share that information with the appropriate administrator(s). Other areas where it is typically easy to show budget trends include salaries, health benefits, travel, on-campus meals, and housing. Your updates should also include positive news, especially those things that benefit the entire university. There are obvious ones, such as a great victory, a coaching milestone, or when a team achieves an academic award. But other positive happenings can go unnoticed unless you bring them to people’s attention. For example, highlighting community service performed by staff and student-athletes is a great way to indicate you are producing well-rounded individuals who are helping improve town-gown relations. These events also present a perfect chance to tie your department’s efforts to the school’s mission statement or strategic plan. Positive exposure for the school in the media should also be tracked. You can quantify this by measuring the column inches the athletics program has generated in various publications and multiply those inches by the amount that publication charges for each advertising inch. This will demonstrate how much this exposure would have cost if the school had to buy that many inches of advertising space. Most upper-level administrators understand that exposure pays financial

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dividends down the road through increased enrollment and fundraising success. Demonstrating the economic impact of your program can be a good strategy, especially if your institution is a significant part of the local economy. Visiting teams and

spectators usually end up spending a lot of money, and your own student-athletes’ parents tend to visit the area to see their children compete more than parents of non-athletes. A study of these and similar impacts can show exactly how the athletics

While having a year-long strategy for internal fundraising can reap many benefits, it’s important to know you can provide administrators with too much information. They already have a stack of documents to look through and meetings to attend every day. You don’t want to be a pest.

That’s why tact and timing are critical with this approach. Know the best times to contact administrators and figure out how they like to receive information. Some might prefer an e-mail, while others want a phone call or a monthly meeting. Be conscious of how you are being perceived and listen carefully to their requests. Finally, always remain positive even if others are not. This will ensure that your message is received well and you are seen as a great person to work with.

BEST APPROACH

program affects business in the community. Another significant area to track is money brought in through enrollment of athletes, which includes not only tuition but fees, room, and board. At enrollment-driven schools it is fair to question whether there would be as many students if not for the recruiting efforts of the athletics department. Would the school be filling all of its beds (and have enough male enrollment) if it did not have a football team, for example? Calculate the income your student-athletes bring in to the school, and you may find it actually exceeds the cost of running athletics. In addition, if you are at a state school, examine whether the athletics program brings in more out-of-state students compared to the rest of the student body. On most campuses, out-of-state students pay significantly higher tuition than their instate counterparts. If the recruiting efforts of the athletics department creates greater income for the school by bringing in more out-of-state students, you can argue that athletics deserves the funding needed to maintain or improve these efforts.

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FUNDRAISING

Another possible selling point is retention. If your student-athletes have a greater retention rate than other students, the admissions office will have fewer spots to fill each year, reducing costs. Academic performance studies are yet another way to quantify your department’s contribution to the school. One of the best indicators is if your student-athletes have a better graduation rate or grade point average than the rest of the student body. But there are other areas to document as well, such as disciplines or majors that studentathletes excel in or any athletic-academic awards your athletes have won. If your student-athletes complete formal evaluations on their athletic experiences, be sure to share these with campus administrators. In the assessments, it is important to ask questions about areas related to the university mission and strategic plan so

Whenever feasible, demonstrate the ways that the resources allocated last year to athletics have benefited the school. Be as specific as possible in illustrating how and where monies have led to current successes, both athletically and academically. This will help build confidence that your department has invested wisely into successful programs for the student-athletes and the university. Your presentation should also include benchmarks comparing your department to that of other schools. In choosing peer departments, select programs that you compete against and have at least as much success on the field as you. They should also be institutions with similar funding patterns and admission standards. However, always be careful that you are comparing apples to apples. Take recruiting budgets, for example. On some campuses, coaches have to pay for postage, phone calls,

Whenever feasible, demonstrate the ways that the resources allocated last year to athletics have benefited the school. Be as specific as possible in illustrating how and where monies have led to current successes, both athletically and academically. you can show the athletics program is succeeding in areas important to the school. Demonstrating that your student-athletes are having a positive and beneficial experience can carry a lot of weight. In addition, evaluations can support funding requests for things that athletes indicate are important. Conversely, if your evaluations show negative feelings about areas that are poorly funded, it is more than reasonable to request additional support. FORMAL REQUESTS

Proactive communication ensures the issues, needs, and value of the athletic program is ingrained into upper-level administrators’ minds. However, this does not mean you should take the formal budget process casually. At budget time, it’s critical to tie all your ongoing work together in a formal presentation that impresses those making the decisions. Naturally, it is imperative to follow any established protocol requested by the budget office. In addition, it is important to provide a report that is professional, clear, and understandable. All your numbers should be correct and easy to analyze. Requests should be reasonable and reflect an understanding of budgeting issues facing the entire institution.

duplication, mileage, and so forth out of their budget, while on other campuses, such expenses may be absorbed by a common administrative budget. Throughout the formal budget request period, it is important to strike a balance between persistence and professionalism. While raising your voice and getting upset over potential cuts may grab someone’s attention, a polite, respectful, and measured approach will pay longer term benefits. There is nothing wrong with being strong in one’s conviction, but do not lose sight of the big picture. The administration has to satisfy several competing interests and it is crucial to maintain positive working relationships with your superiors, regardless of the way the numbers fall. In these tough economic times it can pay dividends to be a team player, which is what we preach to our own staff and athletes. And lastly, throughout the process be mindful to thank the senior administrators for their time and support. Athletics is one of the most important programs on campus, but faculty and staff don’t always know this. When everyone is fighting for institutional dollars, you need to advocate for your department in creative and meaningful ways—throughout the entire year. n

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HIRING

Springfield (Ohio) High School held a community forum before hiring Head Boys’ Basketball Coach Darnell Hoskins last fall.

Bill Lackey/Springfield News-Sun

When Jim Langkamp, Athletic Director at Portage (Wis.) High School, first proposed involving the community in hiring coaches, staff members questioned his sanity. They envisioned a room full of Monday morning quarterbacks stepping up to the podium, grabbing the microphone, and blasting current or former coaches. It would be like opening up a Pandora’s box, his coaches told him. But Langkamp was undeterred. He believed that while the chronic complainers in the community are often the most vocal, they’re also in the minority. He wanted to tap into the overlooked supporters out there looking to share a constructive voice. So he went ahead with his idea. And in the end, it was an unmitigated success. “If high school athletic teams truly are community programs, I believe the community should have input when we hire coaches,” Langkamp says. “We should at least listen to what types of things are important to our parents and fans. “Sometimes the community is viewed as the enemy, and that’s not the type of relationship I want to have,” he continues. “By asking for input, we open doors to more positive communication, and maybe people

Public Pulse

By Mike Phelps

When it comes to choosing a new head coach, everyone has an opinion. In response, some high schools are opening up the hiring process to the community.

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 53

will feel more comfortable calling me to discuss different issues—positive or negative.” OPEN FORUM

Mike Phelps is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management. He can be reached at: mp@MomentumMedia.com.

54 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

very clearly what the 10 top items were.” To encourage group members to reach consensus, Estrop posed a challenge. “If they didn’t reach consensus, they couldn’t post their dot,” he explains. “If consensus was only reached on five, that group could only post five dots.” Estrop also took an additional step to ensure his small groups wouldn’t be made up of like-minded people. When people entered the room at the beginning of the session, they were assigned a number in the order they arrived. That number then corresponded with a table. “People tend to arrive in groups with others they associate with, and this served to break up those people,” Estrop says. “We encourage a diversity of viewpoints. That’s important because then people have to talk through things together. They are forced to work toward a better understanding and agreement about what’s important.”

Aaron Braund, Athletic Director at Sauk Prairie High School in Prairie du Sac, Wis., is another

administrator who has experimented with asking the community for input in hiring decisions. However, he used a more streamlined approach. Toward the beginning of a recent coaching search, Braund kept receiving phone calls from residents asking what type of coach he was going to hire. So he figured it might be something to talk about as a community. “I decided to have a listening session and find out what qualities the community wanted in a coach,” Braund says. “I also used the opportunity to tell people who was on the hiring committee and describe the hiring process. I then asked for any potential interview questions they would like asked—although I made no guarantees we were going to include every question.” Throughout the discussion, Braund was careful to define the community’s involvement. “We made it clear the community was not going to decide who we hired,” he says, “but they could share what they wanted in a coach, or what type of person they wanted their kids to learn from. “The most important part of the listening session was to inspire confidence that the right hire was going to be made,” Braund continues. “It assured community members that politics would not be part of the equation. If you can take that fear away, then people will focus on what’s important—getting the best candidate for the position.” Braund found that, overall, the qualities he wanted in a coach closely mirrored those desired by the community. But it was important to have their support. “Just to hear that everyone was on the same page helped,” he says. “Any time you as an athletic director provide an opportunity for feedback, it’s a good thing.”

Simpler Plan

For Langkamp, involving the community in coaching hires meant holding a forum for all school district residents. But he didn’t just open the doors, plug in a microphone, and invite audience members to speak their minds. Quite the opposite, actually. Langkamp had a clear, detailed plan. Much of that plan was based on a similar initiative used by Springfield (Ohio) City Schools when it hired a new boys’ basketball coach in September. Langkamp had stumbled across a news story about Springfield’s hiring process and called David Estrop, Superintendent at Springfield, for advice. At both schools, the goal of the forum was for community members to compile a list of attributes they wanted to see in a head coach. This would then be used to help administrators write interview questions for the candidates. In Langkamp’s case, the forum was held as a general meeting, rather than to review a specific opening. So he began the evening by posing a simple question to those in attendance: What characteristics or traits should the school district look for when hiring varsity head coaches? Langkamp then laid out the ground rules for the discussion, specifying that no names of current or past coaches could be used in the conversation and people couldn’t list characteristics that could be viewed as discriminatory due to age, gender, or race. “One of the keys to making this successful was keeping the discussion topic very focused and on-task,” Langkamp says. “We told participants that the forum was meant to specifically answer the question on the top of the agenda, which ensured the discussion didn’t deteriorate into a gripe session or take on a negative tone. I wanted it to be productive.” From there, the attendees were broken down into smaller groups of six to eight people and asked to brainstorm their lists of ideal traits. At Springfield, Estrop also included a facilitator—a school employee or member of the interview committee—at each table. “The facilitator did not participate in the discussion, but simply led the group and made sure everybody was given an equal chance to participate,” Estrop says. “It was also an opportunity for members of the interview team to actively listen to the community before they formed their own views.

Otherwise, people could say, ‘They have already made up their mind.’” When all groups had completed the task, everyone reconvened to share what they came up with and compile one master list of their ideas. Then the groups were reshuffled, and the new groups were charged with paring the master list down to just 10 attributes. At both schools, groups had to reach a consensus—voting was not allowed. “We call it our small group consensus process,” Estrop says. “We asked each participant to decide, ‘Can I live with it? Is it better than nothing?’ Voting is divisive, because there are winners and losers. “Once each group reached a consensus, their facilitator went to the chart in the front of the room with all the attributes on it and placed a dot next to each of the 10 items the group had identified as most important,” he continues. “By the end of the evening, when all the tables had reported out, you could see

HIRING

Both administrators publicized their meetings in the local media, and Langkamp says about 30 people showed up for his 90minute session, while around 35 came out for Springfield’s two-hour forum. Both received positive feedback from the attendees. “During the last five minutes, I asked if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions about the process and one person stood up and simply said, ‘Thank you,’” Langkamp says. “He was sincerely grateful for having the chance to communicate with the school.” “One man told me he appreciated being able to put in his two cents, and that he learned a lot from the other people there,” Estrop adds. “He met some new people, found out that not everybody agreed with what he thought was important, and enjoyed reaching consensus. Everyone felt a sense of a accomplishment that they had done something to help move the district forward—and they had.”

deemed important—until this winter. In January, the school needed to hire a new head football coach, and Athletic Director Janet Wood formed a search committee that included herself, a basketball coach, the school resource officer, a booster club representative, and a school board member. The committee interviewed six candidates and presented one to the school board for approval. What happened next caught Wood and her committee by surprise. “The board didn’t feel comfortable it had enough information to accept the recommendation,” Wood says. “Some of the board members felt we needed a more diverse group on the interview committee.” With that in mind, a new committee was formed consisting of Wood, the school principal, a different board member than from the original group, and seven community members selected by the board. Community members were a combination of parents of varsity football players, parents

“During the last five minutes, I asked if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions about the process and one person stood up and simply said, ‘Thank you.’ He was sincerely grateful for having the chance to communicate with the school.”

COMMUNITY COMMITTEE

Another way to involve community members in the hiring process is to include them on your interview committee. At Mountain Home (Ark.) High School, that was never

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they restarted the process. “Along with providing insight, it also gave the community some buy-in and ownership over who was hired,” she says. COMBO PLAN

At Lakota East High School in Liberty Township, Ohio, Athletic Director Richard Bryant uses both focus groups and community members on the interview team when hiring coaches. The process is long and involves many different stakeholders, but Bryant says it works extremely well. To start, three focus groups are formed to gather people’s opinions on the hire. One is made up of coaches, another of studentathletes, and the third includes parents. Like Langkamp does, Bryant lays down guidelines for forum participants. “It’s like teaching class,” Bryant says. “You set out very clear expectations at the beginning of the meeting explaining what the purpose is. For football, our purpose was to determine what we wanted in a coach and where we all wanted the program to be. It’s not a bash session for the previous coach, and his name shouldn’t even be brought up.

“We tell participants we’re moving forward and tonight’s going to be positive,” he continues. “If anyone can’t handle that, the meeting will either end or specific people will be asked to leave.” After completing the focus group sessions, Bryant moves on to two rounds of interviews, each with a separate committee. The first-round committee is made up of parents, students, coaches, and administrators, while the second round is just administrators. Bryant believes it’s critical to have parents present during those initial interviews. “If you’re going to ask a parent to trust someone with their kids, you want to gauge their feelings about that person,” Bryant says. “Nothing does that better than face-to-face meetings. Every candidate looks good on paper. But once you see that person interact with a mom or a dad who has a vested interest in the program, you get a better feel for whether the candidate is a good fit for your school. “It’s always interesting to hear what parents think of individuals,” he continues. “As administrators, we’re often looking at finding someone who has a strong educational

background and has been a successful coach at a similar school, among other things. But parents make sure we also think about what kind of person the candidate is and if this individual is going to be a positive role model. I love to hear a parent say, ‘I think this guy’s going to take care of my kid.’ Sometimes that’s the most important thing.” Bryant is careful about who he asks to be on the interview committee. “Choosing the parents comes down to the relationship they’ve had with the school,” he says. “We don’t want a parent whose focus is on their own kid and how he will or won’t be successful at wide receiver depending on what kind of offense the coach is running. “We tend to choose the parents who are at everything, with the kids who do everything,” Bryant continues. “There’s a core group of parents you can count on to be honest and who are there just because they want to help, not to further their son or daughter’s playing career.” Once the committee is formed, Bryant asks each member to come up with two or three interview questions they feel are important. He also provides guidelines to make

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HIRING

sure the questions are legal and appropriate. “We then check over everything and organize the questions on a sheet with a pretty in-depth rating system,” Bryant explains. “We allow some follow-ups to the applicants’ answers, but we monitor the questioning very closely because it’s likely the parents have never interviewed anybody before in this way. You have to be very careful with the questions that are asked so you don’t get a lawsuit slapped on you.” DOES IT WORK?

Getting community input during a hiring search certainly takes time, but those who have gone through the process say it is worth the effort. For one, it greatly improves buy-in from the community for the new coach. “If it’s organized properly, feedback from stakeholders is invaluable,” Bryant says. “The end result may not be that everybody is 100-percent happy, but there won’t be as many naysayers tearing the new coach apart because people had the opportunity to be a part of the process. A little bit of legwork and proper organization can go a long way toward helping you garner community support.”

Defining the qualities that the community values and having that list on hand can also make it easier to come to a final decision. “I’ve found the hiring process to be very difficult,” Langkamp says. “You might have two candidates who are really close in ability and you’re splitting hairs. It helps to have another tool to separate one from the other. “The other thing I’ve found to be helpful is having a checklist you can go over before you sign off on hiring someone,” he continues. “You can go down the list and say, ‘Does this person have passion? Is he or she a role model? Is he or she a motivator? Is this person going to fit the mold of what our community had in mind?’ In the end, it helps you confirm that you got the right person.” Getting the community involved can also be reassuring. In Springfield, once all the dots had been placed on the board and the number-one attribute had been revealed, Estrop was pleasantly surprised. “It struck me, because I never would have guessed it,” Estrop says. “Basketball is

a very big deal here in Springfield, and the expectation is to field a very competitive team. But the number-one quality defined by the community was that their next coach value academics more than athletics.” The same was true at Portage. “The

“The end result may not be that everybody is 100-percent happy, but there won’t be as many naysayers because people had the opportunity to be a part of the process.”

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thing that stood out to me was how much the community downplayed a coach’s sports knowledge,” Langkamp says. “For them, it was more about a coach’s personal characteristics than being great with X’s and O’s. That’s something I never would have learned if I didn’t open up the process and get the community involved.” n

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LEADERSHIP

s troubled economic times continue, many athletic departments are dealing with decreases in advertising revenue, donations, attendance, and corporate sponsorships. However, other athletic programs have not missed a step and are thriving. How are some schools coming out ahead and others slipping into economic chaos?

Certainly, putting winning teams on the field is key, but another factor is the quality and scope of your public relations program. Making sure the community and the media are connected with your program is one of the most critical ways to keep the public interested in your athletic teams, through good times and bad, which will continue to bring in outside revenue. Why is a consistent public relations effort so important to maintaining success? Well, just as the pilot of an airplane cruising at

40,000 feet does not cut off an engine when encountering turbulence, neither should we scale back on our public and media relations campaigns just because money is tight. When bad times hit, the first areas considered for cutting are those that don’t directly bring in revenue. But the indirect impact of public relations, even though it may not always be quantifiable, is critical. Good public relations are not expensive and without them we lose any momentum we are gaining. If they are neglected, it fur-

On Center Stage

In today’s tough economy, revenue is king, but don’t overlook the various ways that effective public relations can add to the bottom line.

By James Cox

PHIL ROCHE/MDC

Miami Dade College Athletic Director James Cox speaks to alumni and friends during a baseball reunion event at his school.

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 59

LEADERSHIP

ther pushes a program out of the public eye and will require its leaders to rebuild the relationships that had been built prior to the cutbacks. A formal and fully supported public relations plan, with solid strategies and objectives, should be a priority of every athletic director. TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION

The first things that may come to mind when you hear “public relations program” are press releases and positive spins. And it’s easy to assume your sports information department and campus-wide public relations office will take care of it. As athletic

your program in a substantial way. Overall, there are three types of public relations to be concerned with: internal, external, and media. You’ll want to have specific strategies for dealing with each one. INSIDE JOB

Internal public relations can be easily overlooked, as these constituents are so close at hand. But they are a critical piece of the puzzle. They include students, faculty, staff, and administrators, as well as your on-campus media. To start, some of the most important media outlets you can cultivate are your school newspaper and campus television and radio stations. These media sources must be serviced at the same level as the local papers and TV stations. In fact, they can be your greatest allies, as they tend to be interested in publishing positive articles, which will then be read or seen by your key internal constituents. Since these outlets are staffed by students, reaching out to them sometimes takes a different approach. It often works well to schedule a regular time (usually weekly) when a reporter or editor can meet with the sports information director to get the news of the past week as well as ideas for feature pieces. Ideally, the sports information director should mentor these students and support them in any way he or she can. Providing positive feedback on a well done article or new ideas for stories can help develop a great working relationship, which will lead to good press for your program. Making coaches accessible is also very important. When coaches are busy, responding to a student newspaper request may get buried at the bottom of their to-do list—but it shouldn’t. In addition, coaches should understand that students often work on their media projects during off hours and need to conduct interviews in the evenings or even late at night. Student staffers at campus media outlets are learning their craft, just like student-athletes are learning their sports, and coaches need to be patient and helpful. They should also realize that the more supportive and

The key to making meaningful relationships with external publics is to take the time to speak with them. Then, listen openly and take action on their requests or complaints. director, you don’t need one more area of operations to think about. But effective public relations actually encompass a lot more. The goal of any program is to build and maintain relationships with the publics that you serve through mutually beneficial two-way communication that helps develop trust. And that can’t be done by one person in the sports information office. It needs to be a department-wide initiative, with plans and goals behind it. Like any other relationship, your program’s relationship with the public needs to be sustained—seven days a week, 12 months a year—through good times and bad. You need to communicate with constituents even when you have bad news. And you cannot ignore any negative feedback you receive from your various publics. In fact, acting on negative comments can do more to increase support from your campus, community, and media than a truckload of positive notes that may come your way. Do not dismiss or ignore any complaints, advice, or opinions that you receive from your audiences, as careful consideration of them demonstrates you want to please constituents. Such action can often also improve

At Miami Dade College, we have an advisory board made up of community members … I have learned many eyeopening things from these people.

James Cox has been the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Club Sports at Miami Dade College since 1997, previously serving as Assistant Athletic Director (1987-97) and Sports Information Director (1977-1987) at the nation’s largest two-year college. He currently sits on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and is Third Vice-President of the National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators. He welcomes any comments or questions regarding this article and can be reached at: jcox@mdc.edu.

60 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

accessible they are with student reporters, the more likely they are to get great coverage. Another key is working with the campus public relations department. Instead of sports information and institutional PR being totally separate units, consider having them work collaboratively. You can start by offering the services of your sports information staff to write articles for use by the PR office. It should be easy for them to take their best sports articles and tweak them for a more general audience. In addition, sports information should continually offer news and feature stories to the campus PR department for placement on the main college Web page or newsletters. Make sure that athletics gets its share of coverage along with the other college activities. At the same time, be careful not to be pushy or flood the PR department. The more professionally your staff presents the info, the better chance it has of being published. You PR efforts should also be focused on keeping key campus leaders informed. For example, do not be shy about constantly sending out positive news about your student-athletes and athletic program to the school president and board of trustees. And feed them some facts they won’t see in the

media—maybe your program is among the conference’s best in team grade point average or a squad has achieved its first national ranking. Do they know the number of community members served by camps and clinics your department conducts? All of the above tactics ensure that those closest to the action know about the great things the athletic department is doing. And that is critical for gaining student fan support, resources for your programs, and faculty buy-in of athletics. REACHING OUT

External public relations focus on those people not connected with your school as an employee or student, such as loyal spectators, sponsors, corporate donors, alumni,

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“We didn’t really have control over who was requesting our coaches or what our coaches were doing,” says Huber. “We wanted to make sure we were in compliance with the NCAA in terms of quiet and non-contact periods. We also wanted more control for marketing and ticket sales purposes.” Since the program started in July, people can make requests through a standard form on the university’s Web site, or call or e-mail Huber directly. The form asks for information about the organization seeking a speaker, date desired, length of speech, and their top four choices for a speaker. Huber then contacts the requested coaches to arrange a date and time. “We have gotten more requests from people farther away and I have seen a much greater range of types of groups showing interest,” says Huber. “We know it’s good for our brand if we can get our coaches out there.” It has also allowed more UND coaches to be in the public eye. “Some people only want the head hockey coach, but he is very

busy and might not be able to speak,” says Huber. “So it’s about reaching an understanding with the group that is requesting a speaker and finding the right speaker who is available.” The engagements are free for civic, professional, and educational entities while for-profit organizations can negotiate a fee. UND is already seeing the idea pay off. “Our volleyball coach made a speech and I sent some flyers with him and it turned into ticket sales,” says Huber. “We hadn’t seen an attendance of over 300 all year for volleyball. Then he started going out and speaking and we had over 1,000 people at our last game. It could be due to the team winning, but we would like to think that some of it was due to the speakers’ bureau.” Most groups want coaches to speak about motivation and leadership, while some want them to discuss their teams. Whatever the topic, Huber says UND coaches have been happy to tackle it. Huber publicized the program by calling local civil groups, as well as providing a brochure insert to the chamber of commerce. The athletic department Web site features a link to the sign-up form and Huber hopes to promote the bureau more over the summer through social media outlets. “It’s a great avenue not only for getting the word of the coaches out there,” says Huber, “but also for selling tickets and getting people interested in and excited about our teams.” — Kyle Garratt

Circle No. 159 62 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

Coach speak

or years, University of North Dakota coaches had been speaking to public groups, but Max Huber, Director of In-Game Management, Creative Services, and Group Sales, described it as more of a good ol’ boys’ network. Coaches would receive speaking requests from people they already knew and none of it went through the athletic department. While that was fine, Huber believed the department’s public relations could be furthered by organizing these efforts into a formal speakers’ bureau.

LEADERSHIP

and friends of the program. A constant connection with these external publics is essential during both good times and bad. I have found that by developing sincere relationships with these constituencies, they will have empathy and continue to provide support during any tough stretches. The key to making meaningful relationships with these groups is to take the time to speak with them. Sit and talk with long-time fans at games whenever you can, continually ask your sponsors what you can do for them, and find as many ways as possible to involve alumni in your events. Then, listen to them openly and honestly and take action on their requests or complaints. Another way to get meaningful feedback is through a formal group. At Miami Dade College, we have an advisory board made up of community members, which is very helpful in providing me with honest input on the perception of the athletic program. I have learned many eye-opening things from these people, and often times I am amazed at just how much our constituents know about the athletic program.

It’s also important to make yourself, as athletic director, very visible in the community. Be involved in at least one service organization (such as a Kiwanis or Lions Club) and try to connect with a few local youth leagues or school programs. Let speakers’ bureaus know you are available and make sure to attend important campus and community events. Similarly, your coaches should have a presence in the public eye. In fact, you can even make it part of their job description. However, since all coaches are different, give them flexibility in how they will engage others. If a coach balks at public speaking, he or she may opt instead to organize a youth clinic. If a coach is not comfortable even with small groups, the athletic director can accompany him or her to an event, or the coach can bring along some student-athletes. You can also reach out to the community simply by making your teams more accessible. If you are a small school, play up the fact that fans at your games can get close to the action and receive special attention from the coaches and student-athletes. People like to be part of an “inner circle” and the more

access you can give them to the stars of the game, the more likely they are to continue to support your teams. We have found a lot of success inviting specific groups to our games—people are more likely to attend events if they know friends or colleagues will be there. These groups have included folks from the nearby retirement home and various on-campus student clubs. You can also welcome community events in your athletic facilities to further strengthen community ties. Another idea is to invite local politicians to get involved in your program—ask them to throw out the first pitch at baseball and softball games, for example. Finally, don’t neglect social media in linking with constituencies, since it is now the name of the game. Set up Facebook and Twitter pages to provide another way for the public to gain access to and develop a sense of familiarity with your program. GOOD PRESS

Media relations involves developing strong connections with the different outside media sources that cover your program. You

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10 PM

LEADERSHIP

want to build a mutually beneficial relationship with them, which may take some work. Unlike your internal and external constituents, the media are not an easy ally. But they are critical in reaching your other publics. The best way to get on the right foot with Page 1 the media is to simply help them do their jobs. Always respond to requests for information and don’t ignore them when negative news happens. Understand that their objectives will sometimes conflict with yours. While you want all positive coverage, the media will not hesitate to investigate a negative situation. Also realize that they are beholden to deadlines and don’t always work the same hours you do. To start, a good idea is to invite local sportswriters or editors to come in and chat with your sports information staff. Each side should discuss how they can best help the other. In addition, your staff can find out how each outlet wants to receive news and press releases, game scores, and feature story ideas. Coaches must also be on board. They need to always report all of their game scores, win or lose. Often, coaches tend to “forget” to call the media when they lose, but want front-page headlines when they win. This

practice is not acceptable to the media and will eventually backfire. Coaches also need to be respectful to the media, even if a journalist publishes a negative story. As athletic director, you should be developing personal relationships with key writers and editors at local media outlets. The best strategy is to be open, honest, and fair. You don’t want to be a “friend” to the media and provide information that could end up portraying your program negatively. But you do want them to trust you and turn to you for help with their stories. In your discussions with reporters and editors, provide them with a true sense of the challenges and obstacles in running an athletic program. Give them interesting quotes and insight into what you do. And if you don’t have an immediate answer to a question, get back to them as soon as possible. If there is more than one media outlet in the area that covers your program, do not show favoritism or give “scoops” to one source over the other. While you may like some reporters more than others, an athletic director must treat all members of the media alike without favoring anyone.

Great relationships with the media not only help publicize the good things about your program, they will pay dividends when the inevitable bad news hits. The more honest and helpful you are to the media every day of the year, the more understanding and trusting they will be when the day comes that you have to announce a student-athlete discipline problem, a rules violation in your program, or questionable conduct by one of your coaches. And make sure you have a plan in place to handle the day when a crisis comes. You want to keep the loyalty of the institution at the forefront of your decisions in dealing with the media—without putting up any smoke screens or avoiding tough questions. Whether you are furthering relations with internal, external, or media constituents, remember that the job is never done. Just as a marriage or business partnership takes constant communication, feedback, and adapting to the situation at hand, so does public relations. The ability to project a positive image to your internal and external audiences and to your media targets will enable you to not only survive, but thrive during these challenging economic times. n

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Circle No. 147 64 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

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2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Synthetic Turf Fields A-Turf’s comprehensive selection of synthetic turf systems gives you options to match A-Turf to your needs and preferences. Site includes: • Field installations and testimonials • Systems and specifications • Company videos

www.aturf.com

AntiWave Pool Products AntiWave is committed to excellence in meeting your aquatic equipment needs. Site includes: • Product descriptions • Product specs • Company background

www.antiwave.com

Athletic Record Boards Download the company’s printer program and you can print your own records. Site includes: • Samples and images of boards for various sports • Pricing information • Technical information

www.athleticrecordboards.com See ad on page 36

Maintenance-Free Vinyl Bleacher Covers Find useful information and pricing to help make your bleacher remodeling or replacement easy and stress-free. Site includes: • Technical data • Photo gallery and brochures • Pricing information

www.perma-cap.com

Sponsor Signage & Stadium Graphics This multi-functional Web site offers everything from downloadable product installation manuals to sharp, vivid images of past projects and products. Site includes: • Extensive electronic portfolio of projects • Art upload and proofing tabs • Detailed, in-depth product specs

www.bigsigns.com See ad on INSIDE back COVER

Online Degree Program Get extensive information on the university’s history and its degree programs. Site includes: • Admissions, financial aid, and application information • Online registration and financial aid course information • Global Online test drive

www.cup.edu See ad on page 18

Sports Flooring for Schools & Recreation Centers Sign up for the newsletter and receive it every month. It contains info about the latest in flooring news, floor care, and cleaning with various maintenance products, along with other tips to keeping your sports floors looking new. Site includes: • Downloadable catalog • Customer testimonials • Photo galleries

Green Encapsulated Rubber Crumb Infill A customer testimonial video discusses how CushionFall Sport helps alleviate safety concerns often associated with recycled rubber crumb particles. Site includes: • Product description and benefits • Customer testimonial video • Product comparison photos (not retouched)

Easy-to-Use Fitness Equipment Cleaning Accessories

www.centaurfloors.com

www.cushionfallsport.com

www.athletixproducts.com

See ad on page 64

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See ad on Back COVER

Athletix Products™ proudly launches its new site, detailing innovative products for fitness facility and equipment maintenance. Site includes: • Athletix™ equipment cleaner wipes • Athletix™ disinfectant wipes • Athletix™ guide rod wipes

2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Commercial Laundry Equipment Learn about key factors in choosing the proper laundry equipment for athletic facilities. Site includes: • Facility tours and case studies • Downloadable brochures • Product information

www.continentalgirbau.com

Covers for Indoor/Outdoor Athletic Surfaces Search by product or sport/venue to find the CoverSports USA athletic cover or accessory to suit your sports surface need. Site includes: • Product images, features, and specifications • GymGuard gym floor cover video • Price quote and catalog request

www.coversports.com

See ad on page 38

See ad on page 45

Recycled Rubber Sports Surfacing/Flooring The site features lots of great product info, photos (enlargeable color swatches and installation shots), and a list of highprofile installations. Site includes: • Product specs and technical manuals • “Our Green Story”/LEED guide • Press releases and quarterly newsletters

LED Displays & Scoreboards Check out the brand new interactive online catalog along with a complete product list, pictures, specifications, and operating/installation instructions. Site includes: • Product specs • Company background • Catalog/quote requests

www.everlastsportssurfacing.com

Scoreboards, Video Displays, & Sound Systems The photo gallery is a great resource for athletic directors who want to see equipment from all over the country. Site includes: • Detailed product information • Recent project photos • Industry news

www.daktronics.com See ad on page 29

Sports Equipment for All Levels Look at, compare, and get base prices and descriptions for all your sports equipment needs. Site includes: • Free catalog request • Pricing • Secure online purchasing

www.eversan.com

www.futureproinc.com

Sports Facility Equipment GameTime’s main goal on the Web is to offer a user-friendly site where it’s easy to search and scroll through to find exactly what the customer needs. All online customers can log on to track their order and see the status of their purchases. Site includes: • Catalog request • Free quote request • Pricing

Custom-Printed Dry Erase Boards Request a catalog and printed whiteboard examples to jump start your own printed whiteboard idea. Site includes: • Product descriptions • Catalog request • Order information

Profitable Concession Equipment & Supplies The one-stop shop for innovative, profitable concession equipment and supplies backed by 78 years of experience. Site includes: • Popcorn, cotton candy, Sno-Kones®, and nachos • Free materials to increase profits • Product features, photos, and live chat

www.gametime.com

www.everwhiteboards.com

www.gmpopcorn.com

See ad on PAGE 21

See ad on page 49

See ad on page 14

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2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Core Body Temperature Monitoring Systems See a product demo of the CorTemp® ingestible temperature pill, along with validation of its use versus other methods of external temperature monitoring. Site includes: • Customer testimonials • Product catalog • Product specs/applications

Insurance Quote and purchase online, and receive proof of coverage immediately when using a credit card. Site includes: • Coverage information • Company information • Claims information

www.hqinc.net

www.kandkinsurance.com

Sound Systems for Gymnasiums & Arenas Access downloadable technical support literature, data/spec sheets, manuals, and more. Site includes: • Customer testimonials • OctaSound tutorial • Product specs and applications

www.octasound.com See ad on page 35

Laundry Loop With Sock Snare View the 17 available colors and download an order form. Site includes: • Product specs • Pricing information • Downloadable order form

www.laundryloops.com

World-Class Strength Equipment Now featuring the first-ever fully featured cage configurator. Customize the cage of your dreams. Site includes: • Design your own weightroom • Legend University articles and training advice • Clientele showcase

Genuine Rubber Flooring A complete variety of products at all price points, including the largest single-piece mats in the industry. Site includes: • Mats, runners, squares, and tiles • Products for every budget

www.legendfitness.com

www.rubbermats.com

See ad on page 51

Folding Tables, Chairs, & More Take advantage of industry pricing and closeout specials. Site includes: • Product photos and descriptions • Catalog request and inquiry forms • Company background

www.mccourtmfg.com See ad on page 78

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See ad on page 55

Everything Track & Field Check out the online interactive catalog with pricing. Site includes: • Sales and closeout specials • Track and field camps and clinics • 24/7 online ordering capability

www.everythingtrackandfield.com See ads on PAGES 25 & 87

Osborne Protective Screens & Training Aids

Enjoy direct purchasing of Osborne products and training aids. Site includes:

• Direct purchasing of protective screens • Request a free catalog • Live chat and customer service

www.sportsadvantage.com

2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Refueling with Chocolate Milk Get free educational resources about the science of chocolate milk and recovery, and the new “Spotlight On” program for coaches and athletic directors. Site includes: • Tips/tools for refueling with chocolate milk • Research on chocolate milk and recovery • Spotlight On: share your success story

FDA-Regulated Antimicrobial Skin Cleanser Find infection prevention educational resources, a Q&A about MRSA staph infections, and interviews with people who have battled deadly MRSA infections. Site includes: • Infection prevention information • Testimonials • Hibiclens and Hibistat product information

Contract & Sports Surfaces The Web site allows you to see project references and to learn about the research and development of Mondo products. Site includes: • Product information and specifications • Project references for all markets • Company background information

www.milkdelivers.org

www.hibiclens.com

www.mondoworldwide.com

See ads on pages 10 & 11

Braces, Supports, Tape, & Taping Supplies See taping technique video demonstrations, full-color photographs, and descriptions of Mueller products. Site includes: • Product descriptions and information • Downloadable product catalog • Taping techniques and training video

www.muellersportsmed.com

See ad on page 26

Sports Lighting Systems The Musco Light-Structure Green page offers information on this innovative money-saving, environmentally friendly system. Site includes: • Product overview • Company overview • Project showcases

www.musco.com See ad on PAGE 46

Commercial Laundry Equipment The Birmingham-Southern college football story illustrates how Milnor machinery is ideal for any athletic program’s laundry needs. Site includes: • Product specifications and graphics • Profile stories of successful installations • Company history and contact information

www.milnor.com See ad on page 36

Turf & Track Systems With product recommendations for particular sports and applications, the products pages give a comprehensive overview of how turf and track systems are designed. Site includes: • In-depth explanation of turf and track systems and products • Listings of completed projects • Company background, pedigree, and legacy of quality

www.polytan-usa.com See ad on page 22

See ad on page 3

Strength Training & Weight Equipment Learn about showroom hours and services, and take advantage of equipment closeout deals. Site includes: • Product information • Customer testimonials • Order form

www.newyorkbarbells.com See ad on PAGE 52

Heavy-Duty Strength Training Equipment One of the biggest features on Power Lift’s site is the client list, which also includes facility photos. Site includes: • Customer testimonials • Downloadable brochures • Facility photos

www.power-lift.com See ad on page 58

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2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Fitness & Sports Training Equipment The company carries a wide selection of sporting goods and exercise equipment, catering to the consumer, business, and professional markets. Site includes: • Online catalog with product specifications • News and articles of interest • Downloadable catalog (PDF)

Synthetic Turf View video clips and extensive product information. Site includes: • Product specs • Customer testimonials • Project photo gallery

www.power-systems.com

www.prograssturf.com

Sports Motion Analysis Video System This hand-sized high-speed video system allows for immediate frame-by-frame playback. The camera and software are included. Site includes: • Product details • Sample videos • System overview

www.proplaysports.com See ad on page 39

RB Zip-Tile™ RB Zip-Tile™ is the answer to all your flooring needs. Top rated by clubs and universities, it is easy to install and features care-free maintenance. Site includes: • Product specs • Company background • Various product lines

www.rbrubber.com See ad on page 79

Indoor & Outdoor Synthetic Turf Systems Visitors can view a wide range of product and facility profiles from high schools to college and pro fields. Site includes: • Featured installations • Downloadable product literature • Facility and product images

www.shawsportexe.com See ad on page 61

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Complete Line of Lockers Download a full 60-page locker catalog. Site includes: • Product specs • Pricing and eCommerce • Catalog and quote request

www.lockers.com See ad on page 28

Bleacher & Grandstands Southern Bleacher’s Website has a great layout of the installations shown and the ability to make a direct contact with questions. Site includes: • “Bleacher 101” FAQ page • Pat Summerall endorsement • Gallery of installations

www.southernbleacher.com See ad on PAGE 56

Weight Training & Athletic Training Equipment See pictures and examples of the high-end quality of Samson’s weight equipment, athletic training equipment, and even football lockers. Site includes: • Featured facility pictures • Company history • Product specs and warranty info

www.samsonequipment.com See ad on page 43

Scoreboards: Save 33 Percent Buying Factory-Direct Build your scoreboard online: Choose your favorite model, then select different boards, text, and vinyl colors to see which combination is ideal for your organization. Site includes: • Published pricing and up-to-date competitor pricing • Request a catalog and/or quote • Comment system to rate products

www.varsityscoreboards.com

2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Professional Sports Training Equipment The Sports Attack Website provides detailed information on a full line of professional training equipment, along with comparison tables for competitive units. Site includes: • Product specifications • Extensive customer list • Online purchasing

www.sportsattack.com

Indoor Volleyball Net Systems See a net set-up video and read customer testimonials. Site includes: • Product descriptions and specs • Catalog requests • Online store

www.sportsimports.com

See ad on page 40

Sports Machines See video clips and place your order online. Site includes: • Product specs • Pricing • Toll-free number for local dealers

www.sportstutorinc.com See ad on page 20

$WKOHWLFV Athletic Supports, Apparel, & Equipment Get detailed product information, links to moisture-management apparel, and much more. Site includes: • Product specs • Sizing info • Catalog request

www.stromgren.com

Sports & Recreational Surface Adhesives The site shows educational “action pictures” of glue installations in progress instead of finished job pictures. Site includes: • Changing feature of the week • Company history and business philosophy • Synthetic turf and sports flooring surfaces

www.nordot.com See ad on PAGE 15

Professional Groundskeeping Products Watch how-to video clips and read detailed instructions for how best to use various products. Site includes: • Product specs and testimonials • Field dimensions • “Ask the Pro’s” interactive feature

www.diamondpro.com

Steel System Construction & Indoor Design Check out the Hall of Fame page, customer testimonials, and a list of important links. Site includes: • Building and materials information • Press releases • Interactive product review

www.vp.com See ad on page 8

Turf Maintenance Equipment See videos and links with details on a wide selection of products. Site includes: • Product information • Product specifications • Product videos and micro sites

www.toro.com See ad on INSIDE FRONT COVER

Specialized Athletic Storage Systems Watch a company history video and download the GearBoss brochure. Site includes: • Product descriptions • Product photos • Product literature

www.wengercorp.com See ad on page 33

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2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Sports Field Covers & Windscreens Print what you need with printer-friendly page converters, and easily request information on Aer-Flo products. Site includes: • Product specifications and prices • On-field photos and diagrams • Testimonials for all field covers

Outdoor Mobile Bleachers & Sound Stages Watch video clips featuring mobile stages and bleachers. Site includes: • Product specs • Catalog requests

www.aerflo.com

www.centuryindustries.com

See ads on pages 13 & 65

Rubber Flooring for Weightrooms Check out the Flash slideshow of weightroom installations. Site includes: • Photo gallery • Product specifications with custom color and logo options • Catalog and pricing requests

www.infinityflooring.com

See ad on page 64

Sporting Equipment Obtain a free quote with the new Quotemaster feature and create and follow your account online. Site includes: • Images and descriptions of all products • Downloadable catalogs • Featured products on the home page

www.jaypro.com

www.sportsadvantage.com

Functional Training & Rehabilitation Equipment Look through the online interactive catalog with pricing. Site includes: • Monthly specials • Schedule of Perform Better seminars • 24/7 online ordering capability

www.performbetter.com See ads on PAGES 25 & 87

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www.humanemfg.com See ad on page 28

Outdoor Furniture & Playground Equipment Download sale flyers and use the search engine to find exactly what you need. Site includes: • Downloadable catalog • Request specification form • Detailed product descriptions and images

www.kaypark.com See ad on page 57

See ad on page 17

Sports Field Equipment & Training Aids Take advantage of direct purchasing of sports equipment, field maintenance items, and training aids. Site includes: • Direct purchasing • Request a free catalog • Live chat and customer service

Rubber Weightroom Flooring Download installation instructions and use the online form to request a quote or locate a dealer. Site includes: • Product and market info • FAQ page on fitness flooring • Reference list of facilities with Humane flooring

Artificial Turf See updated news on TigerTurf and featured case studies from its installations. Site includes: • Customer testimonials • Blog • Case studies

www.tigerturfworld.com

2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Basketball, Volleyball, & Field Sports Equipment A new digital catalog makes browsing, downloading, printing, and e-mailing easier than ever. The table of contents, searches, and active links help you find what you want quickly. Site includes: • Digital page-flipping catalog • Dealer referral • Suggested prices and specials

www.bisoncatalog.com

www.aaesports.com See ads on PAGEs 45, 56 & 78

Portable Logo Seating The virtual design tool lets you customize your own chairs with colors and a logo. Site includes: • Brochures: request or download • Facility photography shows Clarin chairs in action • Product specs

www.clarinseating.com

Customizable Wood Lockers DCAL manufactures custom wood athletic lockers for high schools, colleges, and professional programs nationwide. Site includes: • Info on how lockers are built to customer specifications • Links to completed jobs • Contact information for references

Scoreboards and LED Displays View the installation gallery and download specs in multiple formats. Site includes: • Installation photos searchable by sport, model, and state • Dealer locator searchable by ZIP code • Detailed product pages

High-Quality Synthetic Sports Surfacing Watch informational videos about FieldTurf and check out the site’s media center. Site includes: • Product specs and descriptions of various sports applications • Customer reference list and testimonials • Quantitative environmental benefits and safety statistics

www.dcal-lockers.com

www.fair-play.com

www.fieldturf.com

See ad on PAGE 55

See ad on PAGE 7

Sports Performance Innovation The site features Gatorade’s line of sports innovation products as well as its athletes and programs. Site includes: • Sports performance innovation • Gatorades world-class athletes • Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI)

Architecture & Sports Design Read articles, company reports, downloadable brochures, and customer testimonials. Site includes: • Project gallery with pulldown menu options • “Markets served” link • In-depth pages on management services

www.gatorade.com See ad on page 5

Outdoor Athletic Equipment There’s a “Quote Tote” feature for wish list submissions, along with downloadable product drawings, CSI specs, and assembly instructions. Site includes: • Product descriptions, drawings, video clips, and pricing • Special Values section highlighting monthly discounts • Customer testimonials

www.heery.com See ad on page 6

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Original Modular Sports Flooring Find products for many sports flooring applications, and view photos and specifications on all the company’s products. Site includes: • Product specs • Company background • Information and quote request

www.mateflex.com

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2010

Supplier WebSite Directory

Sports Field Products “Ask an Expert” features a Q&A with the pros, and the Field Day Program offers information about hands-on training. Site includes: • Product information • Installation instructions • Articles

www.proschoice1.com

Custom-Made Caps, Beanies, & Visors The complete product line is available to view, with style charts and product images. Site includes: • Design your hat from scratch • Factory-direct pricing and savings information • Easy inquiry tabs to request more information

www.prepgear.com

Video & Audio Content Solutions View Flash product presentations and visit the music library. Site includes: • Product overviews of video and audio content • Technical specifications and support • Client/reference list

www.clickeffects.com See ad on page 50

Football Entrance Tunnels View photos of entrance tunnels, dimensions, and the guaranteed lowest prices with no hidden costs. Site includes: • Prices (shipping is free) • Photos • Descriptions of each tunnel shown

Basketball, Volleyball, & Gymnasium Equipment Spalding’s RFP allows you to locate products and clicks to cart. Your local Spalding dealer will help with all your equipment needs. Site includes: • Extensive dealer locator • Downloadable product specs and catalogs • Product search with RFP option

www.sportscentralcreations.com

www.spaldingequipment.com

www.careerathletes.com

Inflatable, Portable High Jump Landing System Watch a video featuring Dwight Stones, world record holder in the high jump, and David Groen, product inventor, addressing the cost, safety, and storage of the Inflate & Go landing system. Site includes: • Meets NFHS, IAAF, and NCAA specifications • Product specs • Downloadable order form

Watches, Plaques, Rings, Gift Sets, & More This user-friendly customer experience offers many custom options and no hidden fees. Site includes: • Product specs • Wholesale pricing • Customer testimonials and company background

www.inflateandgo.com

www.smiawards.com

Disinfectant Bottle & Towel Holder Equipment Sanitizing System Learn how the GymValet disinfectant spray bottle and towel holder, along with effective equipment sanitizing practices and policies, can create the safest possible workout environment for your student-athletes. Site includes: • GymValet equipment cleaning system product line catalog • No-tools-necessary installation instructions and recommendations • Testimonials from current GymValet system users

See ad on page 37

See ad on page 63

74 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

See ad on page 50

Community Career Network for Athletes This is the premier destination for current student-athletes, alumni, athletic departments, and business organizations seeking to create professional connections. Site includes: • Assisting athletic departments since 1998 • Over 900 campus visits conducted • More than 250,000 athletes educated See ad on page 42

www.gymvalet.com See ad on page 42

National Federation of State High School Associations

NFHS Coach Certification www.nfhslearn.com NFHS Certification Program Designed to deliver the highest-quality professional development online at an affordable cost, this certification will: • Help coaches minimize the inherent risks faced by participating students • Improve the sport experience of participating students • Recognize coaches nationally • Develop a sense of personal and professional accomplishment • Enable coaches to increase liability insurance coverage through membership in the NFHS Coaches Association Level 1 – Accredited Interscholastic Coach

Get Certified!

� The coach must complete the following courses: �

NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching

� NFHS First Aid for Coaches (American Red Cross) or its equivalent

� Fundamentals of Coaching (Sport-specific) or Teaching Sport Skills Level 2 – Certified Interscholastic Coach

� Level 1 Completion + (Core Courses and Elective Courses)

Level 3 – Master Interscholastic Coach

� Level 2 Completion + (Core Courses and Elective Courses)

Elective Courses: • Engaging Effectively with Parents • Teaching and Modeling Behavior • Teaching Sport Skills

Take Part. Get Set For Life.™

Circle No. 150

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 75

“Streaming Made Easy”

                      

                                                                                                                  

 

      

Video Streaming System Videoand andAudio Audio Streaming System

Videoand Audio Streaming Streaming System System           Video Audio   and                       

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Circle No. 157

Str a ight Talk

Penn State’s Formula for Streaming Success

uring Jim Nachtman’s two decades at Penn State University, the athletic department’s Web streaming operations have undergone quite a transformation. GoPSUsports.com originally featured single-camera streams using natural sound but today showcases multicamera HD-quality events that are of high enough caliber for rebroadcast on the Big Ten Network. As director of broadcast operations for the university, Nachtman has overseen this transition since joining Penn State Athletics in 1999. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen an incredible acceleration of both the possibilities and the expectations when it comes to Webcasts,” he says. “One thing I constantly share with our incoming students, as well as other schools or teams that call, is that you just have to start doing it. It doesn’t matter if it’s one camera with no sound or a multicamera TriCaster show with dedicated announcers. Create a plan, shoot to cover the basics and fundamentals well, and next steps will reveal themselves.”

The Evolution of a Webcast From the one-camera shoot on a borrowed laptop that Nachtman’s department started out with, the next step was one camera with a PA feed, followed by one camera with volunteer announcers, one camera with communications students as announcers,

and one camera with announcers from the College of Communications dedicated to covering the team for the entire season. “We’re in an incredible position where our fans who are starving for the most fundamental coverage would be thrilled to see a one-camera production using the PA feed,” Nachtman says. “Everything begins at that basic level and grows from there.” Penn State’s programming has grown to four-camera, TriCaster-produced streams that incorporate video playback and preand post-game interviews with a sideline reporter. This year, the department took another leap forward. In partnership with the Big Ten Network, Penn State’s StudentU productions included more than 25 live HD multicamera events, 18 of which aired on tape delay on the Big Ten Network.

Equipped for Success Nachtman’s department currently owns a TriCaster Studio, which he expects to trade in for the new TriCaster TCXD850 this summer. The camera inventory includes three Sony DSR-500s, one Sony HVRZ1U, three Panasonic AG-HVX200As, and one Sony PDF 150. All video is edited on three Apple Final Cut Studio workstations, which serve as an edit suite. For audio, there is a Mackie eight-input audio mixer, three Sennheiser announcer headsets,

In this section... 80 Fitness Flooring 83 Fitness Facilities/ Strength Training & Cardio 85 Product Launch

87 Laundry 89 Equipment Storage 90 Convention Spotlight 93 More Products

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 77

Str a ight Talk

and a handful of lavalier and shotgun microphones.In addition to the game coverage, each home event usually has an ENG shooter assigned to it as well. “This way, we obtain footage for the Big Ten Network, as well as specialized shots for use in features, future packages, etc.,” Nachtman explains. “This always comes in handy when the NCAA, Big Ten Network, ESPN, or local media need specialized footage.” The relationship with the Big Ten Network has allowed Penn State’s productions to improve immensely. “Beyond using their equipment, we have a real partnership and are able to share and exchange production information that would never have happened otherwise,” Nachtman explains.

Plenty of Planning Prior to the beginning of each sports season, Nachtman reviews each sports venue’s IT infrastructure, connectivity, camera positions, announcer locations, and general broadcasting capabilities for both TV and radio. “We create a plan for each venue so we’re prepared going in, and that way, setup time is as efficient as possible,” he says. “We’ll be meeting with our IT staff over the next month and review each venue that will be used in the fall.” With home schedules in hand for each team competing in a given season, Nachtman prioritizes events, determining which ones deserve multiple cameras and which, due to conflicts, might regress to single-camera productions.

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Str a ight Talk “Depending on the number of events going on simultaneously, there are times where we need to revert back to a one-camera production, but, once you establish a level of programming, it’s hard to turn back,” he says. “When this happens, we’re sure to communicate that to our audience so there’s no confusion.” Nachtman also works with the Big Ten Network to establish the StudentU events. Any home event that is not declared a StudentU event will automatically be designated as an AllAccess event on GoPSUsports.com and will be available to Penn State’s All-Access subscribers. “If there’s a home event and TV is not broadcasting it, then we’re streaming it, no question,” he says. “If TV is present, we’ll still produce an audio Webcast using the dedicated announcers.” Nachtman is quick to point out that none of this streaming success would be possible without a total team effort from the athletic teams and coaching staffs, athletic communications department, IT staff, marketing and promotions group, and Nachtman’s own production team.

Cross-Campus Connections Nachtman continues his crosscampus meetings at the College of Communications, where he reviews announcer needs for each team. He also has meetings with his internal production staff to evaluate equipment and staffing needs for the season, including the number of interns he’s looking to hire. This fall, Nachtman’s team will comprise about 20 part-time staffers, at least 10 interns, and a full-time staffer who oversees in-game video-board operations for football and basketball, in addition to editing all promos and special projects. A second full-time intern manages all live Webcasts, and Nachtman hopes to add another fulltime staff member to manage the 150 live Webcasts he expects to produce in the upcoming year.

During the season, his staff meets weekly to review the previous week’s live events, highlight editing for the Web, discuss features under consideration for future Webcasts, and review features currently in the works. “We started these ‘official’ meetings about 10 months ago and quickly realized that I should have been doing this years ago,” Nachtman says. “They are very helpful for the students and my staff and give us an opportunity away from a live event to discuss pertinent issues. Our productions’ overall quality has improved greatly since these meetings began.” Note: This article originally appeared in the “Insider,” the newsletter published by the Sports Video Group, an organization formed in 2006 to support the professional community that relies on video, audio, and broadband technologies to produce and distribute sports content. This article also appeared in “NACDA Daily Review” electronic newsletter. For more information on the Sports Video Group, visit its Web site: www. sportsvideo.org.

RB Rubber Products, Inc

RB Zip-Tile is high quality sport ﬂooring manufactured from recycled rubber. It is low maintenance and has a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty. RB Zip-Tile can be installed easily over any smooth surface including concrete, asphalt, wood or tile.

Recycled Rubber Products Leader Since 1985 800-525-5530 www.rbrubber.com National Distribution Centers Circle No. 153

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 79

fitness floor ing

Quality Underfoot

Tough Floor, Easy Choice

Centaur Floor Systems presents SportWeave fitness flooring, which features the look and feel of carpet with the durability of polypropylene fiber to withstand moisture, stains, and the long-term placement of free weights and selectorized machines—all backed by a seven-year abrasive wear warranty. SportWeave is perfect for weightrooms, cardio areas, group cycling areas, foyers, walkways, offices, locker rooms, childcare facilities, and more. You can’t find a tougher floor. Centaur Floor Systems 800-536-9007 www.centaurfloors.com Circle No. 500

Go Green

EnviroSafe™ mats and wall padding are made with foam that’s 100-percent toxin-free, fire retardant, hypoallergenic, and latexfree. EnviroSafe foam is made from 60-percent recycled and 40-percent virgin polyester fiber. Manufactured with a tough 18-ounce phthalate-free PVC covering, EnviroSafe provides heavy-duty protection in 14 colors of wall padding and gymnasium mats for any indoor facility. The material will not support mold or mildew and is available in varying degrees of firmness. The EnviroSafe foam advantage provides excellent cushion resistance and is superior to traditional foams in its environmental responsibility. CoverSports USA 800-445-6680 www.coversports.com Circle No. 501

Warranty Extension

Everlast is proud to introduce a new extended warranty for UltraTile, the company’s modular recycled rubber tiles. UltraTile has proven its quality over the years at training facilities for NCAA Division I colleges and universities, professional sports teams, and military training centers. The product’s tested performance in these applications, which see rigorous daily activity, has propelled Everlast to increase its warranty to an unprecedented 15 years—the longest in the industry. Everlast Sports Surfacing with Nike Grind 888-383-7655 www.everlastsportssurfacing.com Circle No. 502

Absorbs Impact and Sound

Protect and beautify your floors with TopMat II. This genuine-rubber flooring system is available in 48” x 48” interlocking tiles, 48” x 48” squares, or 48” wide x 15’ long rolls. The rolls are 80 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

also offered with optional interlocking tabs for long installations. The longlasting, slip-resistant 3/8-inch-thick recycled rubber absorbs both sound and the impact of free weights, and it secures machines. Choose black or black with white, red, blue, yellow, or green flecks. Linear Rubber Products, Inc. 800-588-4040 www.rubbermats.com Circle No. 503

Almost Seamless

PuzzleLock stands up to the punishment of fitness and workout areas and protects your existing floors and equipment from damage. This is the only product on the market with seams that virtually disappear when the tiles are installed. Installation is simple and quick, and if you need to change a tile, it can be done quickly and easily. PuzzleLock is ideal for use in weightrooms, exercise and cardio areas, home gyms, and performance training facilities. PuzzleLock is 3/8 inches (9.5 millimeters) thick and available in seven colors. It is warranted for five years. Infinity Flooring • 888-479-1017 www.infinityflooring.com Circle No. 506

Strength and Versatility

Sport Impact from Mondo is an ideal choice for strength and conditioning areas. The performance layer is a solid three-millimeter homogenous wear layer that can withstand heavy abuse from weights and cardio equipment. The surface is non-porous and antibacterial throughout, and it does not require coatings or finishes for ease of maintenance and the elimination of odors and hygiene issues. Sport Impact is available in 12 colors and in thicknesses of six millimeters and 10 millimeters. Mondo • 800-361-3747 www.mondoworldwide.com Circle No. 550

Proven Toughness

LokTuff is a market leader in rubber flooring. With a tensile strength of up to 1,000 psi and a durometer rating of 63, these mats are stronger and softer than many similar products. Humane has in-house research and development capabilities, with a laboratory for product quality and characteristic testing. Humane’s rubber mats and flooring will protect your equipment and your floor. LokTuff comes in several different thicknesses and color options. Humane Mfg. Co. • 800-369-6263 www.humanemfg.com Circle No. 505

Fitness floor ing

Quality Underfoot

company news

Extending Rubber’s Life

RB Rubber Products manufactures a wide variety of products, including fitness mats, interlocking mats, equipment mats, horse stall mats, playground tiles, dog agility and dog day care flooring, flooring underlayment, and much more, using 96-percent post-consumer recycled rubber materials, namely scrap tires. The matting is solid, durable, and easily installed and maintained. RB Rubber Products has been helping the environment one tire at a time since 1985. RB Rubber Products, Inc. 800-525-5530 www.rbrubber.com Circle No. 507

Don’t Worry About Wear

Infinity Flooring’s 1.25-inch thick Infinity Max is one of the most durable surfaces available for weightroom applications, and that claim is backed up with an exclusive 10-year warranty that covers damage from free weights impacting the floor. Infinity works closely with strength and conditioning coaches and their architects to design the perfect custom colors and logos for each facility. The company is committed to providing the highest-quality flooring installations in the industry. Infinity Flooring 888-479-1017 www.infinityflooring.com Circle No. 508

No-Hassle Maintenance

Ramflex from Mondo is an ideal choice for strength and conditioning areas. The homogenous wear layer can withstand heavy abuse from weights and cardio equipment. It has a marbleized look, the surface is non-porous and antibacterial throughout, and it does not require coatings or finishes for ease of maintenance. Ramflex is available in 10 colors and in thicknesses of eight and 10 millimeters. Mondo 800-361-3747 www.mondoworldwide.com Circle No. 551

Great for Any Project

Everlast with Nike Grind sports surfacing is made in the USA from the highest-quality recycled rubber and can contribute toward earning eight LEED points for your project. Everlast with Nike Grind features 55 standard colors and is Floorscore-certified for indoor air quality. It is ideal for weightrooms, cardio areas, training centers, spinning rooms, and even offices, corridors, and multi-purpose rooms. Custom colors and logos are available. Everlast Sports Surfacing with Nike Grind 888-383-7655 www.everlastsportssurfacing.com Circle No. 504

“The Feedback Has Been Incredibly Positive” BigSigns.com is a national stadium graphics and sponsor signage provider that helps transform facilities into sources of pride and build identity programs. Mark Griffin, Director of Athletics at Rutgers UniversityNewark, was looking to improve the Scarlet Raiders’ soccer field. He went to BigSigns.com for help and wanted high-impact, high-visibility graphics to take the field to the next level. To meet Griffin’s objectives, BigSigns.com used extremely durable Dura-Mesh banners to cover fencing behind the goal posts. BigSigns.com digitally printed the graphics using UV-protected inks to make the Rutgers brand truly stand out. Griffin found the results to be stunning. “The feedback has been incredibly positive— overwhelming, really,” he says. “The banner is in a place where literally everyone see it—it jumps off the wall. I’ve even gotten calls from parts of the campus community whom I didn’t think were paying attention.” Griffin was also impressed with BigSigns.com’s online submission and approval system, and how easy it was to work with the BigSigns.com design team. They took the initiative to incorporate graphic concepts right from Rutgers-Newark’s Website, and worked hard to produce eyecatching, professional designs. Call a BigSigns.com national sales rep today to get started on making over your facilities. BigSigns.com 22 South Harbor Dr., Ste. 101 Grand Haven, MI 49417 800-790-7611 Fax: 800-790-7611 www.bigsigns.com

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 81

case study

New Locker Room Continues Winning Tradition

By Phil Datka, Football Coach, Germantown (Wis.) High School

hen our high school was built in 1968, the plans called for two boys’ locker rooms with bathrooms and showers in the middle. But the money ran out, so the second locker room was never finished. Donations paid for a poured-concrete floor and the room saw a variety of uses over the years, including as a weightroom and a storage area. The fall of 2009 was my 42nd year coaching football—I retired as athletic director in 2003. Our Warhawks’ proud tradition includes two state championships, two runner-up finishes, and seven trips to the semifinals. With participation increasing in fall sports, our old locker room was no longer sufficient. We have roughly 140 football players, and the cross country team numbers between 30 and 40 athletes. The space was only meant to accommodate around 100 athletes. Several years ago, the football parents organized a Gridiron Club to support football in our community. They began raising funds for this locker room project

82 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

in 2009. We looked at different floor plans, different styles of lockers, and all the other important details. Our goal was to have a top-notch, first-class facility. When we saw the AirPro model from GearBoss, we really fell in love with it. We liked the wood look and open-air design. One of our big concerns was cleaning and sanitizing. In our old pressed metal lockers, cleanliness was a problem because water stayed on the bottom of the locker. Our new locker room could accommodate 69 AirPro lockers, which were installed in the summer of 2009. Lockers comprise approximately 60 percent of the room—the rest is our meeting area, with benches and whiteboards. The Gridiron Club painted the walls and installed the flooring, which is a combination of tile and carpeting. They also installed the benches and shield walls. We’re very pleased with how attractive the room looks. As part of the fundraising effort, donors could purchase a locker for $500 and be recognized with a name plate on it. We’ve probably sold half of the lockers so far. These lockers are working out great. The kids love them and are taking good care of them. They look good and are very functional—they’re everything we wanted. The helmet/shoulder pad toppers are ideal. We also like the security of being able to lock valuables underneath the seat. Because the AirPro lockers are mounted off the floor, we can wash the floor and squeegee underneath the lockers very easily. This really improves sanitation, which is important, since infections like MRSA are a big concern. The new locker room is becoming like a clubhouse for our kids. In fact, they hate to leave it sometimes. We’ve even got a stereo in there. We also have a Smart Board and can show film right in the locker room. We’re very happy with everything. It’s a big, big upgrade from our old locker room.

Wenger Corp. 555 Park Dr. Owatonna, MN 55060 800-4-WENGER Fax: 507-455-4258 www.wengercorp.com

Everything You Need

fitness facilities/strength training & cardio

Which Weight Do You Want?

In the 2010 Perform Better catalog, the Dynamax medicine ball is available in nine different weights from four to 20 pounds. All Dynamax weights are a comfortable-to-handle 14 inches in diameter. Dynamax is easy to catch and throw, doesn’t bounce, and has a soft feel—yet it’s covered with a heavy-duty vinyl-covered nylon that’s water- and scuff-resistant. Sold with a two-year warranty, it holds its shape after repeated use. Perform Better 800-556-7464 www.performbetter.com Circle No. 509

Get the Width

The Wide Base Monster Rack features 3” x 3” x 11-gauge steel tube construction with self-locking jumbo steel pins and “J” hooks. There is a front deep knurled chinning bar, a side-mount chinning bar, and 33 inches of space between the front and rear posts. The unit is white powdercoated and designed for Olympic bar use. A specially designed non-slip diamond plate covering promotes athlete safety, while the extra-wide base is ideal for stretching and rowing movements. The Wide Base Monster Rack is available in 84- and 96-inch heights. New York Barbells of Elmira, Inc. 800-446-1833 www.newyorkbarbells.com Circle No. 510

A Seat of Power

The Plate Loaded Seated Leg Press is one of the newest innovations from Power Lift. Standard features include a ratchet seat mechanism that accommodates all user sizes, low start resistance, standard counter-balance, three-inch thick pads for user comfort and support, movable joints with ball bearings, weight horns, and rubber feet. This piece is finished using Power Lift’s state-of-the-art power-coat paint system. Power Lift 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com Circle No. 511

Quality Meets Value

Dains Custom Athletic Lockers is a family-owned company specializing in custom wood lockers for high school and college athletic departments. Steve Dains, a former Industrial Arts teacher and football coach at both the

high school and college levels, has a great understanding of the storage needs of athletes. The company is small enough to pay close attention to detail and quality, but large enough to fill orders of more than 300 lockers. Dains lockers are less expensive than many metal lockers. Dains Custom Athletic Lockers 417-432-1190 www.dcal-lockers.com Circle No. 552

Low Maintenance, High Quality Elite Urethane Dumbbells are made of rubber-encased solid steel. They provide a comfortable, ergonomic knurled grip that feels great and looks even better. The standard sizes and shape will fit all standard dumbbell racks and will certainly improve the look of your weightroom or facility. Power Systems, Inc 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com Circle No. 512

Go for “Wow”

Samson’s new Custom Logo DBs are yet another example of how the company is leading the way in custom, durable weight training equipment. The same manufacturing process as usual is used in these new DBs to ensure the famous durability found in the standard model, but with a change in the end plate, this version allows for a custom design and color option to provide a huge “wow” factor. Check them out at Samson’s Web site. Samson Equipment 800-472-6766 www.samsonequipment.com Circle No. 513

A Great Motivator

Athletic record boards are effective tools for motivating your athletes in track, football, volleyball, baseball, basketball, swimming, soccer, power lifting, wrestling, golf, tennis, and softball. Visit Austin Plastics’ Web site to view examples of record boards for all these sports. The boards are available with engraved record nameplates, or you can print your own using perforated card stock and a printing program supplied by the company. The boards are very durable and lightweight for easy installation. Custom boards are also available. Austin Plastics & Supply 800-290-1025 www.athleticrecordboards.com Circle No. 553

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 83

fitness facilities/strength training & cardio Go Into Overload

Superbands are thick, extra-strong bands for heavy-duty use featured in the 2010 Perform Better catalog. They’re ideal for chin-ups and dips, and can also provide resistance for walks, shuffles, lunges, and more. They can even overload the body and add leverage during weightlifting. They’re 40” long x 3/16” thick, and available in four widths from 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches. Perform Better 800-556-7464 www.performbetter.com Circle No. 514

Guard Your Hands

New York Barbells of Elmira offers PVC-coated cast iron kettlebells in weights ranging from eight to 25 pounds. They’re specially designed with large openings to prevent bruising of the back of the hand or wrist. The PVC coating and wide handles make these kettlebells a great choice for any strength training facility. New York Barbells of Elmira, Inc. 800-446-1833 www.newyorkbarbells.com Circle No. 515

Go All Out

The 50-pound Hanging Bag lets you work on striking techniques without the risk of knocking it over. Perform low and high punches and kicks into this 48” x 12” suspended bag. The compact size is ideal for areas where space is limited. The synthetic leather cover is pliable and comfortable, and a solid chain-ring assembly is included. Power Systems, Inc. 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com Circle No. 516

Train for Performance

The Power Lift Performance Training Station is a multi-functional training piece. Standard features include fivepeg weight storage on each side of the rack, safety spot bars, Rhino Hook bar catches, pulley handle attachment storage, chrome rotating chin-up handles, and safety spot bar storage. A glute-ham bench can be locked into existing band attachments. Various rack and pulley attachments can also be added to this station. Power Lift 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com Circle No. 517 84 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

Everything You Need

Easy Access to Sanitation

GymValet is an easy-to-install holder for disinfectant spray bottles and towels. Achieve and maintain the safest and most sanitary environment for your athletes by providing convenient and immediate access to your equipment sanitizing system. The GymValet system is also ideal for sanitizing hard surfaces in athletic training rooms. It is easy to install, as it attaches to both equipment and walls. It’s also economical (the durable holders last for years) and green—a sanitizing system based on spray bottles and towels saves countless dollars versus disposable wipes and generates no paper waste. With the GymValet holder, the disinfectant solution is always right at hand. GymValet 866-435-2009 www.gymvalet.com Circle No. 561

A Leading Choice

To get the most out of your athletes and the most out of your dollar, Legend Fitness is America’s top choice in strength equipment. The chosen cage of D1 Sports Training, Competitive Edge Sports, and Athletic Republic, the Legend Fitness Pro Series Half Cage features only 12 frame bolts but dozens of features and accessories. Advanced polymer contact surfaces, seven-gauge chrome racking, and East Tennessee-built quality are standard with every cage. Legend Fitness 866-753-4363 www.legendfitness.com Circle No. 565

Conditioning at Its Best

The Prowler 2 can be pushed with the upright posts or the low handles, or pulled with a strap or rope. No matter how you use it, the Prowler 2 is an ultimate conditioning tool. The specially designed three-ski system forces the user to remain low—a plus for football conditioning. The skis are also replaceable for use on rough surfaces such as asphalt. Total Strength and Speed 888-532-8227 www.fatbars.com Circle No. 566

product l aunch A-Turf

Powered Outdoor Presentation System (POPS) Unique features: • Portable, self-powered, full-range sound system • Can be used outdoors in any weather conditions • Easy to move and simple to set up, yet delivers high output and premium sound

Unique features: • Outstanding footing, traction, shock absorption, and playability • A leading synthetic turf from a leading field builder • Industry-leading warranty • Comprehensive choice of systems

Benefits for the user: • Designed to be used outdoors in direct rain, snow, temperature extremes, and high UV exposure without problems • Can cover audiences of several thousand people with high-quality music or speech reinforcement • Plug-and-play simplicity

Benefits for the user: • A-Turf’s dense, plush systems have the most fiber strands per square yard • More fibers mean less infill movement and greater consistency and durability A-Turf www.aturf.com 888-777-6910 Circle No. 518

Woodway Aquatic Treadmill Integrated into SwimEx Pools

One Systems, Inc. 866-846-1284 www.onesystems.com Circle No. 519

EverWhite Custom Printed Whiteboards

Unique features: • Slat-belt surface is smoother and more comfortable to run on • Fits into most SwimEx pool models • No belt tracking issues • Lasts 10 times longer than conventional belt treadmills Benefits for the user: • Proven to be better on joints and connective tissue • Provides unlimited protocol possibilities for conditioning/rehab needs SwimEx, Inc. www.swimex.com 800-877-7946 Circle No. 520

Unique features: • Vibrant, photo-quality graphics • Graphics embedded under the dry erase surface so they will not wear away over time • Surface guaranteed to remain stain-free

Benefits for the user: • Customized to fit your training or coaching needs • Displays school and team spirit EverWhite www.everwhiteboards.com 800-824-1482 Circle No. 521

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 85

case study

Outfitting a Weightroom with a Higher Purpose

Notre Dame High School honors the memory of a former athlete with a fully equipped strength and conditioning center.

ver the last few years, the training center at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tenn., had begun to show its age. Much of the equipment needed daily maintenance, and without enough floor space, student-athletes found themselves lifting weights in the parking lot next door. With the opening of the 5,000-square foot MAKUS Training Center last summer, all that changed. “I like to think big, but I never imagined we could have a strength and conditioning facility as incredible as this,” says Athletic Director Howie Sompayrac. “From the beginning, we were committed to having equipment that was second to none, and the result is a high school training room that’s as good as any in the country.” Planning began in 2008 as part of the process for designing the school’s $4 million John Varallo Athletic Center. To start, Sompayrac and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Fred Eaves proposed adding a second floor above the new wrestling complex. Next, they approached the MAKUS Foundation, which focuses on teaching teens to live safely and is dedicated to the memory of NDHS football student-athlete Michael Appleby, who died in a 2001 car crash.

86 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

MAKUS agreed to provide funds for the equipment, and as the project moved forward, Sompayrac and Eaves traveled to weight rooms across the region to investigate their options. Ultimately, they chose Power Lift, outfitting the space with eight, 8’Half-Racks, “Lever Action” Benches, Custom Olympic Lifting Platforms with the schools logo, and high rotation attachments. There are over 10,000 pounds of free weights, 5,000 pounds of dumbbells, and 500 pounds of kettle bells, with separate areas for Olympic lifts, and bench, squats, plus a warmup track—more than enough to keep student-athlete workouts flowing efficiently around the room. “Our primary goal was to create a facility where we could simultaneously train large groups of student-athletes,” says Eaves. “In a single day, we can have 200 athletes training in here, which is about half our total student body. In the summer, we can fit close to 100 athletes at one time. The half-racks make that possible because they don’t take up a lot of floor space. The quality of the equipment is unbelievable, and everything our athletes need to do—squats, benches, cleans, pullups, inclines—can be done on the racks.” In the MAKUS training center’s first year, Notre Dame athletes have dramatically improved their agility, vertical leaps, and running times. It’s become a point of pride for the school and a major draw for prospective students. At the same time, the space has changed the culture of the strength and conditioning program, with large numbers of girls participating for the first time, which has led to breakthroughs in girls’ basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, and track. For Sompayrac, it’s a fitting tribute to Appleby, whose jerseys and photos fill the room. “Athletes ask about Michael all the time, and everywhere they look, they see his message of staying safe,” he says. “We’re still telling Michael’s story, and we’ve already seen it make a difference in saving lives. His zest for life lives on in the hearts of our student-athletes, which is the best way to honor his memory.”

Power Lift P.O. Box 348• Jefferson, IA 50129 800-872-1543 • Fax: (515) 386-3220 www.power-lift.com

Cleanliness Matters More Efficient Laundry

Continental Girbau’s E-Series washerextractors, in 20- to 255-pound capacities, bring together unique engineering elements, including a freestanding design, high-speed extraction, and superior programmability to cut utility and labor costs and boost productivity. E-Series units reach higher extraction speeds than most hard-mount washers, resulting in greater moisture removal and shortened drying time. The E-Series line is backed by Continental’s five-year/threeyear parts warranty and a nationwide distribution and parts network. Continental Girbau, Inc. 800-256-1073 www.continentalgirbau.com Circle No. 522

Cleaner and Greener

With Laundry Loops, clothes stay sorted while they wash and dry. This alternative to mesh laundry bags allows garments to get cleaner and more sanitary, and to dry in half the time. Laundry Loops also eliminate snagged garments and dented dryer drums caused by brass pins. Laundry Loop with Sock Snare is the original laundry strap, and it’s still the most efficient way to manage group laundry. Laundry Loops, Inc. 888-246-5667 www.laundryloops.com Circle No. 523

Save Hundreds

Milnor Laundry Systems will be offering a special $400 AEMA rebate for any 30022 V6J with RinSave water saver purchases made before Sept. 1, 2010. This 60-pound capacity machine offers excellent wash quality with reduced water consumption, making it an excellent choice for any athletic program. Milnor Laundry Systems 800-469-8780 www.milnor.com Circle No. 524

Dryer, Faster

Available in 20- to 175-pound capacities, Continental’s Pro-Series II drying tumblers are equipped with quality internal components, easy-to-use programmable microprocessor controls, and a multitude of features proven to deliver productivity and professional results for athletic laundry. Pro-Series II tumblers are designed with features to enhance durability. They have dual motors and steel front, side, and top panels coated inside and out with electrostatically applied, baked-on paint. It’s no wonder the Pro-Series II line is backed by an industry-leading three-year factory warranty. Continental Girbau, Inc. 800-256-1073 www.continentalgirbau.com Circle No. 525

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AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 87

Director ies Circle Company No.

Advertisers Directory Page No.

131. . . AAE (myAAEworld.com) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 142. . . AAE (The Rivalry). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 152. . . AAE (used equipment) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 107. . . Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 149. . . Aer-Flo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 115. . . Aurora Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 123. . . Austin Plastics & Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 155. . . BigSigns.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC 111. . . California University of Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 129. . . Career Athletes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 148. . . Centaur Floor Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 147. . . Century Industries (TranSport Bleachers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 126. . . Continental Girbau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 132. . . CoverSports USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 156. . . CushionFall Sport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC 120. . . Daktronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 139. . . DCAL (Dains Custom Athletic Lockers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 113. . . Everlast Sports Surfacing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 134. . . EverWhite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 157. . . EZStream. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 104. . . Fair-Play Scoreboards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 102. . . Gatorade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 121. . . GearBoss by Wenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 108. . . Gold Medal Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 158. . . GymValet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 103. . . Heery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 117. . . Hibiclens & Hibistat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 119. . . Humane Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 110. . . Infinity Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 146. . . Inflate & Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 143. . . Kay Park Recreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

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122. . . KDM Electronics/Octasound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 137. . . Laundry Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 140. . . Linear Rubber Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 151. . . McCourt Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 106. . . MilkPEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 124. . . Milnor Laundry Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 101. . . Mondo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 133. . . Musco Sports Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 138. . . New York Barbells of Elmira. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 150. . . NFHS Coach Certification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 116. . . Perform Better. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 154. . . Perform Better (seminars) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 114. . . Polytan-USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 144. . . Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 127. . . ProPlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 153. . . RB Rubber Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 118. . . Salsbury Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 130. . . Samson Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 145. . . Shaw Sportexe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 135. . . SMi Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 136. . . Sound & Video Creations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 141. . . Southern Bleacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 128. . . Sports Attack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 125. . . Sports Central Creations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 112. . . Sports Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 109. . . Synthetic Surfaces, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 100. . . Toro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC 105. . . VP Buildings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 159. . . Wilson Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Products Directory

518. . . A-Turf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537. . . AAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554. . . Aer-Flo (Cross-Over Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555. . . Aer-Flo (Tuffy Windscreen). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570. . . Aurora Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553. . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526. . . BigSigns.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500. . . Centaur Floor Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522. . . Continental Girbau (E-Series). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525. . . Continental Girbau (Pro-Series II). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501. . . CoverSports USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538. . . CushionFall Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527. . . Daktronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552. . . DCAL (Dains Custom Athletic Lockers). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504. . . Everlast Sports Surfacing (Nike Grind). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502. . . Everlast Sports Surfacing (UltraTile). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521. . . EverWhite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559. . . EZStream. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548. . . Fair-Play Scoreboards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540. . . Gatorade (G Series). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545. . . Gatorade (G Series Pro). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534. . . Gearboss by Wenger (AEMA/NACDA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542. . . GearBoss by Wenger (GearBoss II). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562. . . GearBoss by Wenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544. . . Gold Medal Products (Auto Shutoff). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536. . . Gold Medal Products (Deluxe Syrups). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561. . . GymValet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549. . . Heery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505. . . Humane Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508. . . Infinity Flooring (Max). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506. . . Infinity Flooring (PuzzleLock) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560. . . Inflate & Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546. . . Kay Park Recreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543. . . KDM Electronics/Octasound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523. . . Laundry Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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528. . . Laundry Loops (AEMA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565. . . Legend Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503. . . Linear Rubber Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529. . . M-F Athletic/Perform Better. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 524. . . Milnor Laundry Systems (30022 V6J). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531. . . Milnor Laundry Systems (AEMA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551. . . Mondo (Ramflex). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550. . . Mondo (Sport Impact) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530. . . Musco Sports Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515. . . New York Barbells (kettlebells). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510. . . New York Barbells (Wide Base Monster Rack) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519. . . One Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509. . . Perform Better (Dynamax). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514. . . Perform Better (Superbands). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532. . . Polytan-USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517. . . Power Lift (Performance Training Station). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511. . . Power Lift (Plate Loaded Seated Leg Press) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512. . . Power Systems (Elite Urethane Dumbbells) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516. . . Power Systems (Hanging Bag) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507. . . RB Rubber Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535. . . Salsbury Industries (NACDA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547. . . Salsbury Industries (Open Access Lockers) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513. . . Samson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567. . . Shaw Sportexe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557. . . SMi Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558. . . Sound & Video Creations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533. . . Southern Bleacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568. . . Sports Attack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569. . . Sports Attack. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556. . . Sports Central Creations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520. . . SwimEx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541. . . Synthetic Surfaces, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566. . . Total Strength and Speed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539. . . VP Buildings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563. . . Wilson Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

90 84 80 90 87 91 81 80 90 84 83 85 83 84 90 84 83 83 84 81 91 94 83 95 91 91 91 95 91 94 85 93 84 93 89

equipment stor age

GearBoss Sports Storage System

The GearBoss sports storage system from Wenger is designed for the unique needs of athletic equipment storage. It’s a modular, high-density system that maximizes space and functionality while improving inventory management and security. The carts can be customized with team colors, and many different grille colors and finish laminates are available for the closure panels. Payment plans available: YES Maintenance program included: NO Customizable with accessories after initial purchase: YES Accessories offered: Closure panels, doors, shelves, garment bars, attic extensions, helmet hangers, shoulder pad stackers Storage component size: Carts: 78” L x 79” H x 32” or 48” W Unit movement: MANUAL Shelves: YES Drawers: NO Racks: YES Doors: YES Room for hanging apparel: YES

Wenger Corp. • 800-493-6437 www.wengercorp.com Circle No. 562

Drawer/Wardrobe Athletic Equipment Case

Hang up garments in this easymoving road case. Organize the rest of your gear in the large drawers with adjustable dividers. This equipment case is big enough to hold lots of gear, yet it fits easily in the cargo bays of buses and airplanes. See other equipment cases at Wilson’s Web site. Payment plans available: NO Maintenance program included: NO Customizable with accessories after initial purchase: YES Accessories offered: Organizer tray assembly, turf tires Storage component size: Wardrobe: 23.25” x 17.5” x 38” Three Drawers: 22” x 17” x 8” One Drawer: 22” x 17” x 10” Unit movement: MANUAL Shelves: YES Drawers: YES Racks: YES Doors: YES Room for hanging apparel: YES

Wilson Case • 800-322-5493 www.wilsoncase.com Circle No. 563

Aurora Mobile Athletic Storage System

Aurora provides mobile storage for a variety of athletic programs, including baseball, football, golf, basketball, swimming, and hockey teams. The company’s mobile storage systems are available in mechanical-assist and powered models, with many options and accessories. School color matching is also available. Payment plans available: NO Maintenance program included: OPTIONAL Customizable with accessories after initial purchase: YES Accessories offered: Doors, drawers, bins, reference shelves, equipment racks Storage component size: Carriages: 3’-51’ Shelving segments: Widths: 24”, 36”, 42”, 48” Depths: 9”, 10”, 12”, 13”, 15”, 16”, 18” 20”, 24”, 26”, 30”, 32”, 36” Heights: 76” = 121” Unit movement: MANUAL OR ELECTRIC Shelves: YES Drawers: YES Racks: YES Doors: YES Room for hanging apparel: YES

Aurora Storage • 800-277-1699 www.aurorastorage.com Circle No. 570

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2010

aEMA & NACDA Conventions spotlight

Polytan-USA 877-POLYTAN www.polytan-usa.com NACDA Booth No. 930 Polytan manufactures, sells, and installs superior synthetic turf and running track systems, with over 300 million square feet installed worldwide since 1969. Synonymous with quality and leadership in the synthetic sports surfacing industry, Polytan-USA is proud to bring the world’s leading and most vertically integrated brand to the North American market. By producing all the raw materials, Polytan is able to regulate the entire turf or track system and thereby ensure the highest quality for each project, all the way to completion. Each turf or track system is installed by dedicated specialists with support from a network of established and reputable partners across North America. Circle No. 532

Heery International 800-52-HEERY www.heery.com NACDA Booth No. 519/521 Collegiate sports facilities reflect the traditions of their schools. They have moved beyond grandstands and bleachers. Today, they are spectator entertainment venues equipped with full-service restaurants, luxury suites, and comfortable seating. These new facilities not only create a better experience for the fans, they’re also good for business. Heery’s expertise in master planning, design, engineering, and construction management helps clients by developing revenue-generating strategies, such as facility flexibility and amenityoptions. Heery also understands that a comfortable, clean facility brings an entire family to a sporting event, cultivating the next generation of fans. Circle No. 549

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Laundry Loops, Inc. 888-246-5667 www.laundryloops.com AEMA Booth No. 501 With Laundry Loops, clothes stay sorted while they wash and dry. This alternative to mesh laundry bags allows garments to get cleaner and more sanitary, and to dry in half the time. Laundry Loops also eliminate snagged garments and dented dryer drums caused by brass pins. Laundry Loop with Sock Snare (pat. no. 6,038,748) is the original laundry strap, and it’s still the most efficient way to manage group laundry. Circle No. 528

M-F Athletic/Perform Better 800-556-7464 www.mfathletic.com AEMA Booth No. 117 Pick up your copies of the 2010 Everything Track & Field and Perform Better catalogs. You can also examine many of the more than 50 new items and learn about special price reductions. Circle No. 529

Musco Sports Lighting, Inc. 800-825-6030 www.musco.com NACDA Booth No. 709 For over 30 years, Musco has specialized in the design and manufacture of athletic field lighting. Musco’s newest innovation, Light-Structure Green™, is a costeffective sports and large area lighting system offering significant advantages for your budget and the environment—operating costs are cut in half and off-site spill light is also reduced by 50 percent. Circle No. 530

BigSigns.com 800-790-7611 www.bigsigns.com NACDA Booth No. 937/939 BigSigns.com is a national leader in stadium graphics and sponsor signage with a full design team and outstanding customer service. The company works with you to create a brand for your program that helps promote team spirit and shows dedication to athletics. Coaches and athletic directors across the country have found that the products from BigSigns.com help beautify their facilities, recruit top prospects, and build team pride. Visit the BigSigns. com booth to talk with one of its national sales reps and get started on transforming your facilities into sources of pride. Circle No. 526

Daktronics 800-325-8766 www.daktronics.com NACDA Booth No.409 Daktronics is a longtime supporter of the NACDA organization, and again will be hosting a reception for athletic directors and staff on Tuesday evening, June 22, at the Marriott adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center. In booth 409 and at the reception, the company will showcase its latest LED scoring and video technologies, highlighting many recent college projects of different sizes for different sports, and will also be demonstrating its new Show Control System, which makes operations easier for the production team and makes game day more exciting for fans and student-athletes. Circle No. 527

2010

aEMA & NACDA Conventions spotlight

Fair-Play Scoreboards 800-247-0265 www.fair-play.com NACDA Booth No. 338 Sports fans, athletic directors, and administrators have relied on the style, performance, and innovation of FairPlay Scoreboards to stay on top of their game for more than 70 years. Fair-Play Scoreboards, a Trans-Lux company, designs and manufactures quality scoreboards and accessories for high schools, colleges, and municipalities. With more than 100,000 installations, the company is an industry leader in LED scoreboard technology and wireless controls. Fair-Play’s national network of factory sales representatives and service technicians backs its commitment to service after the sale. Catch the spirit of Fair-Play. Circle No. 548

SMi Awards 800-326-8463 www.smiawards.com AEMA Booth 506 Stop by the SMi Awards booth to view the company’s full line of custom logo watches, plaques, rings, gift sets, and more. They’re perfect for senior/letterwinner awards, championship teams, staff gifts, golf outings, and donor gifts. The company offers significant pricing incentives for annual purchases and will work with you on an unparalleled personal level to provide the service you expect and deserve. If you’re looking for a reliable awards supplier with quality products, outstanding prices, and more than 20 years of business experience, visit SMi’s booth to discuss your needs. Circle No. 557

Milnor Laundry Systems 800-469-8780 www.milnor.com AEMA Booth No. 417 Milnor Laundry Systems will be offering a special $400 AEMA rebate for any 30022 V6J with RinSave water saver purchases made before Sept. 1, 2010. This 60-pound capacity machine

offers excellent wash quality with reduced water consumption, making it an excellent choice for any athletic program. Visitors will also have access to a complimentary athletic laundry planning file. Circle No. 531

Salsbury Industries 800-562-5377 www.lockers.com NACDA Booth No. 539 Constructed of industrial-grade particle board and covered with durable plastic laminate, Salsbury Industries Open Access Designer Lockers provide a large space for clothing, uniforms, and many other applications. Open Access Designer Lockers include a coat rod and feature a lockable upper shelf and foot locker for secure equipment storage. For a free catalog or quote, call the company or visit its Web site. Circle No. 535

Southern Bleacher Co. 800-433-0912 www.southernbleacher.com NACDA Booth No. 813 Southern Bleacher brings skill, a wealth of insight, and information gleaned from thousands of jobs to your grandstand project. The company takes great pride in treating its clients with respect and honesty, and conducts its business with integrity and class. When Southern Bleacher signs on to your seating project, you are guaranteed the most highly qualified sales representation in the industry. Circle No. 533

GearBoss by Wenger Corp. 800-4-WENGER www.wengercorp.com NACDA Booth No. 330 AEMA Booth No. 406 Wenger will be highlighting the new GearBoss II storage system, which

improves inventory management, space utilization, and sanitation of athletic equipment at half the cost of the premium GearBoss solution. Both models feature rolling, high-density carts that are easily configured for storing various equipment. Other innovative GearBoss solutions include shelving systems, team room lockers, multifunction carts, mobile water carts, merchandise kiosks for fundraising, and a full complement of accessories. Circle No. 534

Sound & Video Creations 615-460-7330 www.clickeffects.com NACDA Booth No. 730 Click Effects systems—Click Effects, CrossFire, BLAZE, FlashBack, and Pro Audio—set new benchmarks in providing video and audio content control and delivery for live sports and entertainment events in stadiums and arenas. With a simple point and click, these display systems deliver scheduled and live impulse video clips, audio tracks, graphics, instant replays, animation, and sponsor ads that not only entertain audiences but also provide powerful revenue-generating opportunities. Circle No. 558

Sports Attack, LLC 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com AEMA Booth 518/520 Sports Attack is a leading manufacturer of professional sports training equipment for baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, and football. The company’s pitching and serving machines are used by top institutional and professional programs in the U.S. and around the world. Sports Attack’s innovative, quality sports training equipment will enable athletes at all levels to reach their full potential, and help coaches to develop championship teams. Circle No. 569

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 91

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

Why Aerification is Important! by boyd MontgoMery, CSFM, CSe – the toro CoMpany

Aerification is one of the most important cultural practices turf professionals can do to ensure athletic fields are safe and healthy. With this being the case, some might ask why it’s not done more frequently. Most likely it’s due to a lack of understanding or education among those making the decisions in terms of what equipment to purchase. So what is aerification? The dictionary defines aerification as:

As the sponge absorbs water, it becomes heavy and requires ringing out to release the built up water. Once this is done, the sponge can be used to absorb more water. Now you’re probably asking how a sponge relates to turf surfaces. Simply put, soil is like a sponge in that it absorbs moisture, and allows for nutrients to get further into the soil profile and gases created to escape to the atmosphere. As the soil is compacted by foot traffic or

aer•i•fi•ca•tion n. 1: The act of combining air with another substance, or the state of being filled with air. 2: The act of becoming aerified, or of changing from a solid or liquid form into an aeriform state; the state of being aeriform.

other means, this process is restricted. Aerification allows the turf manager to open up the compacted soils. When we play sports on natural turf surfaces the constant traffic directly compacts the soil profile, which oftentimes can lead to a poor playing surface if not managed appropriately. To take this a step further, many turf surfaces have moisture issues, and when you add this into the equation you increase the process of compaction greatly. There are many methods to aerification. The key is to utilize

Here’s an analogy you might be able to visualize or relate to. Imagine a dish sponge. When dry, it is very light and has a lot of pore space to absorb water. 92 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

technology that allows you to

be both efficient and effective in relieving compaction. What’s equally critical is the number of holes created in a square foot surface area. While drum style aerators are an inexpensive approach, they generally have difficulty delivering the results achieved through more productive machines unless you make a number of passes over the same area. Another aspect is the penetration depth into the soil. In recent years, deep-tine aerators have taken hold as a complementary supplement to a regular aerification program. Deep-tine practices allow turf managers to fracture the hard pan in the soil, which might have been established due to construction techniques or years of repeated same depth aerification practices.

If you are a sports field administrator, coach or parent volunteer, aerification should be one of the main topics of discussion with your turf manager. While the process can take some time and require some clean up and possible rest of the field, the benefits will be tremendous and provide your facility and athletes with a safe and healthy playing surface. For more information, please visit: www.toro.com/cultivation

Great Ideas, Great Value Pure Sweetness

Easy as 1, 2, 3

New Social Media Site

Stick With It

Introducing a tasty new alternative in RTU (ready-to-use) Sno-Kone syrups. Deliciously sweet yet sugar-free, these syrups will tickle taste buds and are the perfect treat for guests watching their calories. Each gallon can make 80 to 100 Sno-Kones. They’re available in blue raspberry, cherry, and grape, or try any of the 11 lip-smacking flavors of Deluxe Syrups, which are made with natural AllCane sugar and available in quarts, half-gallons, and gallons. Gold Medal Products • 800-543-0862 www.gmpopcorn.com Circle No. 536 Aluminum Athletic Equipment Co. (AAE), manufacturer of top-quality athletic equipment, announces the launch of myAAEworld.com, a cuttingedge social media site designed for athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts. The site expands the user’s experience by featuring virtual tours, helmet-cam videos, athlete/coach profiles and stats, used equipment, classifieds, 24/7 sports feeds, and much more, all for free. The site also offers online purchasing and details on hundreds of AAE sports products, including permanent field equipment, competition equipment, and recently added AAE apparel and accessories. AAE • 800-523-5471 www.myaaeworld.com Circle No. 537

Environmentally Friendly

CushionFall Sport is a safe and durable green rubber crumb infill designed for synthetic turf systems. The environmentally friendly encapsulation process significantly reduces VOCs and the heavy metal content of the rubber crumb, making CushionFall Sport one of the safest rubber infill products available today. The vibrant green coating is also UV-resistant, which lowers field temperatures, extends turf life, and helps maintain the shock absorbency of the rubber to help reduce injuries. CushionFall Sport • 888-434-0333 www.cushionfallsport.com Circle No. 538

Build for Success

VP Buildings is a world leader in the steel systems construction industry, and is an ideal choice for athletic building solutions. Whether you need a gymnasium, arena, indoor soccer and football practice facility, or other structure, VP Buildings offers not only the design capability but also the flexibility and sophistication to fulfill your needs. VP Buildings • 800-238-3246 www.vp.com Circle No. 539

more products

To help athletes get the most out of their performance, scientists from Gatorade® have created the G Series™—a new line of products supported by the latest science and developed in collaboration with the world’s greatest athletes to provide fuel, fluid, and nutrients before, during, and after activity. The line includes Gatorade Prime 01, Gatorade Perform 02 (Gatorade Thirst Quencher and G2), and Gatorade Recover 03. Go online to learn more. The Gatorade Co. • 800-88-GATOR www.gatorade.com Circle No. 540 Synthetic Surfaces specializes in one-part curing urethanes marketed under the NORDOT trade name. An adhesive property known as high green strength (high grab) sets NORDOT adhesives apart from conventional urethane adhesives. High green strength helps overcome the tendency during installation of surfaces to separate, curl, bubble, lift, creep, slip, wrinkle, expand, or contract due to wind, changing hot and cold temperatures from passing clouds, unexpected rain, and other variable weather conditions. Synthetic Surfaces Inc. • 908-233-6803 www.nordot.com Circle No. 541

Half the Cost

Wenger’s new GearBoss II storage system improves inventory management, space utilization, and sanitation of athletic equipment at half the cost of the premium GearBoss solution. Requiring significantly less space than traditional shelving, these flexible, high-density carts are easily configurable for a variety of equipment. The carts roll along a fixed track in the floor, allowing easy access and minimizing wasted space. The open design enables equipment to dry quickly, improving sanitation. Wenger Corp. • 800-4-WENGER www.wengercorp.com Circle No. 542

Top-Notch Protection

The Cross-Over Zone™ track protector prevents damage to costly track surfaces due to teams, people, and equipment. It’s constructed of thick, tough geotextile fabric with vinyl edging and steel chain inserted all around, providing ballast to keep the protector down even in high winds. Steel-tipped cleats cannot puncture it, but rain drains through. The CrossOver Zone is easy to install and remove. The protector is black with edging in your choice of gold, white, or a custom color, and multi-color imprinting is available. Aer-Flo, Inc. • 800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com Circle No. 554 AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 93

more products

Great Ideas, Great Value

Be Heard

In a large space, reverberation can seriously affect clarity and speech intelligibility. Octasound speakers offer a real advantage for voice and music. Four discrete horns project sound in all directions to give you true projected—not reflected—sound. The large woofer radiates bass, and the remarkable efficiency gives you the headroom needed to keep things crystal clear with minimal amplifier power. KDM Electronics Inc 800-567-6282 www.octasound.com Circle No. 543

Smart Popping

Save money and rest assured knowing your popcorn machine will automatically turn off after 15 minutes of idle time. The new and improved Auto Shutoff feature is standard on all #1866 Ultra P-60 and #2656 Ultra 60 Special six-ounce popcorn poppers. A blinking light indicates when the kettle has been turned off. Additional benefits include reduced energy costs and reduced heat and wear on the kettle to extend the life of the heating element. Gold Medal Products Co. 800-543-0862 www.gmpopcorn.com Circle No. 544

High-End Performance

Originally developed exclusively for college and pro athletes, G Series Pro products are the ultimate in sports nutrition from Gatorade. The G Series Pro line of products delivers the fuel, fluids, and nutrients elite athletes need before, during, and after a workout, practice, or competition. Now for the first time, G Series Pro is available at premium retailers, such as GNC and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The Gatorade Co. 800-88-GATOR www.gatorade.com Circle No. 545

A Fast Solution

Save time and labor expenses with Speedy Bleachers from Kay Park Recreation. These bleachers can be easily transported by a pickup truck, and once their leveling jacks are set, the push of a button hydraulically unfolds the lower rows in just one minute. Safety features include a movable tongue that pushes in to avoid protrusion, and vertical-bar guardrails with four-inch spacing to prevent youngsters from falling through 94 JUNE/JULY 2010 | AthleticManagement.com

the bleachers. The seats are made of anodized aluminum and the foot boards are mill-finished aluminum for unbeatable protection against weather, wear, and tear. Kay Park Recreation Corp. 800-553-2476 www.kaypark.com Circle No. 546

Lots of Space

Constructed of industrial-grade particle board and covered with durable plastic laminate, Salsbury Industries Open Access Designer Lockers provide a large space for clothing, uniforms, and many other applications. Open Access Designer Lockers include a coat rod and feature a lockable upper shelf and foot locker for secure equipment storage. For a free catalog or quote, call the company or visit its Web site. Salsbury Industries 800-562-5377 www.lockers.com Circle No. 547

Built for the Long Haul

Made of Vipol Matrix mesh, Tuffy is one of the world’s toughest windscreens. With over 50 percent more microfibers than competitors, it is virtually tear- and punctureproof. It is the only windscreen with lock-stitched ends and corners, eliminating the unraveling problem of conventional chain-stitched competitive products. Now available in 15 colors and with Chroma-Bond multi-color imprinting, Tuffy will upgrade the longevity and appearance of any baseball, softball, or tennis fencing. It’s protected by a four-year factory warranty. Aer-Flo, Inc. 800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com Circle No. 555

Lights, Camera, Action

When players enter the field through a Sports Central inflatable sports tunnel, the cameras start snapping and great memories are captured. As spectators gaze on athletes emerging from one of these high-quality, eyecatching inflatable tunnels, they’re stirred with pride, enthusiasm, and team spirit. Make every athlete feel like a pro and enhance your facility’s appearance. Go online today to learn more. Sports Central Creations 909-548-3910 www.sportscentralcreations.com Circle No. 556

more products

Great Ideas, Great Value

Be Seen and Heard

EZStream.com is an affordable and easy-touse system for producing your own Internet broadcasts. EZStream provides all the tools, software, and bandwidth necessary for your school to produce quality events. Users can produce a single broadcast or many. The system supports both audio and video and has almost unlimited capacity. There is no easier way to start broadcasting today. EZStream partners with many state high school associations. EZStream.com 800-596-7502 www.ezstream.com Circle No. 559

A Better Alternative

Inflate & Go is a revolutionary new inflatable high jump landing system. Uniquely designed to be portable and easy to set up and take down indoors or out, it can be deflated and stored in a weatherresistant storage container or folded to onetenth its size and stored in a bag. Inflate & Go delivers a world-class high jump landing system without the cost, storage issues, or headaches of a foam system. Inflate & Go 515-229-6734 www.inflateandgo.com Circle No. 560

Engineered for Excellence

You want a turf field that looks natural, keeps your athletes injury-free, and gives you the best platform for performance. Shaw Sportexe is dedicated to designing and constructing the best surface for your needs. While capturing the natural aesthetics of grass, Shaw Sportexe has engineered turf systems that excel in durability and consistency as well as safety characteristics such as good traction and shock absorbency. Shaw Sportexe 866-703-4004 www.shawsportexe.com Circle No. 567

Good at Everything

The new Snap Attack Football Machine with solid polyurethane football throwing wheels (no air pressure) provides tight spirals, long distance, and accuracy. In the elevated position using the universal ball cradle, it can pass, punt, or deliver the perfect kickoff. In the lowered position at ground level, it can snap the ball to any depth for shotgun or pistol formations, extra points, and punts. Pre-set locations make any change (left- to right-handed spirals or spirals to end-over-end) quick and easy. Sports Attack 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com Circle No. 568

web news Perma-Cap’s Site Meets Your Bleacher Covering Needs Perma-Cap Bleacher Covering Systems has an exciting Website that offers everything you need to research, purchase, or specify a bleacher covering system for your facility renovation or new construction project. You can easily find product information, before and after photos, installation instructions, brochures, color charts, pricing, and much more. Each product page also offers a specification link and sustainable design information for design professionals. Visit Perma-Cap today to see for yourself.

www.perma-cap.com

Extensive Product Information Available on Gold Medal’s Site Gold Medal Products is constantly updating its Web site to provide the most up-to-date information. The site has an events calendar, a news section, and a new products section to help keep you current. It also features all of Gold Medal’s equipment and supplies, showing you the item number, a picture, and a brief description. You can sign up to receive a free catalog and specific newsletters pertaining to your industry or special offers that may be going on. If you are new to an industry, Gold Medal’s site has a section that lists products and setups that would be a perfect fit. The site is a great resource for watching demonstration videos and finding out more about the company’s quality products. Log on today to see for yourself.

www.gmpopcorn.com

Clothes Stay Sorted While They Wash and Dry Laundry Loops are the cleaner and greener alternative to mesh laundry bags. Garments get cleaner and more sanitary, and they dry in half the time. Laundry Loops also eliminate snagged garments and dented dryer drums caused by brass pins. Laundry Loop with Sock Snare (pat. no. 6,038,748) is the original laundry strap—and it’s still the most efficient way to manage group laundry.

www.laundryloops.com

Get Information Just the Way You Want It Continental Girbau recently unveiled a new Web site boasting improved navigation, more client videos, and additional content specific to users in the athletic industry. The site’s home page divides content into market segments and product types so visitors can immediately locate information based on what they want—washers, dryers, or ironers—or find details specific to the athletic industry. Users can view case studies and video testimonials from pro, college, and high school athletic departments across the country. The site also gives users immediate access to brochures, specs, CAD drawings, sizing information, and green product information.

www.continentalgirbau.com

AthleticManagement.com | JUNE/JULY 2010 95

OVERTIME

Next Stop: Web Site Our editorial continues on www.AthleticManagement.com Here’s a sampling of what’s posted right now:

AP Photos/Steve Pope

Web Exclusives

The NCAA is considering changes to its current recruiting model, which could affect how recruits like Harrison Barnes, of Ames (Iowa) High School, navigate the process.

NCAA Re-thinking Recruiting? After years of tweaking and expanding its rulebook, the NCAA is taking a big picture look at how best to regulate Division I recruiting. Our June Web Monthly Feature examines the initial models for future rule making. Read about why a June meeting of the Division I Recruiting Cabinet could provide a glimpse into a new era of college recruiting.

AthleticManagement.com/features.php

Great Expectations While some schools may have a written code of conduct for their coaches, Loch Raven High School in Towson, Md., does things a little differently. Athletic Director David Hoch details his approach to guiding coaches to be great role models and professionals. AthleticManagement.com/features.php

So You Want to Be an AD? Dan Cardone is often approached by sport management majors looking for advice on becoming an athletic director. Don’t miss his answers to: How do I find out about openings? And what is the best path to take to obtain a position at the high school level? AthleticManagement.com/blogs.php

AthleticManagement.com

Make Your Stadium POP With DURA-MESH™ Banners

Bradley University project completed August 2008. To see more of this project, go to www.BigSigns.com.

Marietta College project completed April 2009. To see more of this project, go to www.BigSigns.com.

More schools like Bradley University and Marietta College are trusting BigSigns.com to help brand their athletic programs. Many are wrapping their blank walls, bleacher backs, bleacher tops and chain link fences with our proprietary Dura-Mesh™ Banners. Dura-Mesh™ Banners have 30% wind pass-thru, heavily reinforced 2” hems and are digitally printed with UltraBrite™ inks, so your stadium graphics will POP like the smile on your face after your next championship. Call us today to find out how we can help make your stadium pop by using outstanding design, manufacture and installation of Dura-Mesh™ Banners.

1.800.790.7611 Circle No. 155

NACDA Booth Nos. 937, 939

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