Month: January 2015

Bruce Brown, CMAA, CIC

Executive Director, OIAAA

As interscholastic athletic administrators, we each found a different pathway to our professional position.  We may have started (or still continue) to coach a sport and have chosen to stay engaged with the school-based sport culture.  Some of us possibly aspire to the opportunities within school administration and the athletic office provides a gateway occasion to pursue management.

Regardless of the trail we followed, we continue to ponder the questions of “why” and “how” we choose to address professional development related to our career.  The choices we make in this matter will impact not only the future steps we take vocationally, but can likely impact the passion, focus and attainment of any goals we establish for ourselves.

As with any position, one’s decision to go “all in” or take a tepid, toe-dipping approach will have significant influence on personal growth and skill development as an athletic administrator.  One of the most exhilarating aspects of this title (athletic director) is the opportunity to “coach coaches”.  To best prepare yourself to provide this type of leadership, the quality athletic administrator makes a commitment to become a continuous learner of all facets of interscholastic athletics.

Certainly, creating a strong network with colleagues and other successful interscholastic athletic administrators is a viable and healthy resource.  As is often shared among the “A.D. culture”, there is not much anyone can explain to a new athletic director to fully prepare for the task at hand.  The best learning is the on-the-job training that comes daily by simply walking in the office door.  However, creating solid communication lines with peers and mentors will always be the first source for every-day survival!

Planning a learning curve, however, is something that should be an intentional part of every athletic director’s modus operandi.  Much like when we create practice plans for our teams or our classrooms, having a framework to follow and then expand with knowledge typically leads to growth.  Making the decision to grow professionally is the FIRST resolution that great athletic directors, regardless of their years of experience, make to become the best they can be!

As with many professions today, the landscape continually shifts and transforms around interscholastic athletics.  Some of these adjustments are driven by the fast pace of technology while some of our most recent shifts have occurred through local and state legislation.  As we observe those that we admire professionally, it Is typically the individuals who are current and “on top of their game” that we tend to consult and seek out for ideas, direction and mentoring.  These are often the same people who are growing and learning about the nuances of their craft and remain connected to the pulse of interscholastic athletics.

Conversely, innovative and progressive athletic directors tend to gravitate away from those who spend their time admiring the problem or lamenting the “old days”.  Ultimately, becoming the professional that you most aspire to be like adopting to our ever-changing landscape is the challenge of professional development.

The OIAAA, in collaboration with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and the National Federation for High School Associations (NFHS), provides a myriad training and support opportunities for professional development in education-based athletics.  These learning situations come in a wide array of delivery options:

·     Annual OIAAA State Athletic Directors Conference & Workshop (November)

·     Leadership Training Courses—taught at the State Conference

·     Leadership Training Courses—taught at District Conferences

·     Leadership Training Courses—taught online

·     Leadership Training Courses—taught via webinars

·     District Workshops and Conferences

·     OIAAA website resources and links (www.oiaaa2.wpengine.com)

·     New Athletic Directors Workshop (coming in August, 2015)

·     New Athletic Directors Webinars (monthly beginning in August, 2015)

·     New Athletic Directors Mentoring Program (beginning in September, 2015)

·     Coach Education—taught online through www.NFHSlearn.com

Training from the Leadership Training Institute courses additionally can lead to enhanced professional certification through the NIAAA.  Designations can be achieved at the following levels:

·     RAA: Registered Athletic Administrator

·     RMSAA: Registered Middle School Athletic Administrator

·     PCAA: Provisional Certified Athletic Administrator

·     CAA: Certified Athletic Administrator

·     CMAA: Certified Master Athletic Administrator

For additional information on Leadership Training Courses and national certification, visit:

http://oiaaa2.wpengine.com/professional-development/ltc-seminars/

For additional information on Coach Education and certification, visit:

http://oiaaa2.wpengine.com/professional-development/coach-education/

Through professional development and continuous growth, we demonstrate to our colleagues and stakeholders that we value development far beyond the “Xs and Os”.  Today’s stakeholders (coaches, parents, student, administrators, community) have increased expectations that school and program leaders are at their best by preparing completely for their assignment.  By intentionally advancing one’s professional understanding and knowledge, we clearly underscore the significance of continuous improvement for those who impact our students.

A friend of mine, Kevin Bryant, CMAA, a successful athletic director at several high schools in Oregon, has recently written a wonderful primer for future and current athletic administrators:  “The Athletic Director Survival Guide” (available throughwww.HSADHELP.com).

In one of his chapters, he reflects upon his desire to increase his preparation for his coaches, students and community as an athletic director.  He wrote, “……I remember having several conversations with an A.D. in our league, whom I respected, who kept saying he did not need letters behind his name to prove anything.”

“I would agree with him, however that was not my motivation for pursuing these certifications.  Instead, knowledge and effectiveness were my motivations.  I wanted to become the best interscholastic athletic administrator I could possibly become.”

Regardless of your personal and professional blueprint, seek to become one of the very best in what you do through your professional development plan.  The OIAAA is your conduit to assist your growth!

 

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The Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA), as the leading proponent for interscholastic athletic administrators’ and interscholastic coaches’ training and professional development, has released recent statistics indicating Ohio’s continued advancement on a national scale. 

The OIAAA has worked closely with the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) in the promoting and providing of leadership training courses for interscholastic coaches.  Each of these organizations have additionally collaborated with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to proactively develop certification programs for coaches in Ohio.

Coach Education and Certification:

For interscholastic coaches, Ohio was one of the nation’s first states to include instructional coursework related specifically to education-based, interscholastic athletic coaching.  The NFHS’ “Fundamentals of Coaching” course was added to the requirements for coach licensure in 2008 and remains one of the key components for certification in Ohio.  More recently, Ohio added the NFHS’ “Concussion in Sport” course as an annual course requirement for all interscholastic and youth coaches and officials.  Since April of 2013 (when the Concussion course was required by Ohio law), Ohio has led the country in Concussion courses with over 171,166 courses completed!  

Ohio has additionally been a national leader in the number of interscholastic coaches who have become nationally certified through the NFHS Certification Program.  Currently, there are two levels of coach certification:  Accredited Interscholastic Coach (AIC) and Certified Interscholastic Coach (CIC).  The AIC level of accreditation was initiated in 2009 with the CIC level being launched in July of 2014. 

The AIC certification includes the following coursework:

·     NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching”

·     NFHS “First Aid and Safety for Coaches”

·     NFHS “Concussion in Sport” (no cost)

·     One NFHS sport-specific course

The CIC certification includes these additional courses:

·     NFHS “Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment” (no cost)

·     NFHS “Engaging Effectively with Parents” (no cost)

·     NFHS “Sportsmanship” (no cost)

·     NFHS “Strength and Conditioning”

·     NFHS “Teaching and Modeling Behavior”

·     To elective courses

In Ohio (through December 31, 2014), there are 845 coaches who have achieved AIC status with another 20 having received CIC certification.  There are over 14,000 interscholastic coaches nationally who have achieved AIC status.  Uniontown Lake High School (Stark County) currently leads the state in AIC-certified coaches with 19 coaches.

On a national level, Ohio ranks fifth in the country with the number of nationally-certified interscholastic coaches.  States that have more AIC coaches than Ohio:

·     Arkansas: 2,593

·     Arizona: 1,228

·     Maryland:     951

·     California:     888

Both the OIAAA and the OHSAA have been strong advocates for continuous, professional growth of interscholastic coaches. As the ultimate goal of coaches in the education-based setting is to prepare students for life after high school, such on-going training is essential and necessary.  The OIAAA and the OHSAA clearly underscore this premise with their support of the NFHS training programs.

“Coaching is a profession, and training is required in any type of profession”, states Dan Schuster, Director of Coach Education for the NFHS.  “In this case, training is essential because new coaches, along with our experienced coaches, are working with and attempting to influence young people in positive ways.  The most successful mentors, whether they are coaches, lawyers, electricians or accountants, are those who regularly continue their quest to learn more.”

For additional information on Coach Education and the AIC and CIC certifications, visit: http://nfhslearn.com/

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The Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA), as the leading proponent for interscholastic athletic administrators’ and interscholastic coaches’ training and professional development, has released recent statistics indicating Ohio’s continued advancement on a national scale.

The OIAAA has worked closely with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) in the promoting and providing of leadership training courses for both interscholastic coaches and athletic administrators.  Each of these organizations have additionally collaborated with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to proactively develop certification programs and promote professional accreditation for athletic administrators in Ohio.

Athletic Administration Training and Certification:

For athletic administrators, the OIAAA and the NIAAA have provided a series of training courses via the Leadership Training Institute (LTI).  This program of professional development was initiated in 1995 by the NIAAA and was granted full registration by the National Certification Commission of North Central Accreditation in October of 2001.  The North Central Accreditation is the same body that accredits secondary schools and their respective curricula throughout the United States.

There are five levels of certification for interscholastic athletic administrators:

·     Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA)

·     Registered Middle School Athletic Administrator (RMSAA)

·     Provisional Certified Athletic Administrator (PCAA)

·     Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA)

·     Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA)

Each level of certification requires completion of various combinations of the LTI courses.  There are currently 39 courses available through Leadership Training with each course providing a minimum of four (4) hours of “seat time”.

Currently in Ohio, the following certifications are active:

·     RAAs:  92

·     CAAs:  172

·     CMAAs: 17

Leadership Training courses for interscholastic athletic administrators are available through several opportunities.  The OIAAA offers several LTI courses at their Annual State Conference (held in Columbus, OH) in November of each year.  Additionally, several OIAAA district associations will offer courses throughout the year, usually as part of District Workshops held in the spring of each year.

Athletic directors can also take courses via webinars (two, 2-hour classes) and online via Ohio University or the University of Maine.  For information about online and webinar course access, visit: http://www.niaaa.org/niaaa-programs/leadership-training-institute/niaaa-online-courses-webinars/.

“The training and continuous learning opportunities for our member athletic administrators is the number one objective of our Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association”, states OIAAA Executive Director, Bruce Brown.  “We want our member schools and their respective administrative teams to realize that we have nationally-accredited training available to those people charged with overseeing the interscholastic athletic program.  Because of the unique nature and challenges involved with education-based athletics, there are critical skill-sets that need to be mastered for the efficient and successful operation of such programming.  The professional development and learning opportunities offered through the OIAAA and the Leadership Training courses are valuable investments for the school athletic administrator.”

Many Ohio school districts have begun including a minimal requirement of CAA or CMAA certification (or the ability to obtain within a period of time) of candidates for Director of Athletics/Activities and similar openings.  As more school districts seek skilled staff to minimize turnover in athletic department personnel, evidence of training in education-based athletic management has become essential.  Professional development workshops and conferences provide critical skill training for enhancement of the interscholastic athletic experiences for students and associated stakeholders.

For additional information regarding Leadership Training courses and other professional development opportunities for athletic administrators, visit the following links:

http://www.niaaa.org/niaaa-programs/niaaa-certification-program/

http://oiaaa2.wpengine.com/