NEOIAAA Spring Conference 2018 Highlights

The Northeast District held our annual spring athletic director’s conference and awards banquet on April 15 and April 16. This was our 53rd Annual Awards Program. The Sunday night banquet was hosted at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls. The Northeast district had over 96 athletic directors attending our Spring conference and 136 at the Award’s Banquet. The agenda for the day was kicked off by OIAAA Executive Director Bruce Brown addressing the attendees to highlight the current initiatives of the OIAAA. The keynote presentation this year was delivered by Mr. Jack Slavinski a leadership coach at various levels of education, athletics, and business. His experience is rooted in business, having consulted with such groups at General Electric, Xerox, and many others. He utilizes the “Lead4Influence” platform along with current research, science and personal experiences.

The workshop also included presentations from Positive Coaching Alliance on coaching development and parent relationships.  There was also breakout sessions on positive cheering sections, A.D. Certifications, and professional organizations.  The OHSAA also provided us with the Town Hall and Referendum Update. Thank you to Dr. Deborah Moore and OHSAA Commissioner Dan Ross for presenting at our conference and providing critical updates from the state office.

Lastly, a special thank you to Phil Cassella for all of his help and organizational efforts in putting on this year’s conference.

To see the list of award winners and photos from the banquet go to: http://neoiaaa.org/

Win or lose, we don’t want much… just a “Thank You”

Win or lose, we don’t want much… just a “Thank You”

Surviving the Post Game Experience

I don’t think it’s supposed to be this way. In fact, I wish it wasn’t this way.

I hang back in the locker room with my assistant coaches. Part of me is ready to leave: I am in a hurry to grab some food and a drink with my assistants, or to see my family for the first time that day. I am exhausted after a long day and a hard game, and I know that I have to start preparing for the next practice or game.

Yet here I am, lingering in the locker room with my stomach in knots. My head is filled with anxiety and intense worry, and I am dreading walking out the door.

I know that people talk about “pre-game jitters” or “butterflies”, but those are nothing compared to what I feel post-game. It isn’t the final scoreboard that’s bothering me. Win or lose, these feelings are still there, every time.

Finally, I cannot stall any longer. My coaches and I step out of the locker room door and into the gymnasium, hoping it has been cleared out.

No such luck. Parents, players, and fans are still lingering. We look for the nearest exit and start moving towards the door.  My assistant coaches know not to leave me by myself. There is strength in numbers, and their presence makes me less vulnerable to an attack.

I feel like I am in some zombie apocalypse movie, trying to escape an infested building.  I am unsure of who to trust. Who is still human? Who has turned?

I might hear the occasional, “Good game, coach!” or, if we lost, someone might say, “Tough one tonight.” But I know not to trust it.  I reply with a wave and a simple, “Thanks for coming!” All the while, I feel like all eyes are on me. I am afraid to even look at them. I am afraid of their judgment, and of what could happen if I even slightly engage them.  Will they turn on me?

Finally, we make it to the exit. I am safe… for now.

However, at home, I wait in anxious anticipation for an email or text message, saying: “Why did my son not play in the fourth quarter?” or “Who do you think you are telling my son to NOT shoot the ball?” or “I am sick of you and your crazy philosophies. You disgust me.” or even “My son hates basketball this season and it is your fault.”

My Greatest Coaching Fear

What am I afraid of?  My fear is not of media interviews.  I am not afraid of player unrest.  I am not even bothered by the judgment and criticism of fans.  All of those things are part of the job, and I understand that.

What I fear is the parents.

After a win, you might think that a coach would be eager to strut out in front of fans, looking for praise. But those of us who have been coaching for long enough know better. Experience has taught us that winning the game is not the only thing that parents wanted that night.  They wanted the perfect win. This means they wanted lots of playing time for their child. Perhaps even a starting position or for their child to be the leading scorer.

As coaches, experience teaches us that we must be weary of those parents and fans that are quick to praise. The biggest fans are usually the first to jump ship after a hard loss, or after their child sees a decrease in playing time or performance. Even a simple comment like, “Great job, Coach” can turn into “What were you thinking out there?!” within the span of a few games. Someone saying, “Great win!” only creates more pressure to make sure I get another win in the next game. But the truth is that I don’t measure my success by the scoreboard, and I don’t want parents to measure my coaching ability on that criteria, either.

After a loss, you might think that a coach’s biggest concern would be, “How are the players going to handle this?” But those of us that have been coaching for a long time know that this is not the case. Experience has taught us that parents take defeat much harder than their children do these days. As a coaching staff, we halfheartedly joke that I need a security escort to keep me safe from parents.  But in today’s sporting culture, this is not a ridiculous request. I actually do ask my coaching staff to walk alongside me as I exit the gym.

Is my anxiety and elusiveness fair to the more supportive and appreciative parents? No, not at all. But my experiences, like so many other coaches, have led me to build walls to protect myself. I’ve been cussed out.  I’ve received threatening emails, texts, and calls. I’ve even been run off the road while driving. I’ve faced the crowd of disapproving looks after a loss, even after I have given so much to the program.

At the end of the day, I get it. I am the one making the choices, and sometimes, I do make mistakes. More than any other person, I am responsible for what transpires in the game.  But I am not looking for praise, high-fives, or a gold star. Neither am I looking for people to comfort me or say, “It’s not your fault.”

Regardless of whether a parent feels we did a good or bad job that game, we just want to be appreciated for the sacrifices we make as coaches. All we really want is simply to hear two words… “Thank You”.

Two Words

Coaches don’t enjoy stepping outside that locker room door after every game and having to worry about who has “turned” on them today! Instead, they want to build relationships with parents that are healthy and supportive.

When parents praise us for winning, it raises pressure and implies the expectation that we must continue to perform well in order to retain their approval. When parents criticize us, it leaves us questioning whether the sacrifices we make are really worth it.

As nice as it would be to have every parent believe that I’m a “great coach”, I understand that this is not a realistic outcome. Instead, I hope for something much simpler.  I hope for parents to understand that, at the end of the day, I did my very best.

I am hard on myself after both wins and losses, even without the criticism of others. I have sacrificed time away from my own family to serve their children. I make that sacrifice because I truly do love and care for their children, and I want to see them succeed.

So, parents! Whether you think we coached the best game ever, or you think we blew the game by making horrible decisions; whether you are elated with your child’s performance, or you think we didn’t give them enough “opportunity” to excel… all you need to say is, “Thank you”.

We don’t need criticism or praise.  We don’t need coaching awards or a big salary. All we really need is to feel like we’re appreciated for the sacrifices we make to coach your children.

Surviving the Post Game Experience

I don’t think it’s supposed to be this way. In fact, I wish it wasn’t this way.

I hang back in the locker room with my assistant coaches. Part of me is ready to leave: I am in a hurry to grab some food and a drink with my assistants, or to see my family for the first time that day. I am exhausted after a long day and a hard game, and I know that I have to start preparing for the next practice or game.

Yet here I am, lingering in the locker room with my stomach in knots. My head is filled with anxiety and intense worry, and I am dreading walking out the door.

I know that people talk about “pre-game jitters” or “butterflies”, but those are nothing compared to what I feel post-game. It isn’t the final scoreboard that’s bothering me. Win or lose, these feelings are still there, every time.

Finally, I cannot stall any longer. My coaches and I step out of the locker room door and into the gymnasium, hoping it has been cleared out.

No such luck. Parents, players, and fans are still lingering. We look for the nearest exit and start moving towards the door.  My assistant coaches know not to leave me by myself. There is strength in numbers, and their presence makes me less vulnerable to an attack.

I feel like I am in some zombie apocalypse movie, trying to escape an infested building.  I am unsure of who to trust. Who is still human? Who has turned?

I might hear the occasional, “Good game, coach!” or, if we lost, someone might say, “Tough one tonight.” But I know not to trust it.  I reply with a wave and a simple, “Thanks for coming!” All the while, I feel like all eyes are on me. I am afraid to even look at them. I am afraid of their judgment, and of what could happen if I even slightly engage them.  Will they turn on me?

Finally, we make it to the exit. I am safe… for now.

 

However, at home, I wait in anxious anticipation for an email or text message, saying: “Why did my son not play in the fourth quarter?” or “Who do you think you are telling my son to NOT shoot the ball?” or “I am sick of you and your crazy philosophies. You disgust me.” or even “My son hates basketball this season and it is your fault.”

My Greatest Coaching Fear

What am I afraid of?  My fear is not of media interviews.  I am not afraid of player unrest.  I am not even bothered by the judgment and criticism of fans.  All of those things are part of the job, and I understand that.

What I fear is the parents.

After a win, you might think that a coach would be eager to strut out in front of fans, looking for praise. But those of us who have been coaching for long enough know better. Experience has taught us that winning the game is not the only thing that parents wanted that night.  They wanted the perfect win. This means they wanted lots of playing time for their child. Perhaps even a starting position or for their child to be the leading scorer.

As coaches, experience teaches us that we must be weary of those parents and fans that are quick to praise. The biggest fans are usually the first to jump ship after a hard loss, or after their child sees a decrease in playing time or performance. Even a simple comment like, “Great job, Coach” can turn into “What were you thinking out there?!” within the span of a few games. Someone saying, “Great win!” only creates more pressure to make sure I get another win in the next game. But the truth is that I don’t measure my success by the scoreboard, and I don’t want parents to measure my coaching ability on that criteria, either.

After a loss, you might think that a coach’s biggest concern would be, “How are the players going to handle this?” But those of us that have been coaching for a long time know that this is not the case. Experience has taught us that parents take defeat much harder than their children do these days. As a coaching staff, we halfheartedly joke that I need a security escort to keep me safe from parents.  But in today’s sporting culture, this is not a ridiculous request. I actually do ask my coaching staff to walk alongside me as I exit the gym.

Is my anxiety and elusiveness fair to the more supportive and appreciative parents? No, not at all. But my experiences, like so many other coaches, have led me to build walls to protect myself. I’ve been cussed out.  I’ve received threatening emails, texts, and calls. I’ve even been run off the road while driving. I’ve faced the crowd of disapproving looks after a loss, even after I have given so much to the program.

At the end of the day, I get it. I am the one making the choices, and sometimes, I do make mistakes. More than any other person, I am responsible for what transpires in the game.  But I am not looking for praise, high-fives, or a gold star. Neither am I looking for people to comfort me or say, “It’s not your fault.”

Regardless of whether a parent feels we did a good or bad job that game, we just want to be appreciated for the sacrifices we make as coaches. All we really want is simply to hear two words… “Thank You”.

Two Words

Coaches don’t enjoy stepping outside that locker room door after every game and having to worry about who has “turned” on them today! Instead, they want to build relationships with parents that are healthy and supportive.

When parents praise us for winning, it raises pressure and implies the expectation that we must continue to perform well in order to retain their approval. When parents criticize us, it leaves us questioning whether the sacrifices we make are really worth it.

As nice as it would be to have every parent believe that I’m a “great coach”, I understand that this is not a realistic outcome. Instead, I hope for something much simpler.  I hope for parents to understand that, at the end of the day, I did my very best.

I am hard on myself after both wins and losses, even without the criticism of others. I have sacrificed time away from my own family to serve their children. I make that sacrifice because I truly do love and care for their children, and I want to see them succeed.

So, parents! Whether you think we coached the best game ever, or you think we blew the game by making horrible decisions; whether you are elated with your child’s performance, or you think we didn’t give them enough “opportunity” to excel… all you need to say is, “Thank you”.

We don’t need criticism or praise.  We don’t need coaching awards or a big salary. All we really need is to feel like we’re appreciated for the sacrifices we make to coach your children.

48th National Athletic Directors Conference

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The 48th National Athletic Directors Conference and the NIAAA Annual Meetings will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, AZ on December 8 – 12, 2017. Registration will open September 1, 2017.

 

2017 Summer LTC Webinars

National
Interscholastic
Athletic
Administrators Association

 

 

2017 Summer Webinars

 

We are pleased to announce that the NIAAA will be teaching LTC 501, 502, 503, 510, 611, 626, 630, and 700 via webinar in the summer of 2017. Our webinars offer the opportunity to take courses from the comforts of the office or home and receive the same quality instruction, interaction and networking opportunities as is provided in a classroom setting.

Registration for the 2017 LTI summer webinars is now open! Please note that all wishing to take courses must be current with his/her membership prior to registering.

 

Courses being offered include:

502 Tuesdays July 25 & August 1
501 Mondays July 24 & 31
503 Wednesdays July 26 & August 2
510 Thursdays July 27 & August 3
611 Tuesdays July 11 & 18
626 Mondays July 10 & 17
700 Wednesdays July 12 & 19
630 Thursdays July 13 & 20

Registration closes June 30, 2017. For more information, please visit our website.

2017 Spring Webinar Schedule

 National
Interscholastic
Athletic

Administrators Association

 

2017 Spring Webinar Schedule

We are pleased to announce that the NIAAA will be teaching LTC 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 625, 701, and 799 via webinar in the spring of 2017. Our webinars offer the opportunity to take courses from the comforts of the office or home and receive the same quality instruction, interaction and networking opportunities as is provided in a classroom setting.

Courses being offered include:

501 March 22 & 29
502 April 4 & 11
504 March 20 & 27
506 April 6 & 13
508 April 3 & 10
625 March 14 & 21
701 April 5 & 12
799 March 23 & 30

Registration opens January 9 and will close February 24. Visit our website for more information or call 317-587-1450.

 

MLB Hall of Famer Winfield calls specialization ‘recipe for burnout’

November 14, 2016 / Athletic AdministrationBaseballCoaching

MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield has some advice for youth athletes — play multiple sports.

MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, right, calls sport specialization the "recipe for burnout." | Photo: Cbl62, Wikimedia Commons
MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, right, calls sport specialization the “recipe for burnout.” | Photo: Cbl62, Wikimedia Commons

Winfield, who played the majority of his career with the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees, recently sat down with Athlon Sports to discuss his playing career from college to the pros, where he was a 12-time All-Star. When asked what advice he would offer to young athletes, he took the opportunity to speak out against specialization.

“The evolution of sports and the culture of America now, everybody — from the kids, the families, the schools, all these coaches and trainers — everybody wants to funnel a kid into one sport,” Winfield told Athlon Sports. “I can say that it is a recipe for burning a kid out and maybe not exposing a kid to what they’re going to be best at or good at, because they’ve never tried it. And then if you play one sport, you sometimes overwork the muscles just for that one sport.

To continue reading article from Coach, click HERE

2016 NIAAA Fall LTC Webinar Schedule

 

2016 Fall Webinar Schedule

We are pleased to announce that the NIAAA will be teaching LTC 501, 502, 504, 506, 511, 631, 703 and 705 via webinar in the fall of 2016. Our webinars offer the opportunity to take courses from the comforts of the office or home and receive the same quality instruction, interaction and networking opportunities as is provided in a classroom setting.

Courses being offered include:

 

501 November 1 & 8
502 October 20 & 27
504 October 18 & 25
506 November 3 & 10
511 October 17 & 24
631 October 31 & November 7
703 November 2 & 9
705 October 19 & 26

Registration opens August 1 and will close September 31.

For more information, please call 317-587-1450 or email ncrocker@niaaa.org.

 

Navigating the Online Community A brief introduction to the NIAAA member portal

This video tutorial will show you the basics of navigating our online member portal. You will learn how to:

  • log in
  • update your profile
  • view and pay outstanding invoices
  • manage your events
  • find a list of your completed courses

If you have any questions, feel free to call our office at 317-587-1450 or email Nellie Crocker.