2013 Maine Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Fall Conference
Roundtable Discussion Questions
1. The number of faculty coaches in American high school continues to decline. What are some strategies that you use to attract or recruit coaching candidates when vacancies occur at your school?
- Advertise in newspapers
- Serving Schools
- Contacting other schools/athletic administrators
- Networking
- Connecting with local colleges
- AD’s mailing other schools to see if they have coaches who would like to advance
- Encouraging administration to look at teaching candidates who have coaching qualities
- Parents
- Bring on new teachers as assistant coaches
- Community youth organizations
- Examine teacher applications for background in a sport
2. Athletic booster clubs in the state of Maine offer a variety of services, including purchasing of equipment and uniforms, paying coaching salaries, or contributing to large capital projects. What are some of the needs in your school’s athletic program that your local booster club supports?
- Orono High School and Medomak Valley High School Boosters will not purchase uniforms, equipment, or coaches’ stipends. They would put funds towards small capital improvements.
- All requests are run through the athletic administrator – needs-based requests are always granted provided that the funds are available.
- Scholarships are given at graduation from many booster organizations. Have them submit a financial sheet as to what groups and organizations they have financially assisted. Makes their group become transparent.
- Orono High School has a boosters club which supports all extra and co-curricular activities (even though 99% of all monies are generated through athletic contest concessions).
- Medomak Valley – all-sports boosters
- Winthrop – all-sports boosters
- Brunswick – individual booster clubs
- Scoreboards, equipment, capital and financial improvements, youth scholarships, summer camp scholarships, coaches professional development
- One school relies on booster funding for the entire football program
- Schools ask boosters when emergencies happen and equipment is needed that may not be budgeted for (ex. $5000 for high jump mats)
- Most schools fund the necessities and ask boosters to fund extra equipment and/or coaches (essential for safe practice and play).
3. One of the most important responsibilities of an athletic administrator is to serve as a “coach of coaches”. What are some ways in which you and your school support the professional development of the members of your coaching staff?
Budget is a major concern/hurdle.
John Bapst – Coaches are encouraged to attend at least one conference per year – paid for in a number of ways
Use the Internet:
- for resources
- clinics
- magazine articles (short but readable)
- any references possible
Presque Isle – small organizations budgeted
Build into the review/evaluation process
- Recommend if possible/necessary
- Help guide them to complete the task
- Financially
- Logistically
- Fundamentally
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