In high school the role tends to be a full-time job. Athletic directors usually have a bachelors degree in education, physical education or a related field.”Many individuals may go on to earn a masters degree in education, administration, or perhaps sports management, while sports management graduates often pursue jobs at the college and professional level.” Old Dominion University determined high school athletic director jobs are a good fit for sports management program graduates. “Athletic directors typically enjoy working with coaches and athletes to help teams reach their potential, where as coaches carryout the day-to-day preparation of teams, athletic directors take pride in the behind-the-scenes work, which puts teams in a position to succeed.” Every year the athletic directors have to read the NCAA rule changes to each sport. The rules could change at any time and the director must know to tell staff and referees of changes. “The athletic director must have the interpersonal skills necessary to work well with coaches in individual programs well as school leaders and the public.” At the high school level, athletic directors can become the focus of media scrutiny. Athletic directors must learn to run an effective program under budget constraints. “While being an athletic director can be an awarding job for the right person, requires fortitude, …show more content…
In 2017 the median salary for athletic directors is $108,437 and the “job growth from 2014-2024 is 9% of all postsecondary education administrators”( “What Is an Athletic Director?”). ArbiterSports states an athletic directors needs “Six Essential Traits” to be successful in the job field. The six leadership skills are: intuition, communication skills, problem solving skills, passion and vision, perspective, and organizations skills. Dr. David Hoch interviewed two athletic directors about how the job interferes with the family life. How do the two individuals balance the family and job? “its going to be challenging.” Dr. Hoch’s interview with Andy Cardinal and Todd Gordon, both athletic directors, commented making time for family was important. Both individuals have someone who helps with the demands of the occupation, such as “double- checking schedules and confirming contracts.” Attending games in the evenings is part of the job description which takes away family time. Cardinal stated “I am lucky to have a few people I can rely on at school to help me out and cover for me when needed. They do this voluntarily and I am extremely grateful.” Gordon stated “I am blessed with an outstanding administrative team that includes two former athletic directors