If your career path is pointing you in the direction of becoming an Athletic Director, one of the first steps is knowing what is required of you. The duties involved in the career of an Athletic Director are many. Athletic directors are in high demand; and positions will require managerial experience, sharp business minds, and the ability to maintain work efficiency.

Wondering where you will attain these skills? A reputable Sports Management Degree program will be the first plan of attack. Read on for the complete description of an Athletic Director including their duties, more on the educational requirements, and the salary expectations for new graduates.

What are the Duties of an Athletic Director?

The primary responsibility of an athletic director is to oversee all aspects of the athletic programs that are sponsored by a school or an institution. This includes the hiring of staff and coaches, ordering equipment for teams, promoting events, matches, and meets. Directors must be skilled in budgeting and allocating funds, and facilitating operations. They will typically work with school administrators in hiring coaches. The athletic director may also participate in fundraising for the teams and to providing guidance to the students in the sports program.

Athletic Directors also supervise all sports personnel and resolve any administrative issues. In addition to scheduling games and athletic events, the athletic director will collaborate with the coaching staff on scheduling game days and practices throughout the sports season, ensuring no scheduling conflict occurs between different teams for use of shared equipment like weight rooms and athletic trainers’ attention. They may schedule physical examinations for student athletes.

Athletic directors must also keep track of policy changes from the school board and coordinate with organizations that set parameters within the field such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA currently sets regulations for recruiters from colleges and professional teams interacting with high school recruits.

Skills and Abilities Needed by Athletic Directors

To be fully prepared for the job as an athletic director, one must have excellent athletic director skills in planning, organization, leadership. Athletic directors need to have some background in legal terminology and public relations as well. Interpersonal skills come in handy at the middle school and high school levels, when concerns from school board members or parents arise over sports team decisions or the use of athletic funds.

One of the biggest challenges of an athletic director is preparing for media scrutiny. When a school handles issues of bad coaching practices, student-athlete injuries, or bad behavior from teams, the Athletic Director is responsible for answering to the public. Proactively establishing a good rapport with students, parents, coaches, school boards, and media personnel can limit the amount of media scrutiny a school experiences through their athletics.

Athletic Directors excel when they are natural leaders and can work under pressure. Deadlines often loom, as Directors must finalize athletic budgets and place equipment orders in a specific timeframe for approval. Athletic Directors often answer to school principals, or directly to school boards.

Coaching experience may not be necessary, but continued professional development will always be expected.

What are the Athletic Director Educational Requirements and Salary Expectations?

For those that work at a high school or middle school level, athletic directors often split their time coaching in the athletic department or athletic program and teaching PE or health classes. A Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education or related fields is often enough to imbue the skills needed for these roles in small schools. However, it may be useful to pursue a Master’s degree in Sports Management, Organizational Leadership, Kinesiology, Physical Education Administration to receive better opportunities at a large high school, college, or university level.

Sports Management

A Master’s Degree in Sports Management can help you become an expert in the field of sports. This degree will give you the knowledge and skills to manage sports teams, organizations, and events. It covers topics such as finance, marketing, law, and business administration that are essential for a successful career in this field. You will also gain an understanding of how to develop strategies for achieving organizational goals within the sports industry. With a Master’s Degree in Sports Management, you can pursue a career in coaching, marketing, public relations or even become a team manager.

Organizational Leadership

A Master’s in Organizational Leadership is a great way to make a difference in the workplace. It provides learners with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead organizations effectively and efficiently. With this degree, you will learn how to analyze organizational behavior, build teams, create strategies, manage resources, and develop leadership styles. You will also be able to apply these skills in a variety of contexts such as human resources management, business administration, and public policy. With this degree you can be prepared for leadership roles within your organization or even start your own business.

Kinesiology and Health Promotion

A master’s degree in Kinesiology is a great way for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the science of human movement. This degree provides students with an in-depth knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics of the body while teaching them how to apply this knowledge to improve physical performance and reduce injury risk. Additionally, this degree covers topics related to nutrition, exercise science, sport psychology, and health promotion. With a master’s in Kinesiology, graduates will be prepared to pursue careers as physical therapists or strength and conditioning coaches.

Physical Education Administration

A master’s degree in physical education administration is designed to prepare students for careers as physical education administrators, teachers, and coaches. It provides a comprehensive overview of the field, from understanding the legal and ethical aspects of physical education to developing skills in budgeting and program development. The curriculum also covers topics such as sports psychology, health promotion, and educational technology. With this degree, graduates can pursue a variety of positions in schools or community organizations that focus on the promotion of physical activity.

The average salary range for a successful athletic director is between $50,000 to $82,000 annually. This number can vary widely depending on the type of hiring institution, how much money the athletic teams bring in, how large the booster club is, and how large the school itself is. Differences in public and private institutions can also alter the pay scale for a prospective employee interested in an athletic director’s position.

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