|
National Conference benefits WADA delegates
By Mike Bates
Information Coordinator, WADA
Benefits to attending the athletic director’s
National Conference
are as about as numerous as the delegates from around the country or the
workshop sessions offered.
This
year was no different for the four Wisconsin delegates who made the trek to
New Orleans for the 35th annual event.
After returning from the national convention held in December, the
four athletic directors, who are members of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors
Association (WADA), shared their thoughts.
“I
found the national convention to be enlightening and educational, as well as
fun,” said Kelley Hood of Neenah.
“I attended the NIAAA Section 4 meeting and the delegate assembly to
act on business affairs of the NIAAA. These meetings were interesting to see
some of the inner workings of the NIAAA business affairs. I was not
sure how some decisions relating to our membership and business affairs were
conducted, but this gave me an opportunity to learn more about our
organization, and to be a voice in the future of the group.
“This
year I took LTC 506 - Legal Issues II… and found this to be one of the best
LTC courses that I have taken,” continued Hood, who has 14 years of
experience as an A.D. “It
provided a great deal of material regarding gender equity and how to be sure
our school is in compliance with the law.
“Workshops
are also very beneficial. An
outstanding one dealt with ‘Teaching Character Through Sport’ by Bruce
Brown. He dealt with the five
core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and
sportsmanship. This was a very motivating and exciting presentation that
looked at issues we face and deal with every day.
“This
was my first visit to New Orleans, and I found it to be a very exciting and
diverse city. Obviously, Bourbon
Street added a very lively flair to the trip, but the food and opportunities
for sightseeing were great benefits also. It was a great trip that was very enjoyable and
educational.”
Kris
Allison of Westosha Central said, “The best part of attending the conference
is sharing ideas with fellow athletic directors. It is interesting to
learn that many problems that I encounter are universal and another A.D. may
have found a solution that would work in my situation.
“I
enjoy visiting the exhibits, and like to see the latest in technology in the
athletic field and other ideas that can make my job easier. I have made contact with many
companies that have products that my school was in the market for and have
been able to find very competitive
prices,” she continued.
“The
best part of the convention is getting to know fellow athletic directors that
you communicate with through phone calls and e-mails but never really get to
meet face to face,” added Allison.
Kurt
Schumacher of Mount Horeb used “fabulous” to describe the New Orleans
experience.
“Being
an underclassman to the veteran athletic directors, I find that listening and
absorbing their experiences is most beneficial,” Schumacher said. “The
sessions deal with the same ‘hot’ topics that we do here in Wisconsin.
“Being
able to share problems, learning new methods of dealing with these areas, and
being able to bond with some of the more colorful people in our field are the
best reasons for attending the national conference,” added Schumacher, who
has been an A.D. for seven years.
“Realizing
that even being miles apart, the problems and the joys in this professional
are basically the same from state to state. The national conference is
just as well organized and has some of the same great sessions as our WADA
conference,” he added.
Tom
Curran of Tomah remarked that “the type of things that a person gets from attending these types
of functions is not all that concrete.
“There are a lot of opportunities to meet other A.D.’s
and share concerns. It is just
nice sometimes to hear that other schools have the same problems that we have
and that makes you feel less isolated in your position. As a delegate I was
able to attend two sessions that dealt a lot with the professional
development opportunities that are out there,” he continued.
“For the A.D. position to become more accepted as
a profession and not an add-on to a teaching position, A.D.’s need to take
advantage of these opportunities,”added Curran, who has been an A.D. for 15
years. “This can be done
informally by networking with other AD’s at these type of functions or
formally by taking part in the NIAAA and in LTC Courses and/or seek an
advanced degree.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The web site for
the WADA is www.wadawi.org and Mike Bates may be reached via
e-mail
at mbates1@new.rr.com.
GO TO THE “WADA INSIGHTS” INDEX
|
