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Did I bump into you at the 39th NFHS/NIAAA Conference of High School Athletic Directors? What a great experience it was again!

As it does every year, the conference offered various Leadership Training Courses, along with workshop sessions. Attendees could hear about practical solutions to problems and get updated information concerning trends and developments in the field.

One workshop, on the status of the High School Accountability Act connected with Title IX was very informative. I learned that neither the Senate nor House Bills have passed yet, but it might happen as early as this summer. What this bill would mean is that every high school athletic department would have to submit an annual report that provides information on equality in their school athletic programs to both the government and the public. Right now, it is proposed that the report for the previous school year would be due by Oct. 15.

The speaker also mentioned that high schools in Kentucky have been doing their own report with great success for the last decade. He suggested we go to Kentucky High School Athletic Association's Web site to get a look at their forms and procedures.

Another very worthwhile workshop was on “Community Service Projects for Team Involvement.” There were two speakers and one explained that he found success with one day, quick-hit projects. A simple, but very inspirational example that he gave was writing letters to injured military personnel--the student-athletes thanked those in the military for their service and wished them well in their recovery. Another idea was a cleanup day in which student-athletes raked leaves, picked up trash, painted over graffiti, etc., at a park, playground, or school. The second speaker talked about how his school used a student-athlete advisory board to determine which project(s) it would get involved with.

There was one workshop entitled “Helpful Hints for the Athletic Administrator” that was, I was told, very interesting and well-received. Let’s see, it was taught by this older guy … hey, that was me. One of the neat things about the conference is being invited to present a topic in one of the workshop sessions. It is a rare opportunity and honor to share your knowledge with your peers and this can be a very rewarding experience.

My 35 minutes of hints (as I told attendees at the beginning) ranged from mundane, practical things to philosophical issues. I provided my priorities for answering e-mail and constructing my daily to-do list:
1. Anything that deals with the health and safety of the athletes
2. Meeting the deadlines for eligibility or state tournament entries
3. Any request from my principal (or whoever your supervisor is)
4. Anything else.
Beyond these four, I'll try to answer those e-mails that have been in the inbox longest. When prioritizing, I'll always ask myself, "What would happen if I can't get to it to tomorrow?" (Usually, nothing.)

I also offered the idea that we sometimes have to say, “No, I can't help at this time.” This is counter to everything we are about, but we can get so over-committed that one more thing will put us over the edge. Instead, I say, "Sorry, I can't help right now, but I would love to in the future when I have a little more time."

I also explained my system of binders, which are all labeled on the spine and sit on my bookshelf for easy use and reference:
• One for each season (with scheduling information)
• One for state and county directives
• One for the most common photocopied forms
• One for emergency procedures in case I am absent (such as while I was at the conference)
• One for directives to our custodial staff and grounds crew.

The Conference Luncheon and the Conference Banquet were both inspiring events. Outstanding athletic directors were honored and presented with NIAAA Distinguished Service Awards and NHFS Citations.
The video productions, the playing of the National anthem, and the precision of each program were … well, awesome.

Another feature, which I think was new this year, allowed athletic directors to earn college credit for their conference attendance. By attending eight conference functions, which could include the Conference Luncheon and Banquet, and writing a paper describing what took place in each function, you could earn college credit. Wow! What an unbelievable benefit!

Because of my crammed schedule--teaching a course, presenting a workshop, attending a committee meeting--I missed the two general sessions. During the Opening General Session, Dan Clark provided many words of wisdom and Rocky Blyer inspired the attendees by talking about his football career and military service. From what I heard, they were both outstanding.

Many athletic directors probably took the same path I did before departing home for the conference. I wrote out detailed game management instructions, provided emergency numbers to the coaches and administrators who were going to cover for me, and provided copies of all forms and notices that everyone would need.

One of our school administrators looked at my prepared materials and remarked, “Oh my, and you do all of this? I never knew.” Therefore, your conference attendance may also have a secondary, unintended benefit. Others in the building may understand what you do on a daily and weekly basis a little bit better. This in itself may make your conference attendance extremely worthwhile.

As it happens every year, by the end of the conference, I am totally re-energized and filled with hope. I leave with new ideas, add several new friends to my Rolodex, and am ready to tackle the rest of the year. We have the best job in the world and the conference reminds us of this fact.

I’m already looking forward to the 40th Conference in Dallas next December. Will you be there? I will--ready for my next dose of professional development, camaraderie, fun, and rejuvenation!

David Hoch, EdD, CMAA, is the Athletic Director at Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County, Md. He is past President of the Maryland State Athletic Directors’ Association and a frequent contributor to Athletic Management. He can be reached at: dhoch@bcps.org.

The following companies were among those that exhibited at the National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics: