If someone asked you to name the biggest problems in high school sports today, you'd probably have no trouble answering. Maybe you'd say parents who think athletic programs exist solely to benefit their child. Or coaches who put winning above all else. Or the lack of sportsmanship among today's student-athletes.

Imagine being an outstanding high school athlete in Smalltown, U.S.A., looking forward to playing college ball. But not one recruiter has ever visited your school.

The Mountain West Conference is partnering with CSTV to create the country's first regional sports network dedicated to one college athletic conference. Branded as "The mtn.," it will carry 36 MWC football games, 150 men's and women's basketball games, and another 100 contests in 2006-07, as well as coaches' shows, previews, and wrapup shows. CSTV will air selected MWC games as part of its national package, including 18 football games.

At many NCAA Division I institutions, the mantra for facilities projects is "bigger is better." But Stanford University has bucked conventional wisdom by rebuilding Stanford Stadium with a drastically reduced seating capacity—from 85,000 seats down to just 50,000. The main motivation was to increase season ticket sales, and the plan appears to be working.

It usually begins the same way: Area businesses receive phone calls asking them to buy ad space on a sports calendar to raise funds for a local high school team. Some merchants agree to participate, and ads are sold until all the spaces are filled and the calendar is printed. It sounds like a win-win situation for everyone, but there's one problem—the company selling the ads and making the calendars isn't always affiliated with the school or its athletic program, and almost none of the money benefits local sports.

High school football coaches in Connecticut who pile it on too much this fall could find themselves sitting one out. A new Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) rule says that if a team wins by more than 50 points, its coach is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct and will be suspended for the next game.

As the 2006 basketball season drew to a close, Kristi Yamaoka became the most famous cheerleader in America. It wasn't just that the Southern Illinois University sophomore fell 15 feet from a pyramid, landed on her head, and fractured a vertebra. It was that she never stopped cheering. Strapped to a stretcher, Yamaoka continued to perform her routine while the Salukis' fight song played her out of the gym and into an ambulance.

In 1974, Daniel Guerrero was playing second base and batting .343 for the UCLA Bruins. Three decades later, he is at the helm of the athletic program, which is looking to become the first in history to claim 100 NCAA team titles.

New NFHS rules on athlete weight control have put wrestling in the safety spotlight. Our expert reviews what is new.

In today's climate, it's critical to have faculty members supporting your athletic department. Often, all it takes is extending a hand.

Dr. Kevin Hatcher

Kevin Hatcher, EdD, is the Senior Associate Athletic Director for External and Internal Relations at Colgate University and a former Associate Athletic Director at the University of Texas-El Paso. He can be reached at: khatcher@mail.colgate.edu.

Between work, home, and personal life, today's athletic administrators often feel like they are being pulled in many directions at once. The profession may need a culture change, before it comes apart at the seams.

Dr. Bonnie Tiell, Dr. Marlene Dixon, Dr. Kristi Sweeney, Dr. Nancy Lough, Barbara Osborne, and Dr. Jennifer Bruening

Bonnie Tiell, DSM, is Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Tiffin University. Marlene Dixon, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Sport Management at the University of Texas. Kristi Sweeney, PhD, is Assistant Professor at Xavier University. Nancy Lough, EdD, is Associate Professor at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Barbara Osborne, JD, is Sports Administration Graduate Coordinator and Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina. Jennifer Bruening, PhD, is Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut.

Conducting effective coaching evaluations means knowing what you want to get out of the process. It also entails communicating and critiquing all season long.

Dan Cardone

Dan Cardone is Athletic Director at North Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a frequent contributor to Athletic Management. He can be reached at: cardoned@nhsd.k12.pa.us..

Have you ever thought about who owns your coaches' press conferences? With the expansion of the Internet, you need to.

Dennis Read

Dennis Read is Associate Editor at Athletic Management. He can be reached at: dr@MomentumMedia.com.

If you want taxpayers to vote ‘yes' on a facilities bond project, you'll need more than a good argument. You need to gather facts, know your history, and find a way to reach out to voters.

by Laura Smith

Laura Smith is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management. She can be reached at: lsmith@MomentumMedia.com.

From restoring a tattered reputation to bouncing back from a natural disaster, the new school year holds new challenges for many athletic directors.

by Greg Scholand

Greg Scholand is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management. He can be reached at: gs@momentummedia.com.