In July, the Fresno County (Calif.) Superior Court sent a strong message to athletic departments: If you allow a culture of gender discrimination and retaliate against those who complain, the price can be very steep. A jury awarded $5.8 million to former Fresno State University Head Women's Volleyball Coach Lindy Vivas, who sued the school under Title IX after her contract was not renewed in 2004.
New guidelines governing preseason high school practice schedules in New Jersey have left some football coaches steaming. The recommendations, which apply to all fall sports and have become rule in some conferences, come from the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association's (NJSIAA) Medical Advisory Committee.
After Hurricane Katrina shut down his high school, Bernard Griffith resurfaced as a player development coach with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Two years later, as New Orleans' Recovery School District re-opened another set of schools, Griffith is back home.
A story on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" in May thrust the issue of pregnancies among female college student-athletes into the spotlight. Featuring interviews with student-athletes who claimed, mostly anonymously, that they had terminated their pregnancies out of fear of losing their athletic scholarships, the program's producers pointed out that the majority of colleges nationwide lack written policies to protect pregnant student-athletes.
At Lake-Lehman High School in Pennsylvania, where teachers have been working under an expired contract since Aug. 2006, teacher-coaches took a new tack this summer in their negotiations with the school board. Frustrated by the labor impasse, they stopped doing all the "extras" local athletes had come to expect, such as holding summer sports camps, training sessions, and tournaments.
When an athlete breaks a code of conduct, who should decide the punishment? In more and more cases, athletic departments are forming a council to help with such decisions.
Is it okay for college athletic departments to accept advertising from a state lottery? Erskine Bowles, President of the University of North Carolina system, has decided the answer is no.
This summer, the University of Southern California football team introduced a Web site that takes a unique approach to connect with fans. The site, USCRipsIt.com, provides a behind-the-scenes look into the Trojans' program and is managed by a former team member.
Binghamton University
In retail, they say that location is everything. This athletic director found a perfect place to move his school store: online.
When a conflict arises between an athlete and a coach, your mediation skills are put to the test. The right approach is key.
Across the nation, high school athletics is taking on a higher profile. Athletic directors share their ideas on how to keep an educational mission in the forefront, while still taking advantage of new opportunities.
Fantastic? Too tough? A great motivator? Not respectful? Asking your student-athletes to evaluate their head coach can be a great addition to your annual coaching reviews
The latest research says that people attend women's basketball games because of the integrity of its players. In response, many schools are taking family-friendly to another level.
Whether you're building a $46 million football complex or a $19 million high school athletics building, making it environmentally friendly is becoming easier. Going green is also proving to be cost-effective in the long run.
When student-athletes go on a family vacation during their playing season, should you penalize them? More and more athletic programs are revising their policies in this area.