You can bet your life that World Record Day on Oct. 13 at Northwestern State University's Turpin Stadium was a sight to behold. Almost 3,000 Demon fans set the Guinness World Record for "largest number of people wearing Groucho Marx glasses at the same time" during halftime of the school's home football game vs. Southeastern Louisiana University.
WARMUPS
This season, thanks to a donation from the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, athletes at 12 high schools in Portland, Ore., were treated to freshly refinished gymnasium floors.
Many high school athletic directors have encountered a male athlete who wants to play on a girls' team or a female athlete who wants to play on a boys' team. But what happens when a boy wants to play on a girls' team--as a girl? Or when a girl wants to compete on a boys' team as a boy?
In the Rule Book
Need help convincing your coaches that understanding the rules can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing? Look no further than the Kenwood (Tenn.) High School girls' basketball team.
Formed last May, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Academic Enhancement Group has until the end of the year to develop new ideas for improving graduation rates in the sport. Modeled after a similar body established for baseball two years ago, the group was directed to analyze academic performance trends, identify factors that negatively impact academic achievement, and suggest rules changes to boost players' graduation rates.
In an effort to cut costs, Atherton High School in Burton, Mich., has joined a small but growing number of school districts that have privatized their coaching staffs. However, it has also angered the teachers union in the process.
A study into the relationship between athletics and academic performance in NCAA Division III shows that male athletes generally rank lower in their class than their non-athlete counterparts. That's the initial finding of the College Sports Project after its first year of data collection.
Q&A
District of Columbia Public Schools
GAMEPLANS
Honoring the past and building for the future can co-exist in the brave new world of naming rights.
There are lots of ways to point your department in the right direction. This author advocates for a subtle approach.
FEATURE ARTICLES
Marketing
In less than three years, the University of Central Florida has increased its annual football ticket revenue by $4.5 million. Its secret? Taking a whole new approach to ticket sales.
Sportsmanship
In the fight to promote good sportsmanship, you need everyone to buy in--from athletes to coaches to referees. Then you need them to become role models for your fans.
Special Focus: Preventing MRSA
Protecting your athletic department from a MRSA outbreak is not difficult, but you need to know what steps should be taken at what times, and how to communicate the plan.
Building a great coaching staff means treating each hire with special care. This athletic director constructs a rubric to add consistency and clarity to the process.
Cover Story
More than ever before, there is pressure on athletic administrators to find out how serious steroid use is at the college and high school levels. Is more testing the answer?
DIRECTING ATHLETICS
Cover Story
Just over 20 years ago, Joel Maturi was a high school coach and athletic director. Now he is leading the University of Minnesota to a bright future.
DIRECTING ATHLETICS
Marketing & Promotions
Today's spectators want to do more than just watch the field of play. Improving the sights and sounds in your arena, along with offering fun diversions, are all a part of enhancing the fan experience.
DIRECTING ATHLETICS
Directing Athletics
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What are you doing to better communicate with student-athletes' parents?