Understanding the Career Paths and Experiences of Division I-A Athletic Directors

Understanding the Career Paths and Experiences of Division I-A Athletic Directors PDF Author: Harold Thomas Swift
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American athletic directors
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
The focus of this study was to understand the career paths and experiences of Division I-A Athletic Directors. There are only 120 of these coveted positions in the country. The limited research on how to obtain this position led to this investigation. This research examined the career paths of 10 Division I-A ADs male (five African American and five White) and their experience reaching their position. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used as the methodology. One-on-one phone interviews were conducted using open-ended interview questions that elicited information from each participant. The Social Cognitive Career Theory and Critical Race Theory were the theoretical frameworks used as the lens in the data analysis process. Data analysis produced three major themes and several sub themes, some of which were supported by previous research. As in other studies, the majority of the participants were former college student-athletes and coaches, and they also held graduate degrees. Some of the necessary skills and experiences to obtain an athletic director's position were business acumen, networking skills, and volunteering opportunities. Although participants agreed that the skills and experiences were important to acquire, some participants also acknowledged the importance of being "called" to the position. In addition, the data reveal several factors pertaining to the lifestyle of an athletic director. ADs work extended hours, have suportive families, and must have thick skin and a sense of humor to handle the negative criticism from fans and alumni. Moreover, an emergent theme for holding this position was having the "right fit" with the university and the athletic department. According to the participants in this study, race was not a factor in obtaining their current athletic director positions. According to the Social Cognitive Career Theory, all the participants demonstrated high self-efficacy based on their education, skills, and experiences they acquired in pursuing and obtaining their Division I-A Athletic Director positions. While none of the participants openly acknowledged the role of race in their careers, a few of the African American ADs shared specific stories about the impact of race as they pursued or considered accepting their positions.

Understanding the Career Paths and Experiences of Division I-A Athletic Directors

Understanding the Career Paths and Experiences of Division I-A Athletic Directors PDF Author: Harold Thomas Swift
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American athletic directors
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
The focus of this study was to understand the career paths and experiences of Division I-A Athletic Directors. There are only 120 of these coveted positions in the country. The limited research on how to obtain this position led to this investigation. This research examined the career paths of 10 Division I-A ADs male (five African American and five White) and their experience reaching their position. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used as the methodology. One-on-one phone interviews were conducted using open-ended interview questions that elicited information from each participant. The Social Cognitive Career Theory and Critical Race Theory were the theoretical frameworks used as the lens in the data analysis process. Data analysis produced three major themes and several sub themes, some of which were supported by previous research. As in other studies, the majority of the participants were former college student-athletes and coaches, and they also held graduate degrees. Some of the necessary skills and experiences to obtain an athletic director's position were business acumen, networking skills, and volunteering opportunities. Although participants agreed that the skills and experiences were important to acquire, some participants also acknowledged the importance of being "called" to the position. In addition, the data reveal several factors pertaining to the lifestyle of an athletic director. ADs work extended hours, have suportive families, and must have thick skin and a sense of humor to handle the negative criticism from fans and alumni. Moreover, an emergent theme for holding this position was having the "right fit" with the university and the athletic department. According to the participants in this study, race was not a factor in obtaining their current athletic director positions. According to the Social Cognitive Career Theory, all the participants demonstrated high self-efficacy based on their education, skills, and experiences they acquired in pursuing and obtaining their Division I-A Athletic Director positions. While none of the participants openly acknowledged the role of race in their careers, a few of the African American ADs shared specific stories about the impact of race as they pursued or considered accepting their positions.

Perceptions of Division I Athletic Director Career Paths

Perceptions of Division I Athletic Director Career Paths PDF Author: Eric A. Wood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Athletic directors
Languages : en
Pages : 182

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Book Description
There is increased information about the profile of current collegiate athletic directors as it relates to education, age, race, and gender. However, there is a gap in the knowledge of the career paths of the modern day Division I collegiate athletic director position compared to the athletic directors studied over 20 years ago. There is also a gap in the knowledge of the skills necessary to be an effective athletic director from the perspective of Division I athletic directors. The purpose of this study was to use the Perceptions of Division I Athletic Director Career Paths (PADCP) scale to determine their career paths. The goal was to not only understand the career paths of today's athletic directors but to compare the experiences with those from the 1994 foundational study conducted by Fitzgerald et al. (1994). This research is beneficial to aspiring and entry-level collegiate athletics administrators because the landscape of college athletics has changed significantly over the past 20 years. It is important for them to know the common experiences and required skill sets in order to navigate their path to the top.

NCAA Division I Athletic Directors

NCAA Division I Athletic Directors PDF Author: Glenn M Wong
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
College athletics, perhaps even more so than professional sports, engender a high degree of affinity and attachment. Boosters and alumni are willing to give millions to further the cause of their alma mater. Several schools welcome over one hundred thousand spectators from all over the country to a single home football game on autumn Saturdays. College football's 2014 (and last) Bowl Championship Series (“BCS”) National Championship game garnered some of the highest ratings in cable history. Every March economists estimate hundreds of millions of dollars in productivity is lost due to Madness. The position of Athletic Director is perhaps the most prestigious in all of college athletics. It is, in a sense, the general manager of a portfolio of sports teams that potentially represents the university in front of millions of spectators. However, the duties and responsibilities of an Athletic Director are very different from its professional counterpart. Instead of reporting to a team president or owner, the Athletic Director answers to the university president, chancellor, or board of directors (or governors). The teams do not belong to a professional sport league, but instead are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”). NCAA amateurism rules (for now) require that student-athletes are not paid, and therefore Athletic Directors primarily concern themselves with issues such as compliance, fundraising, and coaching contract decisions in lieu of salary caps, player contract negotiations, drafts and free agency. The purpose of this paper is to study how the constitution of Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (“FBS”) Athletic Directors has changed over the last twenty years. The revenues associated with college football and men's basketball have increased as those sports have become more popular. Given the rising stakes and increasing pressure to perform, many industry professionals believe that there is a conscience movement away from the traditional exercise of hiring ex-coaches as Athletic Directors toward a preference for individuals with a strong business background or previous Athletic Director experience. In support, many cite that the compensation package for top Athletic Directors has become commensurate with business executives who deal with tens or hundreds of millions in revenue. For example, Vanderbilt AD David Williams was the highest paid Athletic Director in 2013, earning over $3.2 million. In all, nine Athletic Directors that year posted earnings over $1 million. To study whether this hypothesized tendency toward business experience is accurate, and to identify other trends in the data, we gathered as much information as possible on the Athletic Directors of the 120 FBS institutions during the 1989-90, 1999-2000, and 2011-12 school years. The information was gathered using a variety of sources, including colleges and universities, news articles and media guides. The article is comprised of four sections. The first section describes the environment in which Athletic Directors operate in order to better understand their job responsibilities. In so doing, we attempt to briefly elucidate the operation of the NCAA and the athletic departments of universities. The second section explains the numerous duties of a college Athletic Director framed in the context of the difficult legal issues covering those duties. The third section examines the data we collected and analyzed, giving particular attention to collegiate playing and coaching experience, past Athletic Director experience, business background, education, age, and gender and race. This data is then compared among the three samples taken over the twenty year window. The final section, termed “Career Tracks,” draws conclusions on what paths recent Athletic Directors have taken to reach their positions.

A Descriptive Study of the Career Paths of NCAA Division 1-A and Division III Athletic Directors

A Descriptive Study of the Career Paths of NCAA Division 1-A and Division III Athletic Directors PDF Author: David Parry Witter
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 184

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Book Description


Perceptions and Perspectives of Black Athletic Directors at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Institutions

Perceptions and Perspectives of Black Athletic Directors at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 Institutions PDF Author: Troy L. Arthur
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American athletic directors
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The purpose of this qualitative research was to investigate the relationship among self-identified Black male National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic directors and their lived experiences of career attainment through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT). In addition to document analyses, this study used a phenomenological approach to answer two research questions. The first research question-referred to as "Factors Impacting Career" ("Factors")-asked what are personal, professional, social, and institutional factors that impact the individual career trajectories of Black male athletic directors? The second research question-referred to as "Strategies to Overcome Barriers" ("Strategies")-asked how do Black male athletic directors limit any actual or perceived barriers to their career development? Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to collect information from all (N = 12) of the FBS Black male athletic directors regarding their perspectives and perception of their credentials, and lived experiences. The results of the study revealed themes developed from the Gioia methodology. The finding of the study revealed three overarching dimensions that impacted the athletic directors' career trajectory. Allyship and nepotism were the two dimensions associated with "Factors" while networking with other minority leaders was the dimension associated with "Strategies". Pertaining to the "Factors" research question, the allyship dimension was supported by the emergent themes of mentorship and diverse network while the nepotism dimension was supported by the emergent themes of lack of privilege and cultural differences. Pertaining to the "Strategies" research question, the dimension of networking with other minority leaders was supported by the emergent themes of intrinsic motivation, gathering extensive experience, and being intentional about networking. Overall, the three overarching dimensions (i.e., allyship, nepotism, and networking with other minority leaders) and the seven emergent themes (i.e., diverse network, lack of privilege, mentorship, cultural differences, intrinsic motivation, gathering extensive experience, and being intentional about networking) advance the sport management field and CRT research by providing a deeper understanding of the perceptions and perspectives of some of the most powerful men in the sport industry who also happen to be Black. The study results may be used to understand the difference in opportunities in experience for Black athletic directors compared to white athletic directors. Implications reveal insights regarding Black athletic directors' challenges and limited opportunities-which confirm the hegemonic situation in sport leadership-and strategies for overcoming barriers.

The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports

The Comprehensive Guide to Careers in Sports PDF Author: Glenn M. Wong
Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Publishers
ISBN: 1449602037
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 609

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Book Description
"Provides an overview of what students should consider and expect from the varied career options available to them in the sports industry. This book answers the questions students are most likely to have, including what courses they should take, the areas of study available to them, the salary they can expect to earn after graduation, and how they can get the job of their dreams. This essential guide will help increase sutdents' likelihood of finding careers in the highly competitve sports industry."--

An Athletic Director’s Story and the Future of College Sports in America

An Athletic Director’s Story and the Future of College Sports in America PDF Author: Robert E. Mulcahy
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 1978802129
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
An Athletic Director's Story is the story of Robert Mulcahy's transforming decade as Rutgers University athletic director. His first-hand account describes the challenges awaiting him in 1998: To elevate the athletics program's assets - coaches and staffs, student athletes, facilities, and school pride - from hardly known to national prominence and achievement in NCAA Division I sports.

Professional Preparation of the NCAA Division L Athletic Director

Professional Preparation of the NCAA Division L Athletic Director PDF Author: Jeffrey Charles Spenard
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 99

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Book Description
The study collected occupational data from the 99 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I membership institutions head athletic directors. The purpose of this study was to identify common professional preparation and occupational characteristics among NCAA Division I athletic directors. Through issuing an electronic survey, the current study identified common characteristics and themes among Division I athletic directors specifically within the socio-demographical background, educational background, professional experience and career progression, and career and job satisfaction. The study also provided demographic information about the participant's institutional athletic department. The necessity of this study is not due directly to the current lack of current literature and research within the collegiate administration, rather in reference to literature examining the athletic administration occupational field. The study provides an occupational framework in regards to the career progression, training, and characteristics of NCAA Division I athletic director career field. The study's purpose was to examine the career growth of NCAA Division I athletic directors, as well as evaluate the demographic and socio-demographics characteristics of the NCAA Division I athletic director. The research and data collected from the study's participants provided the author the opportunity to create a profile of the athletic administration career field and more specifically, the detailed qualities sought in a NCAA Division I athletic director. The results from the study are beneficial to aspiring persons that wish to work in the field of collegiate athletics administration by correlating common occupational framework for educational requirements, professional experience and years necessary to gather the appropriate experience and also to identify an overview of the job and career satisfaction common among current NCAA Division I athletic directors. In doing so, the study utilized homosocial reproduction as its theoretical framework. The study's results concluded that the field of athletic administration, and specifically NCAA Division I athletic directors are disproportionally white males (89% white, 90% male), and further examined the educational and professional background characteristics and experiences which lead to this occupational characteristic.

The Educational Preparation and Career Paths of Intercollegiate Athletic Directors

The Educational Preparation and Career Paths of Intercollegiate Athletic Directors PDF Author: L. Christie Kight
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Athletic directors
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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Book Description
"Many hold the belief that sport administration shifted during the 1980s to more of a business orientation than before, requiring specific educational preparation. With little research being done in this area in the past decade, it is difficult for those wishing to pursue a career in athletic administration to determine the most applicable academic route. The purpose of this study was to examine the education background, athletic involvement, and work experience of college level athletic directors in order to validate or debunk the speculation found in the literature. A questionnaire using both short answer and open ended questions was sent out to 27 selected athletic directors in three western NCAA conferences. Information was collected on the athletic directors' backgrounds and their beliefs of important qualities and characteristics relevant to their position. The results of this study revealed that most athletic directors have a physical education background, participated or coached in sports, and have varied work histories. Overall athletic directors felt that leadership was the most important quality to possess for their position. Data between division levels was analyzed and there was no significant difference between the division levels"--Document.

The Managerial Roles of NCAA Division 1 Athletic Directors with Implications for Future Training

The Managerial Roles of NCAA Division 1 Athletic Directors with Implications for Future Training PDF Author: William Kerry Parker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : College sports
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description