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Inside the Athletic Directors Roundtable:
CASDA’s Athletic Directors Roundtable, led by Bob Stulmaker, CAA, is in the midst of its 12th year of convening Athletic Directors from across the region to discuss common challenges, share knowledge, and collaborate on emerging issues. In a recent conversation with CASDA Assistant Director of Research and Program Development Jerome Steele, Bob shared his thoughts about the group's origins and purpose, value to participants, and how the Roundtable keeps him engaged, learning, and evolving.
Jerome Steele: Can you describe the genesis of the Athletic Directors Roundtable?
Bob Stulmaker: When I first became an Athletic Director many years ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I was lucky. An experienced AD invited me to lunch with three of his colleagues and told me, “You will learn more listening to these guys talking about their issues than you could in any manual.” And he was right. I was able to learn a great deal just by listening and asking questions. Having access to experienced mentors was a tremendous opportunity for and helped me grow into my role as an Athletic Administrator. When I retired as the AD in Saratoga, I wanted to find a way to provide that kind of support to current Athletic Directors in a professional learning community. I knew how much valuable collaboration and mentorship was for me, and felt like this was a way to offer that to more people.
Steele: What are some of the common topics or challenges that the group discusses in the roundtable sessions?
Stulmaker: I try to make sure that the agenda for each session is participant-driven. At our first meeting of the school year, we spend most of our time identifying the urgent topics that are priorities for the group members. There are some topics that are always important. Supervising teachers and coaches, for instance. Dealing with booster clubs or parents who feel like their kid isn’t getting enough playing time, or does not like a coach. We have discussed things like creating or revising Athletic Codes of Conduct and of course all of the logistical issues like transportation and booking officials - the nuts and bolts that make sure the games can happen.
For some topics, I will find an outside expert to come in and speak with the group. This past year we brought in the CEO of Safe Sport Zone to give a presentation on safety and security at sporting events. We also had an attorney join to discuss the legal side of this issue. This gives participants access to experts in specific topics who provide specialized knowledge and answer questions that are directly relevant to the issues they are facing.
Steele: What are some of the new or evolving topics you have addressed over the past year?
Stulmaker: We had an Athletic Director who had instituted a trap shooting club at their school come and discuss the process of implementing that program. It was extremely popular with the students in the district and great for engagement. Of course, trap shooting comes with a lot of safety challenges and liability issues so they needed to follow a very detailed, transparent process to make it come together. The presenter was able to guide the group through this process - and now other districts have adopted this program.
Another notable guest was the Founder of the Challenger Athletic Program, which focuses on supporting students with physical and intellectual disabilities in athletics. This was a great presentation - they provided very practical, inclusive solutions to allow all students to be able to participate in sports. Every kid should have the chance to be part of a team or play a sport and this program works towards making that a reality. It was great to be able to share that with our participants.
Steele: What are some of the networking opportunities or other benefits that attendees get from participating?
Stulmaker: Access to the knowledge and experience of their peers. Even between sessions we will often have email threads about issues that pop up. People will share resources in these exchanges - documents like Codes of Conduct, or Job Descriptions for positions like a Faculty Manager or Athletic Trainer. Our group is very generous with their knowledge and connections. If they don’t know the answer to a question, we can usually find someone who does.
It is also good to just be able to talk with people facing the same issues that you are. Athletic Directors can often feel isolated, and there is much more to the job than just attending the games and smiling. People in the school community are passionate about sports and often get emotional about it - being able to talk to colleagues who know what it is like to navigate these situations is extremely important and valuable.
Steele: Now that we have talked about the value for participants, what do you personally get out of facilitating this group for all these years?
Stulmaker: For one thing, it keeps me engaged and current. Some of the issues they talk about are the same things I was dealing with when I first got on the job, and will probably always be there, but so much has changed over the years and it is great to stay in touch with the current state of practice. I definitely learn as much from the group as the participants as they do from me. But it is also an opportunity to share what I have experienced and pay it forward like my mentors did for me and hope that it helps Athletic Directors create inclusive programs that serve and support their kids and represent their schools in a positive way.
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