Athletic/Recreation Director

Athletic Directing is simply directing the athletic programs of a high school, college, non-profit agency or business. The job not only requires knowledge of sports and coaching but it is also necessary to have an understanding of public relations, marketing and balancing the school or companies budget for athletic programs. My interest is in the collegiate aspect of Athletic Directing; I have a passion for working with young adults and helping mold their futures.

With the great variety of sports offered at high schools and colleges, it is important to have an effective athletic director providing leadership. This profile will look at the athletic director position at the high school and college level. Establishing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), conference, and university rules and regulations is also a major description of collegiate athletic directing. No matter which level, athletic directors oversee all aspects of an athletic program, including hiring coaches, scheduling, budget preparation, promotion, and facility management. If you are an organized person who thrives in a position of leadership--and enjoys sports, a career as an athletic director could prove a good fit. The athletic director will also supervise most junior high coaches whose program feeds the high school.

To work as an athletic director, you will likely need to have at least a bachelor's degree. Some employers may prefer that you have a master's degree. You may earn your degree in areas such as athletic administration or athletic management. Some employers may want you to even have teaching or coaching experience. It's usually required that you understand sports and have knowledge of the regulations for the sports you will manage. Leadership, management, organizational, and interpersonal communications are all skills that will benefit an individual to become an athletic director.

“The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expected postsecondary education administrators, a category which can include athletic directors, to experience growth of 19% from 2010-2020 (www.bls.gov). This increase is due to a large number of administrators who are expected to retire between 2010-2020, as well as an increased number of applicants. However, the demand for athletic directors may not be as high as 19% because this category includes all administrators, include admissions officers and academic deans. PayScale.com reported in March 2012 athletic directors in the 10th-90th percentile range earned a base salary of $26,633-$95,634. The total pay with bonuses was reported as $27,074-$94,125.”

Performs under general supervision. Determines own methods of performing assigned responsibilities within applicable policy, procedures, rules and regulations. Directly supervises the Associate Athletic