What’s an athletic director?

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An athletic director manages intercollegiate athletic programs and secures funding for the team. They work at universities, colleges, and high schools and oversee coaches and trainers. They cannot make team-related decisions and often have a business degree. They work an average of 40 hours a week and earn an average salary of $68,340.

An athletic director, also known as a director of training or athletic leader, is the person in charge of managing intercollegiate athletic programs. An athletic director usually works at a university, although colleges and even high schools may also employ one. Depending on the size of the institution, an athletic director may work directly with teams or oversee the work of other coaches and trainers.

When it comes to job responsibilities, an athletic director without direct power over the athletic program is basically a manager. He ensures that the coaches follow the institutional laws and comply with the regulations that govern the different competitions, but he cannot change the training method used by the official team coach. In these circumstances, a sporting director is also prohibited from making team-related decisions, including signing or firing players, imposing sanctions or rearranging training schedules.

In small institutions, an athletic director and a coach may be the same person, although this is sometimes seen as a conflict of interest. In larger schools, and especially colleges, an athletic director is an administrative position created to manage multiple coaches in all types of sports. Due to job requirements, an athletic director is more likely to have a business degree than a sports-related degree.

A vital part of an athletic director’s job is securing funding and materials for the team. This could mean something as simple as new uniforms or as complex as business recommendations. An athletic director also plans publicity, organizes schedules for games, and generally deals with athletic directors at other institutions to find the best possible arrangements for their teams.

An athletic director works an average of forty hours a week, not counting weekends, when she attends games to oversee the race and connect with other administrators. According to the US Department of Labor, an athletic director at a mid-level college earns an average salary of $68,340. Ivy universities or colleges with teams ranking high on the intercollegiate athletic table earn upwards of $100,000 a year.




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