What Is an Athletic Director?
Athletic directors work inside educational institutions. It is usually the institution that determines the amount of experience and education you will need to have to be eligible for the position. Still, the job of an athletic director can extend beyond the average forty hour work week when it comes to sports events that are held in the evenings.
An athletic director deals with every part of a school’s athletic department. However, there are four primary job duties that come first – constantly trying to maintain competitive success, making certain that the school is compliant with all rules, being accountable of all finances, and ensuring the academic success of all student athletes.
An athletic director goes beyond the boundaries of just athletics and can find themselves trying to resolve issues outside of sports. Further job duties include scheduling, game preparation and management, organizing award ceremonies, and announcing events to the school and community.
How to Become an Athletic Director
If you are looking to become an athletic director you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in health, fitness or education and then work toward a master’s degree in athletic administration or in education with a concentration in management in intercollegiate athletics. There are universities that have master’s programs that are designed to prepare every student to take their talents to a university or college. These programs includes courses on organization structure -fundraising, PR, strategic planning and financial management.
A common career path for those looking to become an athletic director is to first be an athletic trainer with a bachelor’s degree. Another path current directors have taken is being past assistant principals, however this can require specific teaching certifications.
When it comes to the individual themselves, strong public speaking skills, a good knowledge of administrative athletics, and outstanding writing skills are a must when talking about becoming an athletic director.
Athletic Director Career Outlook & Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, high school and entry-level athletic directors will experience good job prospects. The candidates who aspire to work in a university or college are going to witness slower job growth.
An athletic director who moves into an entry-level position can project their annual salary to be around $25,000 whereas someone that has a master’s to go along with a strong amount of experience has the chance to bring in a much larger salary – between $50,000 and $60,000.
All of these numbers can heavily depend upon the size of the university, college, or lower level school you work in, the specific district you are located in and the amount of funds you have coming in from alumni. If you are fortunate enough to be in situation where you are on the grander side of this scale, becoming an athletic director a potentially valuable occupation to aspire to.
