Welcome to the profession of Athletic Administration. The FIAAA has put together a mentoring and networking program for you to take advantage of this opportunity. Your job is demanding and time consuming and the FIAAA is here to help you navigate your daily and seasonal responsibilities. You can be matched up with a veteran A.D. in your area to help guide you, bounce questions off of him/her, or get clarifications on policies and bylaws of your district as well as the FHSAA. If you would like to take advantage of this part of the program, contact me, Dan Talbot, CMAA at dan.talbot@polk-fl.net. I will contact your FIAAA District Director, and he/she will put you in contact with a veteran A.D. to assist you in your questions or concerns.
Other resources that you may find helpful.
WWW.NIAAA.ORG (National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association) This site will give you information on professional development such as Leadership Training Institute classes, certification, publications, and annual conference Information. I would strongly suggest you join the NIAAA, your national professional organization as well as attending the national conference. This year it will be held in Denver Co. in December.
WWW.NFHS.ORG (National Federation of High Schools) At this site, you will find information and rule books for specific sports, publications, court and field diagrams, High School Today magazine, and publications.
WWW.NFHSLEARN.COM (National Federation of High Schools Learn) You may be familiar with this site as it covers courses, some required for coaches and students. It also offers courses for administrators, parents, and officials. These courses can be very beneficial to certain groups.
WWW.FHSAA.COM (Florida High School Athletic Association) I’m sure you know this site! Pay particular attention to the calendar, due dates, and sport specific dates. It will help in your planning. Also, you will find the contacts of the staff at the FHSAA. Do not hesitate to call them. They are available to you and are there to help.
3RD PARTY PODCASTS There are several podcasts to assist you in your endeavors. The Insider is sponsored by the national association as well as The Educational AD which will feature The Mentoring Minute starting in September.
WWW.FIAAA.NET (Florida Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association) This site contains information specific to the Florida Athletic Directors. If you are a member of the FHSAA, you are automatically a member of the FIAAA (Florida Athletic Administrators Association). Your dues have been paid. This site will provide you with a roster of FIAAA district directors, a list of quality vendors that will treat you right, award applications for student-athletes, Athletic Administrators and community members who give outstanding support. You will also find information on leadership training. The FIAAA provides a “traveling faculty” that will come to your district.
FIAAA CONFERENCE The flagship of the FIAAA is the annual conference. It is held in the beginning of May and is filled with courses, workshops, vendors, networking and fun. Be sure to attend as this will also fulfill your requirement for the FHSAA compliance seminar. Look for information after the 1st of the year.
A.D. PLAYBOOK The A.D. Playbook is a newsletter that comes out 4 times a year. Sept., Dec., March, and May. Look for it in your email. It is filled with great articles of relevance to your profession along with a toolbox full of ideas and reminders. You can locate it on the FIAAA site under resources starting in 2021. You should already be on the mailing list if you are a member of the FHSAA.
WWW.FLORIDACOACHES.ORG (FLORIDA ATHLETIC COACHES ASSOCIATION) Florida Athletic Coaches Association is comprised of 6,000 member coaches, both, middle & high school, in the state of Florida. Memberships are available as a whole school membership and an individual membership. Each member receives $2 million liability insurance coverage for the court or field, the classroom, and camps. The Florida Athletic Coaches Association sponsors nine High School Senior All-Star Classics in eight sports, conducts four outstanding coaching clinics each year and recognizes coaches through their awards program for their exemplary efforts supporting the youth of this state. There are also two scholarships available to student athletes of FACA member coaches.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or any member of the FIAAA with any questions you may have. We are here to assist you in being successful in your position.
Yours in Athletics,
Dan Talbot CMAA
dan.talbot@polk-fl.net