If only you could go just one day without one of these issues, wouldn't life be grand?
Good news, we help ADs everywhere solve problems that plague the position. Our team, which includes 8 former ADs, helps pacify pain points with some advice learned from over 100 years in the field. Here is their advice:
(#6 is awesome!)
1. Ineligible Athletes
Eligibility issues arising from missing forms, failing grades, and disciplinary problems are always stressful. While you can't fix kids, you can fix processes. Documenting communication with students, parents, and coaches is time consuming.
Reclaim that time! Use software that automates paperwork, signatures, and eligibility reminders; looping everyone into a state of eligibility awareness.
With FinalForms, it boils down to a simple red/green status for you and your coaches.
2. Coach Accountability
Coaches handle a lot of responsibility on little pay (I know, I’m a coach), so why not make their lives easier too! If you're asking them to take attendance, communicate with parents, manage safety procedures, and keep certifications current... on top of winning the big game, they probably feel overworked.
Their time is best spent on people, not processes. FinalForms allows coaches to clear out their daily administrative duties in just a few minutes so they can focus on what matters most, the student-athletes.
3. Equipment Losses
According to the Chicago Tribune, football helmets start at $175.00 and end above $1,500.00. How many are you willing to let students pack up and proudly display in their dorm room next year? When you're accustomed to operating on gate receipts and reducing expenditures, reordering lost equipment can bust your budget.
Are your coaches managing equipment handout and intake? Give them an easy-to-use tool that keeps both you, the AD, and the parents in the loop, creating accountability for the athlete.
4. Rescheduling Events
Contacting the opposing schools as well as your facilities team is one thing, contacting parents is another. If mom shows up at the wrong time or the wrong place, you’re in trouble. You need an easy way to inform specific teams, such as JV Softball, that their game has been cancelled or moved.
We don’t have a simple solution for a rainout, natural disasters, or pandemic protocols. And we feel your pain, but you can simplify communication and use the renowned FinalForms email feature to connect with coaches, parents, and athletes any time.
5. Monitoring Social Media
This. Is. Tough. Tweeting about the accomplishments of your program is one thing; your students tweeting about their “accomplishments” on the weekends is another. And, we know, it gets ugly.
Here’s the best we can do, read our advice on writing a social media policy.
6. Neglecting Yourself
If you're not taking some time for yourself, you're not bringing your best self to work. Believe it or not, just a few minutes a day can be beneficial for your health and well-being. Whether it's exercise, meditation, or just some time alone, doing whatever it is that allows you to charge your battery makes a big difference in how you handle the day-to-day demands of your job.
Don’t believe us? The folks at Harvard gave us the idea.
7. Communicating About Controversies, with Parents
Have you ever said, "If I only had a record of that [fill-in-the-blank]"? We've all been there. A simple missing signature, misinterpreted email, or eligibility report often leads to more interactions and hours that you'd like to admit.
Communicating with coaches, parents, and athletes through FinalForms; and allowing your staff to do the same, puts everything in its place. FinalForms provides a time-stamped record of when forms were signed, when emails were sent, and who alerted whom about the problem. It sounds simple, and it is!
Are you ready to annihilate the annoyances?
A 30-minute demo can open your eyes to a world you've never known. A world where an application automates all of the processes that plague your day with minutia and your night with nerves. Remember, our product is driven by a team of former ADs and educators that totally understand the toughest challenges you face every day. Our technology improves your day-to-day processes to the point where you're actually able to create positive engagements with your teams, staff, and students.