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Push Pause

May 2, 2017

For the past 15 months, the Michigan High School Athletic Association has focused more of its precious resources of time and money on these four priorities:

  • Define and Defend Educational Athletics

  • Promote Participant Health and Safety

  • Serve and Support Junior High/Middle School Programs

  • Recruit and Retain Contest Officials

These topics were brought into focus by making time for the MHSAA staff and Representative Council to pause from the frenetic pace of everyday duties to talk about constituents’ current needs and to think about the next big things that are just down the road and perhaps around a metaphorical corner.

It is time to ignore the tyranny of the urgent, push “pause,” and engage the MHSAA staff and Representative Council once again in a time of research into and reflection about the current and near-future needs and wants of the constituents they serve. This discussion could lead anywhere, but these topics will get things started:

  • What’s next for kids that could/should involve us – e.g., Robotics? E-Games? Water Polo? Girls Field Hockey? Boys Volleyball? Girls Flag Football? Road Racing? Snowboarding? Weightlifting?

  • What’s our role with respect to special programming for students with cognitive or physical disabilities?

  • If given a windfall, how would we best spend $50,000? $250,000? $500,000?

Leadership Impressions- #2 (Plugging Holes)

June 12, 2018

Almost every issue that affects youth is an issue that parents, politicians or the public is asking schools – and especially school sports – to solve.

Already consumed with efforts to promote participant health and safety in terms of heads, heat and hearts, our association is asked also to concentrate on mental health issues.

Having already addressed risks of tobacco, alcohol and performance-enhancing drugs, our association is asked also to campaign against opioid addiction.

State high school associations do not have the luxury to hire as many experienced people as they need to focus expertly on every topic that associations are asked to address.

The effect of this “person-power” shortage is to force the association’s executive director to be a utility player – an employee who can operate competently at many different positions, bringing time and prestige to the cause du jour.

Even the most forward thinking leader must be prepared to roll up sleeves and plug these holes in the team’s roster. This requires, again, that other staff be trusted to administer their assigned tasks without commanding the leader’s ongoing attention.