I will die on this hill. I will argue till I’m blue in the face. I will produce the data.
Participation in youth sports/activities is as important as many of the classes my kids take at school. Maybe more important.
There’s been some negativity & shade thrown towards youth sports lately (some justified). However, this is STILL prevalent & very alive in more cases than not!
@ClayTravis Take the 9.1%….yes, inflation measured higher at that exact time. However, the degree to which it’s slowed has not been strong enough and has compounded. I don’t think you’re understanding that.
As a result groceries, fuel, insurance, clothing, necessities are all at highs.
@ClayTravis I love your content, I align with you on a lot.
The difference here: my everyday expenses & overall inflation has magnified the need for wages to keep up and I’m one of many feeling the pinch.
Take a step back and reflect on a middle/lower class income impact in this reality.
High school athletic directors.
Within five minutes, I can usually tell the great ones and the bums.
But regardless of where they fall on that spectrum, almost all of them have one thing in common:
They're overworked and their departments are severely understaffed.
Think about it.
Many high schools have 35-45 sports and activities under one department umbrella.
Most have multiple levels.
That's 2,000-3,000 students, 1,500-2,500 events a school year (not including summer, offseason training and don’t forget overtime and weather delays), countless (pain-in-the-ass) parents, coaches (some great, some young, stubborn and dumb), game officials (showing up late or asking about payment), transportation (bus drivers lost), trainers, facilities (how many ADs are working on fields during the spring?), weather reschedules, scheduling conflicts and community expectations.
And that’s just the start.
We're asking one full-time athletic director and one 40-hour administrative assistant to manage it all?
Oh that’s right, they get a stipend assistant AD to help half the time.
Here’s what is truly comical: Some ADs are even forced to teach classes on top of it.
That's not a joke. That's reality.
High school athletic departments aren't rec leagues.
They're million-dollar nonprofits. They're communications departments. They're marketing departments. They're event management companies. They're community engagement engines. They're often the most visible part of a school district 365 days a year.
Yet many are staffed like it's 1956.
As June begins and school leaders finally get a chance to catch their breath, school boards should be asking a simple question:
Are we investing in the people who make our athletic departments shine?
Instead of another flashy scoreboard or cosmetic project, what would happen if those dollars went toward staffing, communications, operations or student-athlete self-care support?
The mental exhaustion in education is real.
Athletic directors carry more of it than most people realize.
It's time we start treating high school athletic departments like the businesses they've become instead of the hobby departments many still think they are.
#MoreThanJUSTGames #IHSA
It’s Give to Lincoln Day - Let’s make it Give to Lincoln Lutheran Day - Help us get to $95,000! $100,000?!
https://t.co/o3U6Vul8tx
https://t.co/cGyHqneMxT
#WeAreWarriors@lincolnlutheran
What makes high school students happier and healthier?
Having the chance to learn and grow.
Having mentors pour into their lives.
Having a place to belong.
Encourage your student to participate in high school sports!
#PlayPerformCompeteTogether
https://t.co/Qsz93tjaoP
A buddy of mine snapped this picture while I was watching my son play baseball last night. Honestly, it probably captures something I didn’t even realize in the moment.
Like many parents, I sometimes get wrapped up in these games. I think part of it comes from knowing these moments won’t last forever.
Deep down, we know we’re living through moments we’ll someday miss more than we can explain.
These games become more than wins and losses. They become memories.
And while I know there’s still plenty of baseball left, I also know there will come a day when I’d give just about anything to sit in a folding chair one more time and watch my kids play ball again.
As a parent of a 10 year old who LOVES baseball and plays travel ball I can promise you this is selective reporting.
Yes there are certainly teams and parents who overdo it, but there are plenty of options that are affordable, fun, competitive and give your kids a great opportunity to learn different sports, team work, get outside, etc.
We have 4 other kids and honestly we enjoy weekends at the fields. The siblings all get to run around and play together, we’ve grown close family friendships, etc.
And what’s the alternative? Sitting inside playing video games? Wasting money on other stuff?
Families aren’t forced to spend a ton of $$. If they have the means and they chose to, good for them.
This is profound & fun to listen to. Coach is very wise & exemplifies his wisdom in how he has & will continue to grow, learn, & adapt as a leader. A must listen🎧
Good leaders don’t lead the same way all of the time.
Congrats to our team!
No matter the conditions, Lincoln Lutheran sophomore Atley Janecek was ready.
Rain, wind, clouds, sun — whatever the environment threw at her, she was going to be ready.
After a record setting Friday, she has a chance for three more medals Saturday.
https://t.co/U43MOstyaJ