One Question Leadership Podcast

@1QLeadership Question: How can college athletics departments best support student-athletes in navigating the transition out of competitive sports, particularly in addressing the challenges of athlete identity and life after sports?   Caitlin Broadwell, Athletics Case Manager at Long Beach State, discusses the curriculum used in a class for senior student-athletes on campus. The semester long class focuses on values, developing community, find hobbies away from sports, and other foundation building aspects that help athletes feel better prepared for retiring from competition and the inevitable "Athlete Identity Syndrome" that comes with retirement.    Broadwell, on her way to becoming a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, developed the curriculum used in the semester-long class for senior student-athletes. She was a multi-school and multi-sport transfer, finishing her career as a beach volleyball player at LSU. With experience from playing, research, and practical knowledge, Broadwell brings passion and purpose to the mental health in athletics industry. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Are athlete injuries predictable? Henry Abbott, Founder of TrueHoop, discusses his new book "Ballistic" which follows the story of Dr. Marcus Elliott and the Peak Performance Project (P3). Abbott talks about how Dr. Elliott's research is being used by NBA athletes to prevent injury. Similar to the way biomarkers are used to inform of possible cardiac emergencies, P3 has developed a way to process data about body movement that can detect an impending athlete injury.  Abbott also goes into the importance of storytelling and its impact on the world of sports. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Is there a success blueprint for leadership in college athletics? Dr. Jacqui Schuman, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics at UMASS-Boston, asks Anthony Azama, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics at WashU, about his blueprint for success as a leader in college athletics. Azama describes his view on college athletics and its benefits to all involved.  Passion does not run on fumes the way purpose does College athletics teaches people how to respond to failure better than anybody else on a college campus Both Schuman and Azama were student-athletes at Vanderbilt before starting their respective journeys in college athletics administration. They reflect on their experiences and how they have shaped some of their current thoughts on leadership. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What goes into an effective graduate sport administration program? Dr. Patty Raube Keller, Sports Administration Graduate Program Director at Boston College, discusses how her background and experiences shaped her approach to building the sports administration program. After working in college athletics, she transitioned to academia to be more present for her daughter. Her doctoral focus was on the marginalization of women in college athletics. Raube Keller focuses on practical education as all classes in the program are taught by practitioners who work in sports. The program has a heavy emphasis on technical skills and soft skills as alumni work in all areas of sport. She also talks about the new graduate program in sports analytics. – One Question Leadership Podcst – Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Can work-life integration be a necessity when considering future employers? Yulander Wells, Jr. , Deputy Athletics Director for Finance, Operations, Revenue & Business Strategy at Notre Dame shares how family has been an integral part of his career in college athletics. He also covers how his business background informs his leadership style, especially given Notre Dame's non-traditional approach to athletics. Wells emphasizes the importance of integrating family into his professional life and modeling this approach for younger staff members.  – One Question Leadership Podcast – Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How do you integrate a leadership philosophy that emphasizes collaboration and informed decision-making within an athletics department? Dr. Jackie Shuman, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics and Recreation at UMass Boston, discussing her leadership philosophy and approach to decision-making within college athletics.  Gather as much insight as possible from stakeholders who have the most to gain or lose from a decision  Consider the timing and level of impact of decision Regularly reassess the department's organization, processes, and priorities  Conduct executive leadership retreats to evaluate progress, restructure meetings, and adapt to changes in the college athletics landscape Dr. Schuman emphasizes collaborative leadership, stakeholder engagement, and prioritizes safety when making decisions as a leader on campus. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Podcast: What happens when someone who always wanted to be in the background assumes the leadership position? This conversation initially took place on AthleticDirectorU.com. Deana Barnes, President at Paciolan, shares insight into her collective leadership strategy and how her longevity with the organization provides her with perspective. The conversation took place after Barnes had been in the position for roughly a year. She talks about vulnerability of leadership, and feeling better suited in the No. 2 position. She also talks about being a former point guard and how it translates in her leadership style. – One Question Leadership Podcast – Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Can someone who dropped out of high school excel in college athletics administration? Randale Richmond, VP and Director of Athletics at Kent State, and Dr. Ron Moses, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director at Old Dominion talk about culture, athlete identity, and leadership.  Ron Moses discusses his journey to college athletics, including dropping out of high school, enlisting in the military, and starting his career in football Randale Richmond discusses his decision to hire Ron Moses at ODU, emphasizing Moses' unique ability to cultivate and elevate the student-athlete experience Both Richmond and Moses discuss their involvement in programs that address the challenges athletes face when transitioning out of sports - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How does a Vice President of Student Affairs develop a philosophy on college athletics? Sarah Comstock, VP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at University of Puget Sound, discusses how she developed her philosophy on athletics after the department was recently reassigned to report to her. She talks about her input in creating a profile for hiring a new director of athletics. Comstock also gives insight into the importance of the position and how athletics fits into the mission of the university. Student-Athletes make up 33% of students on campus Rewriting Student Affairs strategic plan to include the student-athlete experience Comstock talks about studying other schools and figuring out what works best for Puget Sound in terms of leadership for the department. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown  

@1QLeadership Question: How much does an athletics director think about succession planning? Alex Ricker-Gilbert, Senior Vice President and Athletics Director at Jacksonville University, discusses hiring coaches and succession planning with Lamarr Pottinger, Director of Leadership Development with NCAA. Ricker-Gilbert has a process of identifying assistant coaches that could potentially be head coaches in the future and engaging with them regularly. He also talks about being aggressive with head coaches who show early signs of success, such as extending one Jacksonville head coach to a 10-year contract after his first year. "Will this person care more about our student-athletes as people than as athletes?" "Tell us why you want to be at our institution" "If you do a good job hiring, the rest of the leader's job is much easier." Ricker-Gilbert believes upward mobility at Jacksonville is the department's competitive advantage. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown