Hangin With The AD Podcast

Welcome to season 6 of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. We kick off this season with a top tier AD in the country in Emily Barkley of Union High School or Tulsa Union in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Emily talks about the power of the team that surrounds any athletic leader and the role they play in the success of the overall department and the support they provide the leader in any building. She also speaks t...

We wrap up 2024 with a great conversation with retired athletic director Jean Ashen. The long-time athletic director at North Salinas High School in Salinas, California, Jean talks to us about the close friendships that are made in the athletic administrator community, leading through change, and being an impactful leader to those we serve daily. Let’s settle in and get to know Jean Ashen.

Today we sit down with the last piece of the Pure Athlete podcast in former athletic director and co-founder of Pure Athlete Brad Williams. We talk about marketing your program to your community and building your brand both inside and out with vison and hard work. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Brad Williams.

Brian Dodd sits down with us for the 5th instalment of his Top 10 Sports Leadership books list. Get ready to fill up your Amazon cart as Brain gives us some great ideas for our next book! CLICK HERE to visit Brian's website and see the full list.

Today we head out west again and sit down with Tol Gropp who serves as the Activities Director at Timberline High School in Boise, Idaho. We talked about the importance of increasing your capacity and learning from failure in order to be your best self and navigating the demands of being an athletic administrator today. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Tol Gropp.

Today we head to the great state of Louisiana and sit down with Mister Kirkwood who serves as the athletics director and head boys basketball coach at Holy Cross School in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Mister believes in training the next generation of leaders up while surrounding yourself with good people in the process. Let’s settle in and get to know Mister Kirkwood. 

Today we head back west to sit down with Xavier Antheaume who serves as the Director of Athletics and Title IX Compliance for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV. We talk about the power of communication, positivity, and the desire to find fulfillment in the job of athletic administration. Let’s settle in and get to know Xavier Antheaume

Today we head to Virginia and sit down with one of great veteran leaders of our profession in Dick Kemper, the retired former Executive Director of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association.  Dick spoke to us about the power of not only continuing your professional development by taking LTC courses through the NIAAA but also giving back by teaching courses as well. We also talk about t...

Today we head a few miles north and check in with Kelly Fish. Kelly is the Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives at Currey Ingram Academy in Brentwood, TN and served as the athletic director there for 11 years previously. A Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Award in 2023, Kelly grew up surrounded by athletics and educators who have impacted how she leads as we t...

Today it’s back to the college ranks for a conversation with a leader we have had on our short list for some time in Greg Byrne, who serves as the Director of Athletics at the University of Alabama. We talk about the importance of continual growth as a leader and learning from those on our team to ensure the overall department reaches it greatest potential. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Greg...

Today we stay close to home and head down to Milledgeville, Georgia and check-in with Wendell Staton who serves as the Director of Athletics for Georgia College and State University. This is a powerful conversation about keeping the first thing first as a leader and not getting lost in the job, which we all know if easy to do. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Wendell Staton.

Today we stay a little closer to home and head south to Lakeland Florida as we sit down with CMAA Dan Talbot who serves as the Senior Director of Athletics for the Polk County School System. We talk to Dan about a NIAAA course he has helped develop on managing tragedy within an athletic department. This is a heavy topic but one we need to lean into because, more likely than not, the skills learned...

Today we head north and meet with Dr. Troy Urdahl who serves as the Director of Athletics, Activities, Facilities, & Transportation at St. Anthony Village High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. We talk about how to get better each and every day and defining our leadership purpose as we guide those we serve. Let’s settle in and get to know Dr. Troy Urdahl.

Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to an AD who is not a stranger to success. Tim Selgo was at the helm at Grand Valley State University in one of the most successful runs of any university at any level. It’s our hope that you lean in today and learn from one of the best to ever do it. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Tim Selgo.

There is a saying that if you are the smartest person in the room…you need to find another room. Well, we found a much smarter room today as we sit down with Jennifer Baker who serves as the Associate Vice Provost and Director of Athletics & Recreation at Johns Hopkins University. A military veteran, Jennifer speaks to how her service has benefitted her in her role as well as other leadership...

Today we wrap up our back-to-back episodes with two of the three co-hosts of the Pure Athlete podcast as we sit down with former Major League Baseball standout and current broadcaster Jeff Francoeur. Jeff talks about the coaches who poured into him, and we dive deeper into the importance of both youth and interscholastic sports and the best ways to navigate them. Let’s settle in and get to know Je...

Today we sit down with Britt Lee, the co-founder of Pure Athlete, an organization and podcast that helps youth athletes maximize their potential for success in sports and in life. Their pillared approach focuses on vision, grit, skill, belief, and character and helps to also guide parents through the youth sports journey to find success both on and off the field. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr...

This week we have another installment of our Single Topic Series as we sit down with Kevin Petroski, Athletic Director at Athens Academy in Athens, Ga. to discuss his annual AD Workshop. This is a concept that we think can catch on across the country as athletic leaders look to find professional development close to home that gives them tools and information that they can immediately implement int...

Today we head north to sit down with Trish Witkin who serves as the director of athletics at Glastonbury High School in Glastonbury, Connecticut. A past president of the NIAAA, Trish let’s us behind the curtain of a successful career and we have no doubt you’ll be better after our conversation today. Let’s settle in and get to know Trish Witkin.

Today it’s off to the great state of Texas as we sit down with Kevin Goll who serves as the Senior Associate AD and Chief Strategy Officer for the Baylor Bears of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Kevin talks about his unique route to athletic leadership and the lessons he has learned along the way. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Kevin Goll.

Today we stay close to home and sit down with Kirk Call of Johns Creek High School in Johns Creek Georgia. Kirk is wrapping up his first year as an AD and you’ll find that he is wise beyond his years in the role as we talk about the transition from coach to AD and leadership in general. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Kirk Call.

Today we step out of the athletic world a bit and step in the president’s office…not necessarily the president’s office but we sit down with Dr. Kyle Marrero who serves as the president of Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. A leader who took an alternative route to the president’s chair, Dr. Marrero was more than generous with his time as he talked leadership and the importance of athl...

Today we head to Charlette, North Carolina and sit down with one of the country’s best leaders of in the field of mental performance in Jeremy Boone. Jeremy has worked with championship race car drivers, Olympic athletes, record-setting college football players, and Hall of Fame coaches and today he’s going to make you better. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Jeremy Boone. www.winningleader.com...

It’s back to the collegiate ranks today as we had the pleasure of sitting down with Auburn University Head Baseball Coach Butch Thompson. As he enters his ninth season at the helm of the program in 2024, Coach Thompson has established himself as one of the top recruiters in the country who will past the 300-win mark soon. He is a humble, purpose driven leader and we can’t wait for you to learn fro...

Today we stay closer to home and sit down with a great leader in Clay Smith who serves as the senior pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA. This is a powers house leadership conversation, and it is our hope that you dig in and get better today just like we did. Let’s settle in and get to know Mr. Clay Smith.