Success in Action: How an MAA Graduate Manages Challengs in Sports Leadership
Heidi L. Wright is a graduate of OHIO’s Master of Science in Athletic Administration (MAA) program. She is now the activities and athletic director of Oxbow High School in Vermont and serves as the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) Activity Standards Committee athletic director representative. We asked her about her experience as a student in the master’s program and how the MAA curriculum helped her advance her career in sports leadership and management.
What is your academic and professional background, including any certifications you’ve earned?
Wright: I have a bachelor’s degree in human services and spent a decade working in corporate America before pursuing a career in sports leadership and management. My true passion has always been athletics. I began coaching youth sports in my community when my child was involved. The more I coached, the more I realized my love for the sports leadership and management field. This led me to coach at the middle and high school levels in my community. During this time, I envisioned myself as a high school athletic director, driven by the desire to impact the interscholastic athletic experience and student-athlete education.
Why did you choose the MAA at Ohio University?
Wright: My decision to pursue the MAA at Ohio University was strategic. I was seeking a program that would allow me to continue working at the school and coaching while I earned my MAA. The unique aspect of the MAA program at Ohio University that attracted me was its focus on practical application. I recognized the importance of education in becoming the most influential athletic director I could be, and the MAA program at Ohio University offered the perfect balance for me.
How did the MAA program help you along your academic and professional journeys?
Wright: One support system that helped me was having other people share how they do things and being able to borrow ideas from fellow athletic directors. As time progresses and you begin to know more people and work with them through the program, you gain a greater understanding of your cohort members who work in the sports leadership industry. The faculty is supportive by sharing their experiences and best practices to help further growth and development with a completely hands-on approach. I would not be the athletic director I am today had it not been for this program, the courses and the faculty.
The sports leadership and management skills I acquired from the MAA program are integral to my high school athletic director role. I practice these skills daily, from drafting a handbook for the school's athletic department to ensuring a well-managed budget for our growing athletic program. The program equipped me with practical skills for handling difficult situations, such as managing upset parents and addressing inappropriate behavior at athletic events, which are crucial in my role as an AD.
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What are some of your primary challenges as an athletic director? How does the knowledge gained during the MAA program help you address them?
Wright: Tough conversations are a daily occurrence when you are a high school athletic director. I have always tried to be fair and consistent. It's always complicated and challenging to see people upset by what you say, no matter how kind you try to be. I learned that you must have a solid athletic handbook to govern your department, be direct, and be ready to have these conversations at any time.
The MAA program prepared me to be ready and understand that handling one conversation is how you need to hold them all. As the AD, you must be on the same page with all administrative team members because people will seek out the answer they want rather than the answer you provided. I must be ready to review the handbook at meetings with anyone I meet with and be prepared to end a meeting when it is clear that it will not be a constructive conversation. These fundamental sports leadership elements help prepare me – and members of my admin team – to meet with parents and community members.
What makes your job rewarding, and what do you look forward to each season/year?
Wright: The moment I see the hard work of a student and a coach finally pay off. These moments don’t happen every day. If you're lucky, you see them once a season, but most of the time, the moments leading up to the successes refill my determination and desire to keep going as an athletic director.
You have to find the beauty in the small things: a beautiful blue sky on a baseball field, green grass, the crisp white lines of a soccer field or the cheer of athletes supporting a teammate! The more joy you find in the smallest moments, the more significant your happiness will be in this job, as it is a lifestyle that takes up most of your time. I look forward to these aspects of my job each season and year.
Describe a recent professional achievement or success, or share about a particular student or team that has made you proud to be an AD.
Wright: We have added a Varsity Unified Basketball program that combines players both with and without intellectual disabilities. It is by far my most rewarding experience. We have worked hard to align this program with all our varsity programs, from uniforms to bus trips, post-game meals, award nights and team bonding. Watching these student-athletes being cheered for and supported by all the spectators is how athletics should be. Having this program join our athletic teams has been one of the most rewarding decisions I have made as an AD.
If you're interested in pursuing your MAA degree at OHIO, reach out to discover more. Our online MAA program is accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) and features a partnership with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), so you receive the industry-focused education you need to enter the next phase of your career. Our five decades of experience in sports education and industry-connected faculty ensure you graduate ready to make an impact as an athletic director in any K–12 institution.
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