July 25, 2025 • 20 mins
In this episode, we talk to Dr. Mekia Troy, the Athletic Director at Creekside High School in Georgia. Dr. Troy has led some innovative intiatives and has led the Athletic Department to travel across the country to events. She is also a recent author!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Parker Resource Podcast was brought to you by our platinum sponsor,
SID Services.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Ads and Coaches.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Does the idea of a sports information department at your
school sound appealing? Sid Services was founded with one goal
in mind help athletic directors and coaches with their sports
information duties and responsibilities. Developed a full service agency, they
can help you with all things sports information. SID Services
will not graduate or lead for another school. Instead, they
will provide an ongoing and knowledgeable resource for the entire
(00:29):
athletic department. Their game plan will be based off your needs,
your wants, and your wishes. Your direction will lead their services.
For more information and schedule an initial consultation, contact them today.
Sid Services email is info at sidh services dot com.
That's info at sid services dot com and their website
(00:52):
is sid services dot com. Hey everybody, welcome back to
the Parker Resources Podcast. I am Michael Parker.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Have joined us.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Always by Chris Parker, but not ched flatt really as always,
but two weeks in a row for you. That's good
for me. Yeah, congratulations, it's almost like we record these
in the same day. I want more and that's called
a streak.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
That's called a streak. That's what famous Lou Brown said.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
In a nineteen eighty eight or so for those youngsters,
go look that up Lou Brown, Roger dorn Ja Man
major if you hadn't seen them missing out.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah, we're trying to bring you all kinds of knowledge here.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
So that's what I'm majorly great movie. So today we
have doctor mckea Troy, another person more educated than us.
Doctor mckid Troy is the athletic director at Creekside and
she's written a book, she's a she's an upcoming. This
(01:53):
is a star in the athletic director game. Michael, this
is an upcomer. You already passed me for sure. And
I want to talk to her and a little bit
about just in general what she's doing in athletic director path,
but also want to talk to her a little bit
about Creekside has taken on mantra really in girls basketball
and football, especially where they're they're going all over the country.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And play I don't play anybody.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Yeah, so they're going to California, Texas wherever, and and
you know that's I don't know, you do see that
from some teams, Like it's not shocking to see modern
day go play so and so in Texas, you know,
but Creeks has not traditionally been one of those teams,
so it seems like they're trying to get to that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I appreciate what they're trying to do.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Because one thing that people say, you know, what people
don't understand is how logistically hard that is.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, and how expensive it is.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So it's not as simple as I'm the ad at
my new school and I just want to we're gonna
not be scared of people, so we're gonna go play wherever. Well,
that's easy to say, you got to get especially with football,
I mean talking about hundreds of people getting them on
a plane.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That's totally different.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Like we can we could probably manage a charter bus
or something. I mean, we can barely get the ljating
back without cause having problems.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
So I don't know, I don't know, we'll.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
See a logistical night. Yeah, but I do respect the
people are doing it because it is much easier to
just say, you know what, we ain't doing that.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So I appreciate what her and the whole departments try
to do. I want to talk to a little bit
about that, and then you know, well talked.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
A little about her book. She does have a new
book out. She's on you know, a teachable moment. She
can talk a little bit about that. So excited to
talk to doctor Troy. I hope you like this one.
She's a good one. And we'll see you next time. Right,
all right, please be joined this time by doctor mckia
(03:43):
Troy the athlete director Creek Side and one and and
also a real There is one real author on here, okay,
and it's not me, So doctor Troy, thanks for joining me.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
So, doctor Troy Side doing a great job there. Tell
anybody listened, maybe a little bit about you and how
you got to this role as a director of athletes
Increakside for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I actually I'm a Creekside graduate. After graduating high school,
went off to Burry College in Rome, Georgia, played basketball
there and always had the passion to be a teacher
and a coach, and I just happened to be able
to have an opportunity to come back home to do that.
And over a few years of working and coaching, my
(04:32):
head coach from when I was in high school was
leaving to open the program at Langston Hughes when the
school opened and said, Hey, you want to be the
department chair or the athletic director. And I basically told
him neither one because I'd prefer.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
To just you know what I'm doing. But he encouraged
me and just said, hey, you can do it.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Think about it, and you know, I took a stab
at it, and you know, it's just been a great,
a great experience to be able to help the CA
community that I grew up in and to pour back
into those student athletes, those coaches, and just to represent
the tribe in a special way.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You guys have had some great success.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And it's come from some good athletes, obviously some good coaches,
but I've seen a lot of good organization there and
I know you are well respected in the States.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
While we wanted you.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
On here, and by the way, we had coach k
On from Barry last week, so Barry was well represented.
Now two weeks in a row for Barry. Beautiful place
in Rome, Georgia. If anybody not in Georgia listening, but
tell me a little bit about you as an athletic director.
What are some of the core principles that you guys
operate on in the Athletic Department. What are some things you've
(05:41):
seen that you know is really working well for you
that maybe help from other people.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
I really think that one you have to have, even
though you have this leadership title, you have to make
sure you're building relationships with the folks that you work with.
This shouldn't be a situation where you're just this manager
that's overseeing and looking and not really being a part
of what's going on. So I think the building relationships
with the coaches has been very instrumental in being able
(06:07):
to run an organization that works well together so that
the coaches see it and they feel like, you know,
there's a support. This is not you know, sitting on
some thrown and directing folks. You really got to get
in there with them so that they can, you know,
feel supported and be able to do the job well.
And I think that's something that we've taken on as
(06:28):
like I said, we are the tribe.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
That is literally our motto.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
It's plastered on the building, all social media hashtags, but
we really try to build this family environment so that
we can support each other in getting the job done
and to be able to do the best for our
student athletes. So That's one thing that I think has
been instrumental in what we've been able to do at Creekside.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Something I wanted to ask you about.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So I sat on the radio with Sam crinchyall every
Friday in the football season and we talk about football.
And course Creekside's got a great program. They can up
all the time. But early in the year, it seems
like the last several years, early in the year Creekside
has gone somewhere Texas, California, you know wherever, and played
and play somebody going and played Modern Day one year.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
And play some some unbelievable programs.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
And of course Sam wants to talk about Man, look
look at that modern Day Creekside, Like how cool is
that they're going to California?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And of course I say the right things.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
But I'm thinking, who in the hell is organizing this
trip to California.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
That is a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Like you know, when you've been to athletic director, all
you can think of is, man, we gotta get all
these I didn't even like taking them down the street
in a bus. It was hard.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
It was you gotta take all the physicals.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
We gotta make sure everybody's mom understands this and we've
gotta you know, so you like the philosophy behind, and
I think you guys do this a fuse.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I mean, I think in all sports, you guys have been.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Pretty open to push in your coaches to what they
want to do in other places. So I'm just talking
about football, but all sports, what's the philosophy behind, like
really branching out because when it costs money, it's a
lot of logistic but I think there's so much good
that comes out of that. Can you talk about that
for me because a lot of people listening to this
don't have experience with that, right.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I think one for our student athletes, it's an opportunity
to give them some exposure to other places, to travel
a bit. Some never even taken a plane before. To
be able to have that experience in high school because
you're a part of an athletic department, it's just been amazing.
I will see that, you know, just some foresight from
our head coaches from girls basketball and football as well,
(08:31):
both traveled here in recent years to just want to
be able to have that experience with the student athletes
and being willing to put in the work being willing
to you know, hit the ground running with some fundraising
to assist and getting in the community for donations to
help us along the way, and the parents really buying
into supporting that as well has been a big part
of it. It is a lot of work on the
(08:53):
front end, just the approvals, just from the district level
is a lot on the front end, just having to
work with your principal, your bookkeeper to be able to
you know, actually we close out the books a few
weeks ago, and having to go back through those receipts
and see all those plane tickets like this a lot
(09:14):
at one time, the deposits on the front end and
finished on the back end bags and figuring that out
and then being able to learn as we go some
things that we might have been challenges in getting to California,
we're better when we went to Texas or things that
could be easier for the next team that went out
of town to DC. Hey, this is what we learned
from traveling to California to Texas and now, you know,
(09:37):
do things a little bit, a little bit.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Easier as we work together to get it done.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
But yeah, it's been quite an experience for our students
to look forward to having an opportunity to potentially travel somewhere.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Win or lose, to just get the experience.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yeah, I really commend you for that.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I mean that, I love I've told you that before
and I'm telling you now and I mean it.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I'm not just saying on them. I feel like a.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Lot of people maybe steer away from that because of
the work. You know, and there is a lot of
negative that comes with and there's a lot of I
guess I don't know if liabilities to work, but there's
a lot of things that could go wrong, right, and
that scares people into giving.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Kids these opportunities.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
If that makes the I don't think, I know the
positives outweigh the negatives, but I do think that the
negatives and I think it's true in anything in life.
The negatives of things can scare people off even when the.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Positives with outweigh them, right.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And I think your basketball coach, your football coach, you
your principal, whoever is really should that or champion. I
really admire that because I think you do have a
lot of kids. You have a lot of kids in
your program that are going to play college sports.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
But theah most of them aren't.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Okay, So getting the opportunity to tell that when they're
our age, to talk about how they went to wherever
is a cool experience. And we don't know if they'll
ever get that experience ever again. Some of them may
do it every month, but some of them may never
do it again. So I do think that's something people
in the current day in time, where it is a
little easier to do that. It is something I would
like to see more people when they can take off it.
(11:05):
And traditionally, Creeks I was not a place that you know,
I'm not gonna name the other places, but there's these
places that you kind of expect to try to do that, right, you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Guys, weren't it first? Now it's commonplace. We're sitting there
talking about it, right, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
It Oh, absolutely absolutely so.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Now you know they expect to travel to go next
h actually this year Florida, Florida.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
That's a little closer, a little.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Bit closer, a little bit closer, but the Soto they'll
be coming to us from Texas. So that that's football
and then girls basketball. You know, we'll we'll see what
happens with that. But no, it's been great for them
to get the experience and to have the stories and
the memories from each trip from.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
The hotel to the UNO games.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
You look out in the hotel and there's the coaches
and the kids and lined up playing UNO, and I mean, yeah,
it is a really great experience for them to just
kind of relax a little bit, get to play, get
to see other states and see how their associations run
the sport, and just know there's differences from Georgia to
other places. But I mean, you can't beat it some
(12:16):
of them. You know, in some sports there's a lot
more travel. Of course in the summertime, so they might
be a little more accustomed to it, but everybody's not.
So to be a experience with your school teammates, which
is just a different type of experience, has been great.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, it really is. I'll get off that.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
I'm sure's many other things we can talk about, but
I just think that's a neat experience you guys have
offered you student athletes, and I commend you for that.
So as an athletic director, like I said, you've been
a respected athletic director. A lot of people want to
be the athletic or a lot of people want to
be the athletic director that don't know what the ethletor
has to do actually, so they want to be it
until they have to actually be it.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
So what advice do you have everybody listening to.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
This that wants to be the athletic director one day
they're not now, they like to be maybe wessia they
be doing now, and just what general advice do you
have for them?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Well, one thing, I'll say, it doesn't always work out
this way, but head coaching experience makes a huge difference,
and being able to know what it's like to be
just on the other side as an ear, as a support,
to know what it's like to deal with, you know,
when everybody's supporting you and then when they're not, to
(13:25):
deal with the parents in that way, to be able
to encourage a coach when they're having some challenges, it
helps to have gone through that yourself. So yeah, definitely
having some head coach experience is.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Even in a different sport.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
You know, if you're if you're an assistant basketball coach
right now, assistant football coaching like that, you know, go
help out some of the other sports and work your
way up to head coaching those as well.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
I think I think being a head coach is kind
of comparably difficult in what we learned as an ad
regardless of sport. Because regardless of I mean the difference
in the maybe sports that or have a lot more
eyes on them or attention. It's just in some of
the maybe pressure of the parent and some stuff. But
as far as dealing with parents, far as dealing with money,
as far as dealing with physicals and.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
The high school association or that's no different in golfing, football,
it's no.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Different in track and field and basketball, you know.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
So I agree.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
I think it is a good advice, like go learn
what the head coach does, Go learn about dealing with parents,
you know, or working with parents, working booster club, working
people like that. Yeah, what what do you think most
people struggle with when.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
They get a job as an ad? What's like a
common thing you see.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Or maybe you struggle with that you see that you
maybe didn't really realize you needed to know about.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
Yeah, I think for me it was trying to do
too much by myself, and a lot of times I
still might be a little guilty of that, just by
maybe but being able to delegate some authority and recognizing
just as I mentioned about having that head coach experience,
but maybe having assistant coaches around you that you learn
to delegate things to. AM is true as an athletic director,
(15:02):
whether you have an assistant AD or other coaches that
help support you to get the job done. It can't
be a one man job. There's just too much going on.
So definitely being able to delegate some things out and
still inspecting what you expect. Now you still got to
watch it, but being able to share some responsibility definitely
(15:22):
is something that I think newer ads should consider.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
What's one thing that you guys are done or you
found a work in, like the world of branding, marketing,
or getting kids to show up to the game. Like
I feel like that part is something even in the
years since now I'm at the central office and I'm
not the athletic director, that the expectation for that has
(15:47):
really grown in the last five to ten years. That
you as the AD are also you're always going to
organize the coaches, You're gonna support them, you're gonna help
with the money, you're gonna you know whatever, but now
it's also you need to help us build the student section.
You need to make it cool to be out here
at the game. You need to make it cool for
(16:07):
the social media or the hashtags or the branding. I
think you guys do a really good job at that.
By the way, It's why I'm asking you, so what,
what's maybe something you found works in that world, because
I think that's a challenge for some people.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Yeah, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Well, one thing I've done again going back to doing
too many things at one time, was you know, I
was responsible for the school store and the gear for
many many years. So I'm making sure that people are
having something to represent the brand out in public students, parents, families, whomever,
on a regular basis, so that they can be highlighted
when people go around and recognize the logo as us,
(16:44):
whether there's words or not, which is something that's big
to me. I want people to see that that feather
Sea logo and know that that is creeks out when
it comes across. I think building relationships again with those students,
the leaders in the building, those with influence and those
with titles, because you know, you got both to get
them to want to grab the kids that will follow
(17:05):
them to be a part of what's going on and
give them a little bit of wiggle room. Yes, we
have to monitor what's going on, but if they feel
like they can come out and have a good time,
they will. And if they can be featured on social
media and photos or have some you know, we've done
the big hats, big change. Just anything excited, especially if
they can have some images for their own social media.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
They're excited for those things.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
In turn, kids are a little more interested in that too. Now,
I did say it's harder on the ad, but I
do think what's better is kids in the building. I
say kids, but you know, students there they want to participate,
I feel like more than they did ten and twenty
years ago too, So you just got to get them
going right. The big hat, I like the big hat.
That's all big hat. So I'll get you out of
(17:52):
here on this one. You're you're an author. I did
mention that I tell anybody listening about your book and
like a bit about what it is, and then you
know how they can get it awesome and ask for this.
By the way, it's a shame, not a shameless plug.
This is my plug.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
I'm plugging it.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Thank you so much for doing that.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
The book is Teachable Moments, and it is all about
the experiences basically that I've had in athletics as a leader,
in recognizing the lessons that you learn leadership just by
being in this role, because there's so many, and you know,
I believe that the content is beneficial for eighties or
anyone else in leadership, just to know there is always
(18:32):
a teachable moment if you just take a look figure
out what that is. We can always learn each day
there's something we can learn from and apply to our lives,
whether it comes from the student athletes, the coaches, or
just experiences that we deal with day to day. So
it's all about teachable moments. Just some thoughts from my
experiences along the way, from the beginning days of again
(18:54):
doing too much, some of the celebrations, even some of
the tougher times we've experienced from track and things we
have to work through. But in each one I've been
able to learn and grow and this is an opportunity
for being able to share that with other people. So
thank you for that. It's Teachable Moments. You can find
that on Amazon. Doctor mcked troy Teachable Moments.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yep dtr mckid Troy, you remember that name. I appreciate
all you're doing.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
You're doing a great job, and I really mean that
this is gonna be a future star here, keep going
already a star, but gonna keep being one.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
So, uh, my time's almost over. Your time's just coming in.
So you're I really appreciate taking the time and talk
to me. I really do admire what you guys are doing.
I can help you out.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Every Let me know, thank you so much. I really
appreciate it. Thanks for sharing your plastform. Yeah, take care
of Thanks.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
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Speaker 2 (00:05):
Ads and Coaches.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Does the idea of a sports information department at your
school sound appealing? Sid Services was founded with one goal
in mind help athletic directors and coaches with their sports
information duties and responsibilities. Developed a full service agency, they
can help you with all things sports information. SID Services
will not graduate or lead for another school. Instead, they
will provide an ongoing and knowledgeable resource for the entire
(00:29):
athletic department. Their game plan will be based off your needs,
your wants, and your wishes. Your direction will lead their services.
For more information and schedule an initial consultation, contact them today.
Sid Services email is info at sidh services dot com.
That's info at sid services dot com and their website
(00:52):
is sid services dot com. Hey everybody, welcome back to
the Parker Resources Podcast. I am Michael Parker.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Have joined us.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Always by Chris Parker, but not ched flatt really as always,
but two weeks in a row for you. That's good
for me. Yeah, congratulations, it's almost like we record these
in the same day. I want more and that's called
a streak.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
That's called a streak. That's what famous Lou Brown said.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
In a nineteen eighty eight or so for those youngsters,
go look that up Lou Brown, Roger dorn Ja Man
major if you hadn't seen them missing out.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah, we're trying to bring you all kinds of knowledge here.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
So that's what I'm majorly great movie. So today we
have doctor mckea Troy, another person more educated than us.
Doctor mckid Troy is the athletic director at Creekside and
she's written a book, she's a she's an upcoming. This
(01:53):
is a star in the athletic director game. Michael, this
is an upcomer. You already passed me for sure. And
I want to talk to her and a little bit
about just in general what she's doing in athletic director path,
but also want to talk to her a little bit
about Creekside has taken on mantra really in girls basketball
and football, especially where they're they're going all over the country.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
And play I don't play anybody.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Yeah, so they're going to California, Texas wherever, and and
you know that's I don't know, you do see that
from some teams, Like it's not shocking to see modern
day go play so and so in Texas, you know,
but Creeks has not traditionally been one of those teams,
so it seems like they're trying to get to that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I appreciate what they're trying to do.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Because one thing that people say, you know, what people
don't understand is how logistically hard that is.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, and how expensive it is.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So it's not as simple as I'm the ad at
my new school and I just want to we're gonna
not be scared of people, so we're gonna go play wherever. Well,
that's easy to say, you got to get especially with football,
I mean talking about hundreds of people getting them on
a plane.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That's totally different.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Like we can we could probably manage a charter bus
or something. I mean, we can barely get the ljating
back without cause having problems.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
So I don't know, I don't know, we'll.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
See a logistical night. Yeah, but I do respect the
people are doing it because it is much easier to
just say, you know what, we ain't doing that.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So I appreciate what her and the whole departments try
to do. I want to talk to a little bit
about that, and then you know, well talked.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
A little about her book. She does have a new
book out. She's on you know, a teachable moment. She
can talk a little bit about that. So excited to
talk to doctor Troy. I hope you like this one.
She's a good one. And we'll see you next time. Right,
all right, please be joined this time by doctor mckia
(03:43):
Troy the athlete director Creek Side and one and and
also a real There is one real author on here, okay,
and it's not me, So doctor Troy, thanks for joining me.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
So, doctor Troy Side doing a great job there. Tell
anybody listened, maybe a little bit about you and how
you got to this role as a director of athletes
Increakside for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I actually I'm a Creekside graduate. After graduating high school,
went off to Burry College in Rome, Georgia, played basketball
there and always had the passion to be a teacher
and a coach, and I just happened to be able
to have an opportunity to come back home to do that.
And over a few years of working and coaching, my
(04:32):
head coach from when I was in high school was
leaving to open the program at Langston Hughes when the
school opened and said, Hey, you want to be the
department chair or the athletic director. And I basically told
him neither one because I'd prefer.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
To just you know what I'm doing. But he encouraged
me and just said, hey, you can do it.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Think about it, and you know, I took a stab
at it, and you know, it's just been a great,
a great experience to be able to help the CA
community that I grew up in and to pour back
into those student athletes, those coaches, and just to represent
the tribe in a special way.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You guys have had some great success.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
And it's come from some good athletes, obviously some good coaches,
but I've seen a lot of good organization there and
I know you are well respected in the States.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
While we wanted you.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
On here, and by the way, we had coach k
On from Barry last week, so Barry was well represented.
Now two weeks in a row for Barry. Beautiful place
in Rome, Georgia. If anybody not in Georgia listening, but
tell me a little bit about you as an athletic director.
What are some of the core principles that you guys
operate on in the Athletic Department. What are some things you've
(05:41):
seen that you know is really working well for you
that maybe help from other people.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
I really think that one you have to have, even
though you have this leadership title, you have to make
sure you're building relationships with the folks that you work with.
This shouldn't be a situation where you're just this manager
that's overseeing and looking and not really being a part
of what's going on. So I think the building relationships
with the coaches has been very instrumental in being able
(06:07):
to run an organization that works well together so that
the coaches see it and they feel like, you know,
there's a support. This is not you know, sitting on
some thrown and directing folks. You really got to get
in there with them so that they can, you know,
feel supported and be able to do the job well.
And I think that's something that we've taken on as
(06:28):
like I said, we are the tribe.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
That is literally our motto.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
It's plastered on the building, all social media hashtags, but
we really try to build this family environment so that
we can support each other in getting the job done
and to be able to do the best for our
student athletes. So That's one thing that I think has
been instrumental in what we've been able to do at Creekside.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Something I wanted to ask you about.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So I sat on the radio with Sam crinchyall every
Friday in the football season and we talk about football.
And course Creekside's got a great program. They can up
all the time. But early in the year, it seems
like the last several years, early in the year Creekside
has gone somewhere Texas, California, you know wherever, and played
and play somebody going and played Modern Day one year.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
And play some some unbelievable programs.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
And of course Sam wants to talk about Man, look
look at that modern Day Creekside, Like how cool is
that they're going to California?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And of course I say the right things.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
But I'm thinking, who in the hell is organizing this
trip to California.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
That is a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Like you know, when you've been to athletic director, all
you can think of is, man, we gotta get all
these I didn't even like taking them down the street
in a bus. It was hard.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
It was you gotta take all the physicals.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
We gotta make sure everybody's mom understands this and we've
gotta you know, so you like the philosophy behind, and
I think you guys do this a fuse.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I mean, I think in all sports, you guys have been.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Pretty open to push in your coaches to what they
want to do in other places. So I'm just talking
about football, but all sports, what's the philosophy behind, like
really branching out because when it costs money, it's a
lot of logistic but I think there's so much good
that comes out of that. Can you talk about that
for me because a lot of people listening to this
don't have experience with that, right.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I think one for our student athletes, it's an opportunity
to give them some exposure to other places, to travel
a bit. Some never even taken a plane before. To
be able to have that experience in high school because
you're a part of an athletic department, it's just been amazing.
I will see that, you know, just some foresight from
our head coaches from girls basketball and football as well,
(08:31):
both traveled here in recent years to just want to
be able to have that experience with the student athletes
and being willing to put in the work being willing
to you know, hit the ground running with some fundraising
to assist and getting in the community for donations to
help us along the way, and the parents really buying
into supporting that as well has been a big part
of it. It is a lot of work on the
(08:53):
front end, just the approvals, just from the district level
is a lot on the front end, just having to
work with your principal, your bookkeeper to be able to
you know, actually we close out the books a few
weeks ago, and having to go back through those receipts
and see all those plane tickets like this a lot
(09:14):
at one time, the deposits on the front end and
finished on the back end bags and figuring that out
and then being able to learn as we go some
things that we might have been challenges in getting to California,
we're better when we went to Texas or things that
could be easier for the next team that went out
of town to DC. Hey, this is what we learned
from traveling to California to Texas and now, you know,
(09:37):
do things a little bit, a little bit.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Easier as we work together to get it done.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
But yeah, it's been quite an experience for our students
to look forward to having an opportunity to potentially travel somewhere.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Win or lose, to just get the experience.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yeah, I really commend you for that.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I mean that, I love I've told you that before
and I'm telling you now and I mean it.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I'm not just saying on them. I feel like a.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Lot of people maybe steer away from that because of
the work. You know, and there is a lot of
negative that comes with and there's a lot of I
guess I don't know if liabilities to work, but there's
a lot of things that could go wrong, right, and
that scares people into giving.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Kids these opportunities.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
If that makes the I don't think, I know the
positives outweigh the negatives, but I do think that the
negatives and I think it's true in anything in life.
The negatives of things can scare people off even when the.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Positives with outweigh them, right.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And I think your basketball coach, your football coach, you
your principal, whoever is really should that or champion. I
really admire that because I think you do have a
lot of kids. You have a lot of kids in
your program that are going to play college sports.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
But theah most of them aren't.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Okay, So getting the opportunity to tell that when they're
our age, to talk about how they went to wherever
is a cool experience. And we don't know if they'll
ever get that experience ever again. Some of them may
do it every month, but some of them may never
do it again. So I do think that's something people
in the current day in time, where it is a
little easier to do that. It is something I would
like to see more people when they can take off it.
(11:05):
And traditionally, Creeks I was not a place that you know,
I'm not gonna name the other places, but there's these
places that you kind of expect to try to do that, right, you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Guys, weren't it first? Now it's commonplace. We're sitting there
talking about it, right, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
It Oh, absolutely absolutely so.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Now you know they expect to travel to go next
h actually this year Florida, Florida.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
That's a little closer, a little.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Bit closer, a little bit closer, but the Soto they'll
be coming to us from Texas. So that that's football
and then girls basketball. You know, we'll we'll see what
happens with that. But no, it's been great for them
to get the experience and to have the stories and
the memories from each trip from.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
The hotel to the UNO games.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
You look out in the hotel and there's the coaches
and the kids and lined up playing UNO, and I mean, yeah,
it is a really great experience for them to just
kind of relax a little bit, get to play, get
to see other states and see how their associations run
the sport, and just know there's differences from Georgia to
other places. But I mean, you can't beat it some
(12:16):
of them. You know, in some sports there's a lot
more travel. Of course in the summertime, so they might
be a little more accustomed to it, but everybody's not.
So to be a experience with your school teammates, which
is just a different type of experience, has been great.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, it really is. I'll get off that.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
I'm sure's many other things we can talk about, but
I just think that's a neat experience you guys have
offered you student athletes, and I commend you for that.
So as an athletic director, like I said, you've been
a respected athletic director. A lot of people want to
be the athletic or a lot of people want to
be the athletic director that don't know what the ethletor
has to do actually, so they want to be it
until they have to actually be it.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
So what advice do you have everybody listening to.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
This that wants to be the athletic director one day
they're not now, they like to be maybe wessia they
be doing now, and just what general advice do you
have for them?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Well, one thing, I'll say, it doesn't always work out
this way, but head coaching experience makes a huge difference,
and being able to know what it's like to be
just on the other side as an ear, as a support,
to know what it's like to deal with, you know,
when everybody's supporting you and then when they're not, to
(13:25):
deal with the parents in that way, to be able
to encourage a coach when they're having some challenges, it
helps to have gone through that yourself. So yeah, definitely
having some head coach experience is.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Even in a different sport.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
You know, if you're if you're an assistant basketball coach
right now, assistant football coaching like that, you know, go
help out some of the other sports and work your
way up to head coaching those as well.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
I think I think being a head coach is kind
of comparably difficult in what we learned as an ad
regardless of sport. Because regardless of I mean the difference
in the maybe sports that or have a lot more
eyes on them or attention. It's just in some of
the maybe pressure of the parent and some stuff. But
as far as dealing with parents, far as dealing with money,
as far as dealing with physicals and.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
The high school association or that's no different in golfing, football,
it's no.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Different in track and field and basketball, you know.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
So I agree.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
I think it is a good advice, like go learn
what the head coach does, Go learn about dealing with parents,
you know, or working with parents, working booster club, working
people like that. Yeah, what what do you think most
people struggle with when.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
They get a job as an ad? What's like a
common thing you see.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Or maybe you struggle with that you see that you
maybe didn't really realize you needed to know about.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
Yeah, I think for me it was trying to do
too much by myself, and a lot of times I
still might be a little guilty of that, just by
maybe but being able to delegate some authority and recognizing
just as I mentioned about having that head coach experience,
but maybe having assistant coaches around you that you learn
to delegate things to. AM is true as an athletic director,
(15:02):
whether you have an assistant AD or other coaches that
help support you to get the job done. It can't
be a one man job. There's just too much going on.
So definitely being able to delegate some things out and
still inspecting what you expect. Now you still got to
watch it, but being able to share some responsibility definitely
(15:22):
is something that I think newer ads should consider.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
What's one thing that you guys are done or you
found a work in, like the world of branding, marketing,
or getting kids to show up to the game. Like
I feel like that part is something even in the
years since now I'm at the central office and I'm
not the athletic director, that the expectation for that has
(15:47):
really grown in the last five to ten years. That
you as the AD are also you're always going to
organize the coaches, You're gonna support them, you're gonna help
with the money, you're gonna you know whatever, but now
it's also you need to help us build the student section.
You need to make it cool to be out here
at the game. You need to make it cool for
(16:07):
the social media or the hashtags or the branding. I
think you guys do a really good job at that.
By the way, It's why I'm asking you, so what,
what's maybe something you found works in that world, because
I think that's a challenge for some people.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Yeah, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Well, one thing I've done again going back to doing
too many things at one time, was you know, I
was responsible for the school store and the gear for
many many years. So I'm making sure that people are
having something to represent the brand out in public students, parents, families, whomever,
on a regular basis, so that they can be highlighted
when people go around and recognize the logo as us,
(16:44):
whether there's words or not, which is something that's big
to me. I want people to see that that feather
Sea logo and know that that is creeks out when
it comes across. I think building relationships again with those students,
the leaders in the building, those with influence and those
with titles, because you know, you got both to get
them to want to grab the kids that will follow
(17:05):
them to be a part of what's going on and
give them a little bit of wiggle room. Yes, we
have to monitor what's going on, but if they feel
like they can come out and have a good time,
they will. And if they can be featured on social
media and photos or have some you know, we've done
the big hats, big change. Just anything excited, especially if
they can have some images for their own social media.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
They're excited for those things.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
In turn, kids are a little more interested in that too. Now,
I did say it's harder on the ad, but I
do think what's better is kids in the building. I
say kids, but you know, students there they want to participate,
I feel like more than they did ten and twenty
years ago too, So you just got to get them
going right. The big hat, I like the big hat.
That's all big hat. So I'll get you out of
(17:52):
here on this one. You're you're an author. I did
mention that I tell anybody listening about your book and
like a bit about what it is, and then you
know how they can get it awesome and ask for this.
By the way, it's a shame, not a shameless plug.
This is my plug.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
I'm plugging it.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Thank you so much for doing that.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
The book is Teachable Moments, and it is all about
the experiences basically that I've had in athletics as a leader,
in recognizing the lessons that you learn leadership just by
being in this role, because there's so many, and you know,
I believe that the content is beneficial for eighties or
anyone else in leadership, just to know there is always
(18:32):
a teachable moment if you just take a look figure
out what that is. We can always learn each day
there's something we can learn from and apply to our lives,
whether it comes from the student athletes, the coaches, or
just experiences that we deal with day to day. So
it's all about teachable moments. Just some thoughts from my
experiences along the way, from the beginning days of again
(18:54):
doing too much, some of the celebrations, even some of
the tougher times we've experienced from track and things we
have to work through. But in each one I've been
able to learn and grow and this is an opportunity
for being able to share that with other people. So
thank you for that. It's Teachable Moments. You can find
that on Amazon. Doctor mcked troy Teachable Moments.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yep dtr mckid Troy, you remember that name. I appreciate
all you're doing.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
You're doing a great job, and I really mean that
this is gonna be a future star here, keep going
already a star, but gonna keep being one.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
So, uh, my time's almost over. Your time's just coming in.
So you're I really appreciate taking the time and talk
to me. I really do admire what you guys are doing.
I can help you out.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Every Let me know, thank you so much. I really
appreciate it. Thanks for sharing your plastform. Yeah, take care
of Thanks.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
The Parking Resource podcast brought to you by Coastal Sports Turf.
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Speaker 2 (19:57):
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(20:42):
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