How to Answer: Your tennis team’s players and parents complain to you about being under-funded and having to pay for their own gear while the football team seems to be over-funded and receives special treatment. How do you handle this?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Athletic Director job interview.
33. Your tennis team’s players and parents complain to you about being under-funded and having to pay for their own gear while the football team seems to be over-funded and receives special treatment. How do you handle this?
What You Need to Know
This question tests your communication skills as well as your problem-solving skills. Share how you communicate and justify the tough decisions you have to make regarding the allocation of funds and resources. This is an opportunity to showcase how well you creatively solve problems, how resourceful you are, and how you reach a compromise with all of your athletic program's stakeholders.
Written by Kevin Downey on December 29th, 2022
Entry Level Example
"It would depend, of course, on the circumstance and whether I had all the information. I would first hear their concerns and empathize with how this has affected them. If I had the information required to answer them, I would break down the facts, dispel any misconceptions, and enhance communication. If I didn't, I would give them a timeframe by which I would look into and answer their concerns and follow up with them later."
Written by Kevin Downey on December 29th, 2022
Answer Example
"It isn't uncommon. Situations like this can happen in any job - someone forms a cursory judgment drawn from speculative assumptions. All that's required is to enhance communication, offer transparency, and then paint the full picture for them. You can invite them to help you come up with some creative solutions. For example, I once had two sets of parents from our track and field team complain that they thought we were allocating a greater portion of our budget to our football team. I explained that the attendance at the games and the resulting ticket sales funded the gear and travel expenses. Once they realized how it worked, I immediately engaged them to help with our fundraising efforts or get them involved in a booster club. Sadly, on that occasion, the parents didn't want to participate in helping their children, saying they were too busy, and instead pulled their kids from the team."
Written by Kevin Downey on December 29th, 2022
Experienced Example
"I try to circumvent this by holding a meeting involving all the parents at the beginning of the sports season. I make sure I am transparent from the start, communicating any budgetary constraints and offering the parents opportunities for involvement. In the presentation, we'll cover the basics of how to allocate additional resources, options for fundraising efforts, and the costs they will have to cover. We'll explain this is an investment in their children's future, and I'll cover my philosophy for athleticism and teamwork. After this, we'll open it up to questions and comments and allow the parents to voice their concerns and feel heard and validated. The loudest voices are often the ones we recruit in getting involved, and my coaches typically engage with them throughout the season."
Written by Kevin Downey on December 29th, 2022