and is committed to prohibiting the recruitment of studentathletes at other member schools. I read that the NJSIAA is studying the placement of charter and choice school teams in postseason tournaments. What went into that decision and has there been any advancement of that idea? NJSIAA is reviewing its classifications to ensure its state tournaments are competitively balanced. A committee is soliciting feedback to help identify what policies may lead to unfair advantages that may disrupt a level playing field. Schools that have an opportunity to enroll students beyond a defined geographic area continue to be a concern as enrollment policies are changing across many types of schools. I am looking at models that other state associations have adopted to help address these concerns. The committee will continue to meet and discuss stakeholder feedback and I do think there will be some proposals on the table during the upcoming school year. What advice do you have for young athletic administrators entering the industry? Build positive relationships with your colleagues, communicate efficiently, identify mentors, and leverage their experiences and knowledge. Lastly, be sure to continue to remind yourself of who you serve - spend as much time as possible around your student-athletes, they will always make you smile. Many schools have noted a deterioration of conduct by spectators over the last few years. I read this topic came up a few times during NJSIAA executive committee meetings recently. What steps have been taken to ensure a safe and supportive environment for student-athletes, coaches, and officials? The increasing trend in unsportsmanlike behavior is one of my greatest concerns for the future of education-based athletics. I am especially concerned when unsportsmanlike behavior by spectators interferes with an interscholastic event - we have had instances when games were terminated early due to spectators or games being paused while spectators were cleared from the facility. The NJSIAA Executive Committee recently approved a proposal that requires every member school to adopt a Spectator Code of Conduct Policy during the upcoming school year - the policy must identify unsportsmanlike behavior and must list the consequences for unsportsmanlike behavior - which requires a suspension and educational component. Every member school has the autonomy to adopt their own policy but it must be in accordance with the minimum standards set by NJSIAA. Valuable Resources to Build a Better Team Looking for additional resources to help improve your student athletes? Visit the Coach & A.D. store and check out the latest playbooks, special reports, books and more. Search for books related to: * Coaching * Strength and Conditioning * Athletic Director * Sports related books * (baseball to wrestling and everything in-between) Visit CoachAD.com/Books today! COACHAD.COM 45http://www.CoachAD.com/Books http://www.COACHAD.COM