September/October 2020 - 52

40 UNDER 40 pe rspe ctive s
40 UNDER 40
PERSPECTIVE
New AD's Will Win Over Coaches Through
Work Ethic
By Dr. John Taylor, Athletic Director at Irvington Public Schools - Irvington, NJ
" You're the sixth athletic director
we've had in eight years. "
" People just use this job as a
launching pad to more desirable jobs. "
" You're the hardest working person
in the district; you won't last. "
I will always argue that Irvington
Public Schools, in New Jersey, has the
greatest collection of coaching talent
a school could hope to assemble. If I
were a student-athlete, I would want
to participate in athletics at Irvington.
Yes, the coaches know their X's and
O's. Yes, they know how to prepare
game plans and create situations at
practice to mirror game conditions.
But more importantly, the coaches at
Irvington Public Schools demonstrate
care, compassion, and generosity when
it comes to their student-athletes.
If a student doesn't have the money
for the proper footwear, the coaches
take care of it. If a student is hungry
after practice, and their parents are
working, the coaches always put a
few dollars in their hand. If a student
needs help with ensuring their clothes
are cleaned, the coaches often do the
student's laundry.
The coaches at Irvington Public
Schools are wonderful, caring
individuals who are committed to
the welfare of each student-athlete,
and rarely save a dime they receive as
part of their coaching stipend. They
often spend every penny on helping
meet the needs of those on their team.
The student-athletes may think
their coaches are wealthy, but this
is not the case. Irvington coaches go
into their own pockets to help their
students without seeking recognition
or additional financial compensation.
For these reasons, I consider myself
lucky to work with these individuals
each day.
But I also know my coaches haven't
always considered themselves lucky
when it came to their athletic directors.
The turnover rate for the athletic
director position in Irvington was
high when I took over in July of 2017.
From 2009 to 2017, six individuals
filled this role. My predecessors left
for differing reasons. Whether it was
to take a vice-principal position in the
district, become an athletic director
at their hometown school, accept an
opportunity to work in professional
sports, or just retire - regardless of
the reason, there was no stability in
the position.
So when I took over in 2017, the
feedback I often received was cordial
and congratulatory, but I was also
met with the, " how long are you
going to stay here " question from the
coaching staff.
Of course, I was thinking, " Wow,
day one and I'm already being asked
how long do I plan to stay, " but I also
felt this was a fair thought for the
coaches to have.
After all, it takes time for coaches
to build relationships with their
athletic director. It also takes
time for a new athletic director
to fully understand the needs of
each program. When new athletic
directors came in, this process
started all over again. I can only
imagine how frustrating that became
to the coaches.
So I understood right away
I needed to prove myself to the
coaching staff, and I was committed
to helping them run their programs
52 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
September/October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2020
