If athletes are the actors, playing the sports we love, then the Athletic Director (AD) and assistant ADs are the stage directors, managing tasks behind-the-scenes to allow athletes to perform their best. However, many students are unaware of this work that makes each game possible.
“I didn’t really know what Mr. Whitlow’s job was and I didn’t even know we had an assistant athletic director,” said junior Margot Ashford. In reality, Richard Montgomery’s ADs are constantly in motion to ensure smooth operations. “I go through a litany of things, whether it be county athletics, communication, or questions from coaches, parents, or student athletes,” said RM’s AD Daniel Whitlow.
Whitlow became an athletic director after various positions in athletic programs and resource education, and saw the role as a natural progression of his career. “The next step of leadership for me was to lead an athletic program,” he said.
On the other hand, Tanya Lee, or as many call her, Coach Tanya, didn’t always expect to be where she is today. Lee became assistant Athletic Director in 2019, after working as the Head RM Cheerleading coach. “It’s [being an AD] just not something I ever thought I would ever do, especially because I never thought I would work with high schoolers,” said Lee. Lee was recently recognized with the monthly “MCPS Athletics Legend Award”, given to coaches or administrators who go above and beyond for their own program and contribute to the MCPS athletics.
While much of their work goes unseen, it is visible every time a season goes smoothly. Whitlow is responsible for much of the logistics, making game nights occur efficiently. “I check in with coaches to make sure that they have their scrimmage schedules set. I have to make sure we have officials for those, transportation for those,” said Whitlow. “And then we just talk about being in compliance and ready to coach.”
Although the ADs themselves do not aid in the creation of the countywide game schedules, their role is crucial for the event itself. “In preparation of games, we want to make sure our coverages are all set; depending on what sport and who’s playing. Depending on that, you might have admin, security or police officers,” Lee said.
Effective communication between coaches, athletes, and themselves is another undertaking of ADs. “Communication, trust, and building relationships, I think are the three aspects that are super important,” said Whitlow. Similarly, Lee agreed that the most important (and her favorite) role was the relationships she has built and maintained as assistant AD. “My favorite part of the job is just the connections with everyone: with students, with coaches, with other ADs, just everything,” Lee said.
Even if they often go unacknowledged, it is undeniable that our ADs have a profound impact on RM athletes and the community. “You’re making an impact every day, no matter what that impact is,” said Lee. “I’ve just really grown to love this job, and especially our RM community.”
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