Talkin' with the AD

Coach Morgan Sullivan, CAA, RMSAA, CIC, NFHS Level 3 Coach, NFHS Level 3 MS Coach
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Sports

Talkin' with the AD dives into the complexities of America's amateur sports scene, from high school to club, travel, AAU, and recreational leagues. Hosted by an experienced coach and Athletic Director, this podcast delivers insider insights, expert interviews, and the latest trends shaping the future of sports at every level. 

  1. 2d ago

    23 - Lance Smith, CMAA - Is It Burnout or Just a Grind? An AD’s Advice for Sports Parents

    Send us Fan Mail Host Morgan Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author, sits down with Lance Smith, CMAA, Activities Director at Millard West High School in Omaha, Nebraska, to talk about student athlete leadership programs, college recruiting myths, and youth sports burnout. In this episode Coach Sullivan and Lance dig into how Lance turned his student athlete leadership academy into a CMAA capstone project, what college recruiters really ask an AD about your athlete, how parents can tell burnout from a normal grind, and what families need to know before the jump from middle school to high school sports. In this episode: Why every AD should chase the evidence base that NIAAA courses provideHow a student leadership group solves team problems before they reach the coachWhy “Division I or bust” sets families up for disappointmentThe responsibility shift high school coaches expect from athletes, not parentsMailbag: an eighth grade baseball player who used to love practiceThree pages from Lance’s AD playbook: systems, strategy, and selling your programConnect with Lance: mwhswildcats.com · Instagram & TikTok @MWHSWildcats · X @MWHSActivities Talkin’ with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes, built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership. LEAD · TEACH · GROW Website: betteryouthcoaching.com · Subscribe · Mailbag: betteryouthcoaching.com, “Ask the AD” · Rate & review · Books: Coach on Leadership, MS Education Based Athletics, Before the First Snap Recorded on Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac #TalkinWithTheAD · #Sports · #Athletics · #AthleticDirector · #CoachonLeadership · #AthleteWellBeing Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  2. 3d ago

    21 - Steve Stokes - Building a Winning Athletic Culture from Scratch

    Send us Fan Mail Host Morgan Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author, sits down with Steve Stokes, Director of Athletics and School Administrator at Brave Christian in Dublin, California, to talk about building a winning athletic culture and turning around struggling high school sports programs. In this episode Coach Sullivan and Steve dig into how he rebuilt team after team as a coach, how Brave Christian won three league championships in his first year as AD, and the pages from his AD playbook that any athletic director can put to work right away.  Steve took his first high school coaching job at 18, leading a JV team that hadn't won a game in five years, and won a league title by year two. Over a 17-year coaching career he won six league championships, reached two CIF championship games, and was named coach of the year seven times. Now in his 15th year as an athletic director, he shares:  - How to rebuild a program that has gotten used to losing (this week's mailbag)  - Why culture and expectations come before wins and losses  - Why what worked at your last school won't automatically work at your next one  - Asking questions before you act in your first months as a new AD  - Why every sport on campus matters, from cross country to golf  - How a strong middle school experience builds your high school programs - Delegating as your department grows  - Listening to parents so conflict turns into trust  Want to connect with Steve?  Email sstokes@bravechristian.org.  Talkin' with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes, built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work.  Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership.  LEAD · TEACH · GROW  Website: betteryouthcoaching.com  Subscribe so you never miss an episode.  Got a question for the mailbag? Go to betteryouthcoaching.com and click "Ask the AD."  Rate & review the show. It helps other ADs and coaches find us.  Books by Morgan J. Sullivan:  Coach on Leadership  MS Education Based Athletics  Before the First Snap  Record your own podcast with Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac   #TalkinWithTheAD #Sports #Athletics #AthleticDirector #CoachonLeadership #PositiveCulture  Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  3. 3d ago

    22 - Chad Wabrek - An AD’s Guide to Club Conflicts and Parent Meetings

    Send us Fan Mail Host Morgan Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author, sits down with Chad Wabrek, Upper School Athletic Director at Visitation Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, to talk about club sports conflicts, handling parent concerns, and running game day like a real operation. In this episode Coach Sullivan and Chad dig into how school and club coaches can stop being adversaries, how to turn a tense parent meeting into a productive one, and the pages from Chad's AD playbook that any athletic director can use this season. Chad brings 26 years in education and 15+ years leading school athletics, with stops as a teacher, coach, dean, and department chair before becoming an AD. He calls himself an educated athletic administrator, not a trained one, and it shows. In this episode: - Partnership, presence, and patience: three lessons from the classroom and the dean's office - Why club and school sports clash, and how to use that tension to make your program better - What to do when a club schedule competes with yours and the club coach won't budge - What happens for the athlete when school and club coaches actually work together - Why a two-page set of standards beats a thick handbook - Treating every game as an event, from middle school basketball to homecoming football - His three-step approach to parent concerns, including "call me first" - How to de-escalate a parent meeting, plus the 24-hour follow-up email template - Building a brand, starting with low-hanging fruit, and listening to your detractors Want to connect with Chad? His contact info is on the Visitation Academy website. Talkin' with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes, built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership. LEAD · TEACH · GROW Website: betteryouthcoaching.com Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Got a question for the mailbag? Go to betteryouthcoaching.com and click "Ask the AD." Rate & review the show. It helps other ADs and coaches find us. Books by Morgan J. Sullivan: Coach on Leadership · MS Education Based Athletics · Before the First Snap Record your own podcast with Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac #TalkinWithTheAD #Sports #Athletics #AthleticDirector #CoachonLeadership #ADLogistics Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  4. Oct 13

    20 - Tara Rose, CAA - Coaching Female Athletes, Student Leadership & Culture

    Send us Fan Mail Host Morgan Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author, sits down with Tara Rose, CAA, Athletic Director at St. Croix Falls in Wisconsin, President-Elect of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association (WADA), and state LTI instructor, to talk about building student leadership and a culture of sportsmanship in education-based athletics. In this episode Coach Sullivan and Tara dig into how her conference built an interactive leadership and sportsmanship summit for student-athletes, how she runs a student athlete leadership team (SALT) at her school, and what every coach needs to know about coaching female athletes. Listeners walk away with a simple, usable definition of leadership: lead self, support others, inspire positive change. Tara also shares why she believes in multi-sport athletes, how NIAAA certification and LTI courses have shaped her as an AD, what it’s been like going for her CMAA, and why representation for girls in athletic leadership matters, especially in small rural schools. She closes with pages from her AD playbook: build efficient systems so you have time for what matters most, which is leadership and culture. In this episode: From three-sport athlete and college softball pitcher to athletic directorWhy multi-sport athletes are more adaptable, resilient, and less injury-proneThe value of CAA certification and becoming an LTI instructorInside the Heart of the North Conference Leadership & Sportsmanship SummitRunning a student athlete leadership team (SALT) during advisory timeCoaching female athletes: confidence, connection, and knowing your kidsThe Performance Pathway: leadership drives culture, culture drives behavior, behavior drives resultsResources mentioned: CoachingHer: coachingher.comThe Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of MinnesotaWisconsin W SportsConnect with Tara: TikTok: @tara.rose26Talkin’ with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes – built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan – athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership. LEAD · TEACH · GROW 🌐 Website: betteryouthcoaching.com  🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode  📬 Mailbag: Have a question for the show? Go to betteryouthcoaching.com and click “Ask the AD”  ⭐ Rate & review: it helps other ADs, coaches, and parents find the show  📚 Books: Coach on Leadership · MS Education Based Athletics · Before the First Snap 🎙️ We record on Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac #TalkinWithTheAD · #Sports · #Athletics · #AthleticDirector · #CoachonLeadership · #Sportsmanship Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  5. Oct 5

    19 - Paris McCarthy, RAA: How to Become an Athletic Director After Years of "No"

    Send us Fan Mail Paris McCarthy interviewed for athletic director jobs six or seven summers in a row and heard "no" every single time. Today she leads athletics at Eastpointe Community Schools in Michigan, and in this episode she shares how every one of those losses prepared her for the chair. If you're a coach working toward becoming an athletic director, a woman building a career in athletic administration, or an AD looking for practical game day ideas, this conversation is for you. Paris takes us from two torn ACLs in high school to a full scholarship at Grambling State, a biology degree she saw through to the end, and a winding road into education-based athletics. She talks about running a small middle school program like a high school (including selling snacks from her classroom to cover officials' fees and zip-tying a torn soccer net back together by hand before a game), building an unbeaten league culture as head girls basketball coach at her alma mater, Romulus, and what it means to show up as a female athletic director when so few young women ever see one. In this episode: Why "what's for you will never miss you" carried her through years of rejectionThe game day itinerary she sends every visiting AD and coachThe all-sports banquet that went sideways, and why thick skin comes with the jobHow "the highest human act is to inspire," a line from Nipsey Hussle, shapes her leadershipPages from her AD playbook: build your network, protect your work-life balance, and have fun doing itChapters:  00:00 Welcome and introduction  01:07 Two ACL tears and a Division I comeback  06:45 From a biology degree to athletics  09:47 Patience, persistence, and years of interviews  13:21 How playing and coaching prepared her to lead  15:50 First AD job at Metro Charter (and the soccer net story)  20:23 School board, college teaching, and time management  23:59 The doctoral journey at Wayne State  27:46 Building a winning culture at Romulus  33:34 What really goes into game day  37:40 The banquet that went wrong  40:44 Being a woman in athletic administration  43:04 What motivated her and the mentors who helped  45:19 "The highest human act is to inspire"  47:46 Pages from Paris's AD playbook  50:20 How to connect with Paris Connect with Paris McCarthy:  TikTok: @ParisMcCarthy  Instagram: @PonyBraxton  Email: iparismccarthy@gmail.com Talkin' with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes, built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership. LEAD · TEACH · GROW 🌐 Website: betteryouthcoaching.com  🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode  📬 Mailbag: Have a question for the show? Visit betteryouthcoaching.com and click "Ask the AD"  ⭐ Rate & review: It helps more school leaders find the show  📚 Books: Coach on Leadership, MS Education Based Athletics, Before the First Snap 🎙️ Record your own podcast with Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac #TalkinWithTheAD · #Sports · #Athletics · #AthleticDirector · #CoachonLeadership · #ADLogistics Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  6. Sep 24

    18 - Jim Harris, CMAA - What Does an Athletic Director Really Do?

    Send us Fan Mail  What does an athletic director actually do when the Friday night lights are off? Jim Harris, CMAA, Director of Student Activities at Freedom High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, joins Morgan to pull back the curtain on athletic administration, the value of NIAAA certification, and the lessons he's written into his own AD playbook.  Jim's career has taken him through five Northern Virginia schools, from an admin internship at Briar Woods to rebuilding TC Williams High School during COVID. His CMAA project came out of that work. He talks about coaching the coaches, why he stepped away from the job for his family, what brought him back to Freedom, and the three pillars behind every decision he makes: communication, education, and maximum participation.  His best advice for new and aspiring ADs is simple. Know your pillars, get involved with your state association, and hire good people so you don't have to carry the whole load yourself.  Mentioned in this episode: NIAAA Leadership Training Institute (LTI) courses and CMAA certification, the NIAAA Executive Leadership cohort, the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (VIAAA), and Jim's podcast, On the Road with the VIAAA.  Talkin' with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes - built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan - athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership.  LEAD · TEACH · GROW  Website: betteryouthcoaching.com  Subscribe for new episodes every Monday Mailbag: Send your question at betteryouthcoaching.com and click "Ask the AD" Rate & review wherever you listen  Books: Coach on Leadership · MS Education Based Athletics · Before the First Snap  Record your own podcast with Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac  #TalkinWithTheAD · #Sports · #Athletics · #AthleticDirector · #CoachonLeadership · #ADLevelLogistics  Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  7. Sep 17

    17 - Youth Sports Playing Time: Should Every Kid Play Equal? | Talkin' with the AD

    Send us Fan Mail Should playing time in youth sports be equal, or should the best players play? In this impromptu solo episode, athletic director and longtime youth coach Morgan Sullivan answers a new parent's honest question about youth sports playing time and makes the case for long-term athlete development over winning at 8, 10, or 12 years old. A first-time sports parent asked the question the right way on Instagram. The comments answered it the wrong way: "you play the game to win." Morgan explains why that mindset does real damage at the youth and middle school level, and what coaches should be doing instead: keep athletes safe, teach them, and above all keep them in the game. He shares two real stories (including the middle schooler "ranked 13th on a 12-player team" who became an all-conference Division II player), explains why a youth coach's win-loss record truly does not matter, and pushes back on the idea that rec and travel should be handled differently, drawing on his own top-tier 11U team that rotated every player and had 11 of 12 pitch. If you want stronger high school rosters, it starts years earlier by giving every kid a good experience and a reason to stay. — Talkin' with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes, built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership. LEAD · TEACH · GROW Website & free resources: betteryouthcoaching.comSubscribe for a new episode every MondayAsk the AD (mailbag): betteryouthcoaching.comPlease rate and review the showBooks: Coach on Leadership · MS Education Based Athletics · Before the First SnapRecorded with Riverside: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac #TalkinWithTheAD #Sports #Athletics #AthleticDirector #CoachonLeadership #ParentEducation Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

  8. Sep 14

    16 - Dr. Kiristen Robinson, CMAA: Athletic Director Burnout Is Real: Mental Health, Boundaries & Student-Athlete Wellness

    Send us Fan Mail Athletic directors spend all day taking care of everyone else: coaches, athletes, parents, facilities. So who takes care of the AD? This week, host Morgan Sullivan sits down with Dr. Kiristen Robinson, CMAA, Student Activities Coordinator at Harrisonburg High School in Virginia, for an honest conversation about mental health and wellness on both sides of the whistle. Dr. K brings a rare résumé to the chair: former college basketball player, longtime teacher and coach, a PhD in Health and Human Performance, and a dissertation that became her CMAA project studying stress management and well-being for high school athletic directors. She teaches an NIAAA course on student-athlete mental health, led a workshop on AD wellness at the National Athletic Directors Conference, serves on the board of NOMAD (the National Organization for Minority Athletic Directors), and still found the time to write a children's book. In this episode: Support vs. help, and why the difference hits different once you're the one in the seatWhat her research revealed about AD stress, and the simple strategies that actually move the needle (yes, even breathing)Building a genuine "safe space" for student-athletes: what to watch for, and where your role stopsBoundaries that stick, so you can protect your time, your family, and your peaceWhy no one knows this job like another AD, and how to build that circle before you need itThe two or three pages of her playbook she'd hand every new athletic directorWhether you're a first-year AD still finding your footing or a veteran running low, this one's your reminder: you're not the only one who thinks like you, and you were never meant to do this alone. Connect with Dr. K: her children's book It's the Twins for Me (Amazon) · Instagram @twinsforme · NOMAD · reach her by email: Robinsonkiristen@gmail.com Talkin' with the AD is a podcast for athletic directors, school leaders, coaches, parents, and athletes, built around education-based athletics and the people who make it work. Hosted by Morgan J. Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author of Coach on Leadership. LEAD · TEACH · GROW 🌐 Website: betteryouthcoaching.com  🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode  📬 Got a question? "Ask the AD" at betteryouthcoaching.com. Your question might headline a future mailbag.  ⭐ Enjoying the show? A quick rate and review helps other ADs, coaches, and parents find us.  📚 Books by Morgan J. Sullivan: Coach on Leadership · MS Education Based Athletics · Before the First Snap  🎙️ The show is recorded on Riverside. Try it here: https://riverside.partnerlinks.io/ltacqatxw6ac #TalkinWithTheAD · #Sports · #Athletics · #AthleticDirector · #CoachonLeadership · #MentalHealth Welcome to Talkin' with the AD!  LET'S GO!! Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Better Youth CoachingMission is to improve amateur sports through education of parents, coaches, and athletes Support the show Visit betteryouthcoaching.com - information for parents, coaches, and athletes. SOCIALS Facebook - talkinwiththead X - Talkin’ with the AD Instagram - talkin_with_the_ad YouTube - Talkin' with the AD Tik Tok - Talkin' with the AD

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About

Talkin' with the AD dives into the complexities of America's amateur sports scene, from high school to club, travel, AAU, and recreational leagues. Hosted by an experienced coach and Athletic Director, this podcast delivers insider insights, expert interviews, and the latest trends shaping the future of sports at every level. 

Information

  • Creator
    Coach Morgan Sullivan, CAA, RMSAA, CIC, NFHS Level 3 Coach, NFHS Level 3 MS Coach
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Talkin' with the AD
  • Show Website
    Talkin' with the AD