Successful Women in Athletic Administrations

No matter the gender, athletic administrators are expected to provide leadership, guidance and perspective. These three characteristics assure a focused and well-developed program. The athletic administrator’s decision-making style, experience, and most importantly, their commitment have a huge impact upon the vision and goals of their program. While both men and women of our world possess similar characteristics, it remains a shocking fact that in the year 2017 the number of women in the world of athletic administration is still low. There are a lot of women who prove to our world that they are deserving candidates of the position in this field. In this blog, I will discuss a few women who are the top athletic administrators in the world of college athletics.  

        Sandy Bourbar. In 2014, Sandy Bourbar was named as the ninth Athletic Director at Pennsylvania State University. While reading and learning more about how successful she was, I came along an inspirational story related to her decision-making skills. According to Frank Fitzpatrick, “In her second year at Tulane, she fired the football coach after a 2-9 season and brought in Tommy Bowden. In 1998, Bowden's second season, the Green Wave went 12-0”2. In my opinion, Bourbar’s decision to terminate the head football coach was a ‘gutsy’ call that highlights the definition of a solid leader: one who trusts her leadership skills. Bourbar proved that she and other women with similar qualities are meant to be star players at the NCAA Division I level.  I’m sure the Nittany Lions will be happy to have Bourbar at Penn State.

Jen Cohen. Another successful athletic administrator who was appointed as the Athletic Director at University of Washington in 2016. She stated, “These jobs are all about fit: Do you match up with what this institution represents, and what this athletic department stands for, and what this community believes in?...”1 That is a great question for young leaders to ask themselves. Cohen displays strong leadership skills within the Husky athletic program. As a female running a NCAA Division I highly ranked football program, Cohen stated, "Running a successful athletic department isn't about the game of football anymore, it's about the business of football."1. Regardless of gender, athletics has become a business; how wonderful to see Jen Cohen display the leadership qualities that are required of anyone within the collegiate athletic profession.

After learning about two strong females successfully leading powerhouse NCAA Division I athletic programs, I hope that readers of this blog will understand that women can serve at the top level of athletic administration. Bourbar and Cohen have influenced many women interested in athletic administration by proving that they can be successful at anything that they put their minds to. Being successful is working hard, knowing your craft, and making yourself standout. I’m thankful that these women are blazing the trail for aspiring athletic administrators like me!  

References

1Women Leaders in Collegiate Sports.(2017). Women athletic directors lead two of the top five college football programs. Retrieved from: https://www.womenleadersincollegesports.org/WL/Resources/Leadership-Content/sandy-barbour-jen-cohen-top-five-football-programs.aspx

2Fitzpatrick, F. (2015, April 20). Female athletic directors slowly making inroads at big colleges. Retrievedfrom: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20150421_Female_athletic_directors_slowly_making_inroads_at_big_colleges.html