Ask the AD - George Awkard, Quince Orchard High School
This summer, CSZ will be doing a segment on the WICKipedia entitled "Ask the AD". In this feature, we'll be conducting Q&A's with various athletic directors around Maryland to learn more about how different high schools run their athletic programs, and what to expect from them in the future.
Today we're featuring George Awkard from Quince Orchard High School in Montgomery County! George spoke with us about a variety of topics, including some of his favorite moments from last year in Quince Orchard Athletics!
County Sports Zone:How did you become the athletic director at Quince Orchard? How did your appointment come about?
George Awkard:I have always been into athletics in some way shape or form, so it is part of my life. After my playing career ended I wanted to still be involved with athletics, so I became a coach. After a few years of coaching, I was talked into becoming an assistant principal. While working as an assistant principal, I stayed involved in athletics. I was the administrator who supervised athletics every year that I was an assistant principal.
After a number of years I wanted to come back to athletics full time, so I left the assistant principal job and had plans of coaching at a school. I ended up at Quince Orchard and a week into working at the school, the AD stepped down. Quince Orchard's principal and I had known each other from my days as an assistant principal, so she asked me if I would fill in as AD for the upcoming year. The one school year has turned into four and counting.
CSZ:How has the job changed since you first started?
GA:The use of technology on and off the playing field. All my coaches are using technology in one way or another, so I find myself having to create a budget that includes some online subscription or new software package. I have also had to become more handy with the use of this technology.
CSZ:What do you enjoy most about your job?
GA:My interaction with my student athletes. The students are what makes this job great! Getting a chance to share all the highs and the lows, being there to be an educator, mentor, coach and friend is the greatest reward. I want to provide all my students with as many opportunities as possible.
CSZ:What do you look for when considering a potential candidate for a coaching position?
GA:I look for an individual who has the background knowledge of the sport and can deliver that knowledge in a manner in which athletes can understand and utilize on the field of play. Someone who can inspire and build relationships with his or her players and parents. Someone who has a plan for building and maintaining a program. They can also provide opportunities for our students who have the ability and wish to continue their playing career beyond high school.
CSZ:Do you have any favorite teams or moments from your time at Quince Orchard?
GA:All of the teams are great! I have a number of favorite moments- our field hockey team winning the region and playing in the state semifinals, our baseball team playing in the state championship or how well our poms and cheer teams did in counties last year! Too many to pick just one.
CSZ:How would you rate this past year for Quince Orchard Athletics? Any highlights?
GA:Last year was great for us! Our baseball team played in the state championship while coed volleyball played in the county championship. Boys basketball, football and field hockey all played in their regional championships, and we had many other teams make deep runs in the playoffs.
We also continued to have every team carry a grade point average above 3.0. We had 15 senior students who will be playing a sport in college.
CSZ:How do you view the AD's role within the community of a high school?
GA:I believe the job is different in each school, because of what is asked of the AD and what he/she chooses to take on. The AD is a very important role within the school and community due to the number of responsibilities that fall his or her way. Outside of the principal, there is no other position that interacts with more stakeholders within the school's community than the athletic director.
CSZ:Anything exciting or new on the horizon for Quince Orchard Athletics?
GA:We are trying to become better at everything we do, our process, our policies, our performance and our achievement. We continue to review how we do things and assess if it's working for our program today, and will it work for us tomorrow. We want to have a clear vision that aligns with the school's and gives us direction for where we want to go.
I want every student who comes out of our program to be proud of Quince Orchard and have enjoyed their time wearing the red and black. Everyone should be ready because the red army is coming!
Today we're featuring George Awkard from Quince Orchard High School in Montgomery County! George spoke with us about a variety of topics, including some of his favorite moments from last year in Quince Orchard Athletics!
County Sports Zone:How did you become the athletic director at Quince Orchard? How did your appointment come about?
George Awkard:I have always been into athletics in some way shape or form, so it is part of my life. After my playing career ended I wanted to still be involved with athletics, so I became a coach. After a few years of coaching, I was talked into becoming an assistant principal. While working as an assistant principal, I stayed involved in athletics. I was the administrator who supervised athletics every year that I was an assistant principal.
After a number of years I wanted to come back to athletics full time, so I left the assistant principal job and had plans of coaching at a school. I ended up at Quince Orchard and a week into working at the school, the AD stepped down. Quince Orchard's principal and I had known each other from my days as an assistant principal, so she asked me if I would fill in as AD for the upcoming year. The one school year has turned into four and counting.
CSZ:How has the job changed since you first started?
GA:The use of technology on and off the playing field. All my coaches are using technology in one way or another, so I find myself having to create a budget that includes some online subscription or new software package. I have also had to become more handy with the use of this technology.
CSZ:What do you enjoy most about your job?
GA:My interaction with my student athletes. The students are what makes this job great! Getting a chance to share all the highs and the lows, being there to be an educator, mentor, coach and friend is the greatest reward. I want to provide all my students with as many opportunities as possible.
CSZ:What do you look for when considering a potential candidate for a coaching position?
GA:I look for an individual who has the background knowledge of the sport and can deliver that knowledge in a manner in which athletes can understand and utilize on the field of play. Someone who can inspire and build relationships with his or her players and parents. Someone who has a plan for building and maintaining a program. They can also provide opportunities for our students who have the ability and wish to continue their playing career beyond high school.
CSZ:Do you have any favorite teams or moments from your time at Quince Orchard?
GA:All of the teams are great! I have a number of favorite moments- our field hockey team winning the region and playing in the state semifinals, our baseball team playing in the state championship or how well our poms and cheer teams did in counties last year! Too many to pick just one.
CSZ:How would you rate this past year for Quince Orchard Athletics? Any highlights?
GA:Last year was great for us! Our baseball team played in the state championship while coed volleyball played in the county championship. Boys basketball, football and field hockey all played in their regional championships, and we had many other teams make deep runs in the playoffs.
We also continued to have every team carry a grade point average above 3.0. We had 15 senior students who will be playing a sport in college.
CSZ:How do you view the AD's role within the community of a high school?
GA:I believe the job is different in each school, because of what is asked of the AD and what he/she chooses to take on. The AD is a very important role within the school and community due to the number of responsibilities that fall his or her way. Outside of the principal, there is no other position that interacts with more stakeholders within the school's community than the athletic director.
CSZ:Anything exciting or new on the horizon for Quince Orchard Athletics?
GA:We are trying to become better at everything we do, our process, our policies, our performance and our achievement. We continue to review how we do things and assess if it's working for our program today, and will it work for us tomorrow. We want to have a clear vision that aligns with the school's and gives us direction for where we want to go.
I want every student who comes out of our program to be proud of Quince Orchard and have enjoyed their time wearing the red and black. Everyone should be ready because the red army is coming!
| August 24th, 2016 | By: Wick Eisenberg |