Ask the AD - Joe Doody, Damascus 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 Joe Doody from Damascus High School in Montgomery County! During our conversation, Joe spoke with us about how the job has changed since he started, this year in Damascus Athletics and how important it is to have a supportive community!
County Sports Zone:How did you become athletic director at Damascus? How did your appointment come about?
Joe Doody:I have always wanted to be an athletic director. I had already been a teacher and coach at Damascus for a number of years and when the position opened, I applied and was fortunate to be chosen.
CSZ:How has the job changed since you started? How has it stayed the same?
JD:The job changes constantly and yet it basically stays the same. Each year it seems like we have more to keep track of or do, but in the end, it's the same position it's been for years. We attend athletic events, manage a budget, hire and help the coaches, support the athletic teams and build relationships with the students, staff, parents and community.
CSZ:How would you rate this past year for Damascus Athletics? Were there any highlights that stand out?
JD:I'd say we had a very good year athletically. Our football team won a state championship while going undefeated and having one player voted as the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Maryland. The girls volleyball team was state finalists. The wrestling team continued to defend the state dual meet and tournament championships, also while completing an undefeated dual meet season.
Our baseball team won a regional championship. We had three different teams (cheerleading, poms, coed volleyball) win county championships. We had a female athlete win a state title in diving along with a male athlete win in two different swimming events. Two of our girls relay teams won state championships in both the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
We are also very proud of the accomplishments of our athletes in the classroom and how well they represent our town and school.
CSZ:You've had a bunch of teams make deep playoff runs during your time at Damascus. When that is happening, what is the atmosphere like around the school? How does the athletic department try to enhance that atmosphere?
JD:Damascus is a very supportive school and community. Our staff at the school help to promote and support all the teams, especially when one is doing well in the playoffs. We see a lot of Damascus clothing on the students and staff in the hallways. We have many teachers and teams that have twitter accounts, even our student cheering section has their own, and they all put things out on their accounts in support of all the teams. Our cheerleaders also do a great job in promoting teams with signs and banners. So it is a fun and exciting atmosphere around the school almost the entire school year.
CSZ:What're a couple things you've accomplished while Damascus AD that you are most proud of?
JD:Our coaches. The coaches work very long hours and have done a fantastic job in helping our athletes become the very best person they can be, both on and off the field. We haven't had too much turnover with our coaches for whatever reason, and that is important to me in keeping continuity within our programs.
CSZ:What do you enjoy most about being an AD?
JD:I enjoy watching our student-athletes during their athletic events. It's fun to see how they progress and mature from a freshman through their senior year.
CSZ:How do you view the role of an athletic director within a high school community?
JD:I think the role of the AD is to try to make things run as smooth as possible in the athletics program, and to help in making the school and community work closely together to support our athletes. We have a very supportive community as I've said before. They support our students from an early age athletically through the Damascus Sports Association and then as the student enters the high school those same parents join our booster club. So it is very important for me to work with these groups in helping our athletes become the best that they can be and to enjoy their experiences while they attend Damascus High School.
Today we're featuring Joe Doody from Damascus High School in Montgomery County! During our conversation, Joe spoke with us about how the job has changed since he started, this year in Damascus Athletics and how important it is to have a supportive community!
County Sports Zone:How did you become athletic director at Damascus? How did your appointment come about?
Joe Doody:I have always wanted to be an athletic director. I had already been a teacher and coach at Damascus for a number of years and when the position opened, I applied and was fortunate to be chosen.
CSZ:How has the job changed since you started? How has it stayed the same?
JD:The job changes constantly and yet it basically stays the same. Each year it seems like we have more to keep track of or do, but in the end, it's the same position it's been for years. We attend athletic events, manage a budget, hire and help the coaches, support the athletic teams and build relationships with the students, staff, parents and community.
CSZ:How would you rate this past year for Damascus Athletics? Were there any highlights that stand out?
JD:I'd say we had a very good year athletically. Our football team won a state championship while going undefeated and having one player voted as the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Maryland. The girls volleyball team was state finalists. The wrestling team continued to defend the state dual meet and tournament championships, also while completing an undefeated dual meet season.
Our baseball team won a regional championship. We had three different teams (cheerleading, poms, coed volleyball) win county championships. We had a female athlete win a state title in diving along with a male athlete win in two different swimming events. Two of our girls relay teams won state championships in both the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
We are also very proud of the accomplishments of our athletes in the classroom and how well they represent our town and school.
CSZ:You've had a bunch of teams make deep playoff runs during your time at Damascus. When that is happening, what is the atmosphere like around the school? How does the athletic department try to enhance that atmosphere?
JD:Damascus is a very supportive school and community. Our staff at the school help to promote and support all the teams, especially when one is doing well in the playoffs. We see a lot of Damascus clothing on the students and staff in the hallways. We have many teachers and teams that have twitter accounts, even our student cheering section has their own, and they all put things out on their accounts in support of all the teams. Our cheerleaders also do a great job in promoting teams with signs and banners. So it is a fun and exciting atmosphere around the school almost the entire school year.
CSZ:What're a couple things you've accomplished while Damascus AD that you are most proud of?
JD:Our coaches. The coaches work very long hours and have done a fantastic job in helping our athletes become the very best person they can be, both on and off the field. We haven't had too much turnover with our coaches for whatever reason, and that is important to me in keeping continuity within our programs.
CSZ:What do you enjoy most about being an AD?
JD:I enjoy watching our student-athletes during their athletic events. It's fun to see how they progress and mature from a freshman through their senior year.
CSZ:How do you view the role of an athletic director within a high school community?
JD:I think the role of the AD is to try to make things run as smooth as possible in the athletics program, and to help in making the school and community work closely together to support our athletes. We have a very supportive community as I've said before. They support our students from an early age athletically through the Damascus Sports Association and then as the student enters the high school those same parents join our booster club. So it is very important for me to work with these groups in helping our athletes become the best that they can be and to enjoy their experiences while they attend Damascus High School.
| July 22nd, 2016 | By: Wick Eisenberg |