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Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker (CMAA), Cobb County School (GA) District Director of Athletics, partners with Josh Mathews (CMAA), Pope High School (GA) Athletic Director, to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics. These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities. We hope you enjoy the time we spend with these special guests. Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it. Thank you for listening. And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.
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Welcome back to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. Today, we’re bringing you a special conversation that goes beyond wins, losses, and championships—because as athletic leaders, we know the real impact of sports is found in the lessons that last long after the final whistle. We’re joined by Kim Coleman, Executive Director of Athletes for a Better World, an organization built on the powerful idea of “Winning More Than the Game.” In this episode, Kim shares her journey, th...
Welcome back to the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. Today’s episode is one we’ve been excited about for a long time, because we’re diving into a space that’s become a true game-changer at every level of athletics: mental performance. Our guest today is Kellen Lee — a Certified Mental Performance Consultant with a master’s degree in Sport Psychology and a PhD in Performance Psychology. Kellen has worked across elite environments, from professional athletics to military and organizational set...
Welcome back to the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. In this episode, we’re joined by Rob Seymour, an athletic director at Fishers High School in Fishers, Indiana, where he has served since 2014. Rob is the past president of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, a member of the NIAAA national teaching faculty for LTC 714, and an National Federation of State High School Associations Level 3 certified coach. In this conversation, Rob shares his “back of the basebal...
Welcome back to the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast This is a special episode for us, because we’re joined once again by a familiar voice and a great friend of the show—Steve “Throney” Throne. Each year, we’re fortunate to sit down with the current President of the NIAAA, and this annual conversation has become one of our favorite traditions. In 2025, that role belongs to Steve Throne, and today we’re excited to reflect on his year of service, leadership, and vision for athletic administra...
Today we have the privilege of welcoming back a familiar face — our most tenured guest — Brian Dodd. This episode has become a highlight of our year because Brian joins us annually to unveil his Top 10 Sports Books, giving us plenty of ideas for our Christmas lists and leadership libraries. Brian’s blog, Brian Dodd on Leadership, continues to be a must-read for anyone in or out of formal leadership roles, consistently reaching more than 70,000 readers each month. He’s an author, the co-host o...
Today’s episode is one of those special moments for our podcast — a true honor to sit down with one of the greatest to ever play the game. Our guest is Pro Football Hall of Famer, College Football Hall of Famer, and Georgia legend Champ Bailey. Over a 15-year NFL career with Washington and Denver, Champ became the gold standard at the cornerback position — earning 12 Pro Bowl selections, seven All-Pro honors, and a reputation as one of the most complete defensive players in football history. ...
Welcome to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by someone who knows a thing or two about building leaders and pursuing excellence. Our guest is Bailey Miles, the founder and host of the Building Excellence Podcast. Bailey is an entrepreneur who’s spent time in the home-building business and other ventures, and some may recognize him from his days on the hardwood — both as a collegiate player and coach. What makes Bailey stand out is his ability...
Welcome to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD podcast. Today, we’re excited to bring you a conversation with Phil Rison, the Executive Director of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Phil stepped into this role in January of 2023 after serving six years as Associate Executive Director and has been a key leader in interscholastic athletics for decades. A past president of the NIAAA and former Executive Director of the Kentucky High School Athletic Director...
Welcome to this episode of the Hangin’ with the AD podcast. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Patrick Irving, Director of Athletics for Pittsford Schools in the Rochester, New York area. Patrick is the first New York athletic director we’ve had on the show, and he brings an incredible perspective from his journey through four AD stops since 2011 to now leading a department of over 115 teams across two high schools. In this episode, Patrick shares how Pittsford’s unique setup blends both school-speci...
Today on the Hangin’ with the AD podcast, we’re adding a new twist to our guest lineup. We’ve talked with high school and collegiate athletic directors, authors, speakers, and performance coaches—but this is the first time we’ve welcomed a TikTok star into the conversation. Chris Harris is the athletic director at Evangelical Christian School in Fort Myers, Florida, a role he’s held since 2022. Before joining ECS, Chris spent six years as the Athletic and Activities Director at South F...
Welcome back to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast, where we sit down with leaders who are making a lasting impact in the world of athletic administration. Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Sam Ferguson, the newly appointed Director of Athletics at the University of Texas-Tyler. Dr. Ferguson brings over 25 years of experience in college athletics, including leadership roles at Abilene Christian, McMurry University, and Averett University. In this conversation, you’ll hear h...
Welcome to episode 142 of the Hangin’ with the AD podcast, where we explore the intersection of leadership, athletics, and education through the voices of those making a real difference in the lives of student-athletes. Today’s episode brings a fresh perspective to the show—one from the whistle’s point of view. We’re joined by Marcus Woods, a highly respected official at both the high school and collegiate levels. Marcus has worked some of the biggest games in the country—includin...
Welcome to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD podcast, where we talk leadership, culture, and the journey through athletics with those who are making an impact in the world of sports and beyond. In today’s episode, we’re sitting down with Alex Demczak—a former Division I quarterback at the University of Missouri who has since become a bestselling author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Alex co-wrote The Sale with Jon Gordon, a book that puts integrity at the center of personal and p...
Welcome back to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast, where we sit down with athletic directors and leaders who are shaping the future of high school sports. Today, we’re excited to bring on someone who knows a thing or two about building championship-level programs—both on the field and in the front office. We’re joined today by Jason Brett, the athletic director and assistant principal at Houston County High School in Warner Robins, Georgia. And yes, for those listening outsid...
Today we bring you another edition of our Single Topic Series as we dive into the emerging world of AI and how it fits into the world of the athletic administrator. We head to Pearl Mississippi and speak with Chris Chism who serves as the Superintendent of Schools for the Pearl Public School District who is becoming a go-to resource in the space of AI.
Welcome to another episode of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. This week we head west to Texas and sit down with leadership author and speaker Stephen Mackey. The episode kicks off with Mackey outlining his "6 Habits of Championship Character," a blueprint for cultivating student-athletes who pursue excellence in every aspect of life. He shares insights on whether these habits follow a specific order and which habit he believes is the essential starting point when developing champions from sc...
Welcome to a special Masters Week edition of the Hangin’ with the AD Podcast. Today we have the distinct honor of sitting down with a man who stands at the helm of one of the most revered institutions in all of sports—Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club. In this conversation, recorded just days before the azaleas bloom and the world turns its eyes to Augusta, Chairman Ridley takes us inside the inner workings of an event that has become synonymous with tradition, excellence, a...
Today we stay closer to home and sit down with author and speaker Clay Scroggins. His book “How to Lead When You're Not in Charge” is a must for anyone whether they are in a position of leadership or not. Everyone answers to someone, and Clay left us with some great nuggets as we all look to get better in the space and place, we are in currently. Let’s settle in and get to know Clay Scroggins.
Today we stay a little closer to home but revisit the college ranks and sit down with Jim Peeples who serves as the Director of Athletics at Piedmont College in Demorest, GA. Jim is a product of being surrounded by some of the best in the business when he was younger, and he talks about how it shaped him into the leader he is today. He is an intentional servant leader and he left us with some great leadership lessons in this conversation. Let’s settle in and get to know Coach Jim Peeples.
Today is the first for the podcast as we head to South Dakota and sit down with retired AD Joey Struwe. We discuss his military service and how it influenced his leadership as an AD and how, as leaders, we must continually place a focus on the “little things” in order to lead effectively. Let’s settle in and get to know Joey Struwe.
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