Discussion Post

1. Based on the models of organizational design outlined in the chapters, explain which
   type of structure is most commonly adopted by intercollegiate athletic departments
   and why this type of structure makes sense.
   The matrix organizational structure is most commonly espoused by intercollegiate
   athletic departments across the United States. In business or management studies, a matrix
   organizational structure is a model wherein junior members or departments report to two or more
   heads instead of one manager controlling or overseeing all functions (Schnetler, Steyn, & Van
   Staden, 2015). Therefore, a matrix structural arrangement is two-dimensional, combining
   traditional functions of departments and project functions. In the U.S. Collegiate Athletics
   arrangement, the “traditional” operations of the athletics department fall within the confines of
   the specific college or university that has established an athletic department. In contrast, the
   “project” functions fall within the context of the ‘external’ governing body regulating the
   activities of the specific sports program. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
   is the most prominent “external” organization that controls all sporting activities of member
   colleges. Other bodies include the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and
   the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
   The matrix structure exists because intercollegiate athletic departments are governed by
   their respective colleges/universities and national athletic organizations that schools are part of,
   whether NCAA or NJCAA or any other. Intercollegiate athletics departmental heads are directly
   accountable to their colleges and the NCAA or other governing bodies. These external
   institutions define the rules and regulations governing specific sporting events across the
   country. For instance, the NCAA exercises administrative and legislative power for

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intercollegiate athletics for women’s and men’s sports. It develops and enforces laws for different
sports and eligibility standards for athletes. It supervises both national and regional
intercollegiate sports championships.
This is the primary reason why the matrix organizational structure best fits collegiate
athletics. Intercollegiate athletics in the U.S. are highly televised and watched by millions of fans
nationally and globally. This means they do not only involve but are very expensive to maintain
for colleges, which also have a fundamental function of helping students excel academically. The
college/university sets and defines the “institutional culture” and the academic program for their
intercollegiate athletic departments. Institutional culture relates to the mission of the
university/college, the residency requirements, the values and assumptions, and how the
institution structures the athletic department. On the other hand, the NCAA handles the “internal
environment” related to sporting activities for their member intercollegiate athletic department,
including media, professional leagues, post-season, and fans & boosters (Schroeder, 2010). In a
nutshell, the matrix structure makes sense because it ensures the separation of academic and co-
curricular functions and programs.

2. Suppose an NCAA D3 school was seeking to hire an athletic director, and you were
   tasked to assist in writing the position description for the new AD. What are the
   most necessary qualifications and duties you would include so that the school could
   hire the best possible candidate?
   Crafting a successful intercollegiate athletic program often depends on a qualified athletic
   director’s professional and effective leadership or stewardship. In a country like the U.S., where
   college athletics plays an integral role in the future professional careers of student-athletes,
   athletic directors play a huge role in designing the requisite programs, marketing students to

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potential recruiters, and shaping the academic-sports balance for their players. Part of the athletic
director’s role is to comprehend their athletes and make informed decisions that will benefit these
players in the long term (Kale Russell Center, 2011). Athletic directors typically must show
passion for sports and education by creating athletic programs that guarantee success on both
fronts. Developing a championship program takes commitment and dedication in sports, law,
human resources, budgeting, safety, finance, communication, business, and more.
Therefore, if I were to write a job description for a new athletic director for an NCAA D3
school, I would consider several duties. Firstly, the school must look for someone who will
perform human resource management (HRM) functions, including hiring staff members and the
team coach. The next responsibility is budgeting, funds allocation, and finance management. The
AD must have the skills to allocate funds for travel, championships, games, meets, matches,
practices, and other sporting events. The next duty is to design the athletics program and
schedule events, competitions, training, and media tours. Besides scheduling games, the AD will
also collaborate with coaching staff and trainers, ensuring that each team gets ample time to use
shared facilities like arenas or gymnasiums. The final duty is to keep track of legislative and
policy changes from the school’s board and collaborate with the NCAA, setting sports rules. The
athletic director oversees all these sporting events and programs sponsored by the school (Kale
Russell Center, 2011).
In that regard, the following are the requisite skillsets for the new AD. Firstly, the new
athletic director must possess outstanding leadership, organization, planning, public relations,
and legal knowledge. Most importantly, they should have good problem-solving skills to address
likely board or parent conflicts when they arise. Interpersonal and excellent communication is
also fundamental because an athletic director constantly engages with student-athletes, coaches,

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the board, recruiters, the media, and other stakeholders. Preferably, the AD must hold a
Bachelor’s degree in physical education plus a Master’s degree in Education Administration,
Organizational Leadership, or Sports Management (Kale Russell Center, 2011).

3. Describe the insights you gained from NCAA D3 Women’s Basketball Head Coach
   Jacey Brooks related to organization and department changes in response to the
   Covid-19 pandemic. How do the Covid-19 changes influence NCAA D3
   organizations specifically?
   The Covid-19 pandemic severely hit collegiate athletic games, resulting in the
   cancellation of major tournaments throughout the country, including the 2020 championships. As
   a result, organizations (like the NCAA) and school departments had to reorganize and make
   necessary adjustments to conform to the new health guidelines issued by the CDC and the HHS.
   Several things can be learned from Jacey Brooks, the NCAA D3 women’s Basketball head coach
   for Sunny Cortland, related to departmental and organizational changes in response to the Covid-
   19 pandemic. The first point is the importance of athletic departments, schools, and governing
   organizations (the NCAA) collaborating with other key government agencies during a crisis. For
   example, Jacey notes the importance of collegiate departments implementing the new Covid-19
   rules stipulated by the NCAA, such as quarantining athletes or staff members for two weeks if
   suspected of having come in contact with positive individuals.
   Departments and schools also need to sanitize arenas and training facilities, ensure no
   overcrowding during training or games, and ensure all students and staff abide by Covid-19
   rules. Another critical takeaway from Jacey’s discussion is athletes’ essential role in ensuring
   their “own” safety during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as social distancing, avoiding crowded
   places, wearing masks, and washing hands when in public spaces. Finally, the Covid-19 changes

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impacted NCAA D3 organizations by reducing revenues through the cancellation of sporting
activities. Organizations also incurred extra costs to enforce Covid-19 regulations, such as
routinely sanitizing sports arenas and training centers. Besides revenue loss, quarantining, self-
isolation, and other Covid-19 also affected D3 student-athletes emotionally, with some
experienced episodes of anxiety and depression (Bullard, 2020).

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References

Jo, A., & Barbieri, B. (2020, Oct. 7). The impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of Division III
student-athletes. The Sport Journal. https://thesportjournal.org/article/the-impact-of-
covid-19-on-the-well-being-of-division-iii-student-athletes/
Kaleb Russell Center. (2011). Characteristics and professional qualifications of NCAA divisions
II and III athletic directors. University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Schroeder, P. (2010). A model for assessing organizational culture in intercollegiate athletic
departments. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 3, 98-118.
Schnetler, R., Steyn, H., & Van Staden, P. J. (2015). Characteristics of matrix structures and
their effects on project success. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 26(1),

11. doi:10.7166/26-1-1096