Time to move on

Recently, I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Growing Leaders, and came across a great article on “How to Remain a Healthy Teacher in an Unhealthy Educational System.” The article was on theme with a recurring message that was being spoken into my life in many ways: I don’t have control over everything and when I forget that it causes trouble. Essentially, most things in life can be placed into one of three categories: it is in my control, it is out of my control, or it is in my influence. Things that are clearly within my control or out of my control are easier to navigate. We must act responsibly or trust that things will work out. But that third category gets a little tricky.

It requires wisdom to influence a person who controls a situation we would like to see changed. And it takes humility to accept when things don’t go our way. None of this means that we stop trying to improve things or stop looking for opportunities when an issue changes categories; however, it does mean that we need to be aware of where an issue falls to help manage expectations. I know that when my expectations are out of line, I am de-energized and stressed. That is not where I want to be personally, or the place from which I want to lead my team. I don’t always get it right, but I am working on increasing the accuracy of my calls.

One of the many things that has the attention of NIRSA Championship Series leadership right now is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its potential impact on the Series. The FLSA is certainly something that is out of our control, but we hope to have influence on what it means for the Series. We are first looking to get an accurate picture of how many members may be affected by the new FLSA salary minimum for exempt employees and how that may alter their involvement in Series events and volunteer roles.

The Student/Professional Development Work Team and the Assessment Work Team will be putting together a survey that will be administered to applicants for Series events and work teams. We will be working to administer this survey in a timely manner, but understand that some institutions may still be working through internal policies. The Series will then work to put together an action plan to address the concerns and challenges of members. What lies ahead? I have no way of knowing, but we will work ardently to help members have the chance to take part in these professional development opportunities.

In late September, the NIRSA Services Corporation Board of Directors met in Austin, Texas for their midyear meeting. It was a tremendous opportunity to learn from amazing professionals and represent the NIRSA Championship Series. The NIRSA Services Corporation is the entrepreneurial component of the Association and it looks for marketing opportunities as well as oversees the NIRSA Championship Series programs. The Board is willing to ask difficult questions to make sure the Championship Series is successful long term. The people that I have met have been extraordinarily qualified, and their intentions are clearly good. Their commitment is true, they are righteous, and they are NIRSA patriots.

Our flag football and basketball programs have taken budget cuts over the last few years to help with ongoing budget shortfalls. After the Great Recession, sponsorship dollars have been difficult to secure for events—and those sports have been hit the hardest due to trying to keep entry fees low for teams. I assure you that we are looking for creative solutions, but sometimes it is our responsibility as leaders to make decisions that are less than popular. This year, staffing and officials numbers were reduced after looking at the need based on the number of teams and games at last year’s events. The Series needs teams at both regional and national events. We need your help promoting events to teams on your campus to ensure the enduring viability of these valuable programs.

Soccer and club basketball are growing this year. Club basketball had 23 teams register this year with a new southern group forming. The regional coordinator positions for soccer have been effective in standardizing regional events, providing a network for coordinators to assist in planning, and opening the application process for regional events. The National Soccer Championship is quickly approaching; it will take place in Foley, Alabama from November 17–19. It has a unique format as there is the Championship Division—which takes place with teams that qualify from league and regional play—as well as an Open Division where other teams can submit their names in hopes of attending the tournament. The Open Division Soccer Lottery was streamed online with 90 teams hoping that they would be one of the lucky 48 teams drawn to attend nationals in Foley. I look forward to attending this 96-team event in just a few weeks.

Flag football regionals are also underway around the country. Regional Basketball Staff Applications are open and will close on November 16. National Basketball is looking for Assistant Directors for Competition, All-Tournament, Officials, and the Unified Division—that application closes November 4 with the National Staff Application opening on December 2.

It’s time to move on. It’s time to get going. We have lots of work to do for the NIRSA Championship Series to benefit our members and our students. Let’s focus on what is in our control and influence to make the Series successful.