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How I Work: Jackson Haak, Wahluke School District, Mattawa WA
In November, we welcomed 26-year old Athletic Director Jackson Haak to our network. Jackson is in his second year as an AD for the Wahluke School District in central Washington, where he manages 7th-12th grade sports. We sat down with him to talk about becoming an AD at a young age, his day-to-day life and how VNN has helped his athletic department and community so far.
What led you to becoming an AD?
I think my love for sports at a young age fueled my passion for staying involved with athletics. I played varsity sports 9th-12th grade and won two state titles in basketball. After high school, I went to Eastern Washington for college, then got my Masters at Texas A&M in Sports Management in 2018. I’m so grateful to be in my second year as an AD now, even though things look a little different this year with COVID.
What is it like building relationships with both students and coaches as a young AD?
Since I just turned 26 years old and I’m just a few years removed from graduate school, I feel like I’m in a perfect spot to relate both with my student-athletes and my fellow athletic directors. Being my age, it is easier for me to develop faster relationships with my student-athletes than it is with some of my coaches because of the age factor. I feel like the student-athletes are a lot more willing to listen and learn from me since they are younger, but it is a little more difficult being a boss to a coach who is significantly older than you. It takes time to learn how to navigate that slippery slope of coach and boss relationship but it has been a great overall experience getting to know all of my coaches.
Having found success as an AD so early in your career, what advice do you have for people still trying to get into the field?
I would say coming into college as a freshman, I already had the idea of wanting to work within athletics for a job in the future. Coming into college with that mindset kind of helped me both visualize and look for internship opportunities that would enhance my ability to properly manage a sports program. Hence why I was heavily involved with youth sports to help me prepare for the current position I am in.
What is your day-to-day like?
It’s a lot different than last year. The state of Washington is not participating in school sports right now, so I’m wearing multiple hats as the AD, facilities coordinator and COVID specialist. I dealt a lot with sanitation and equipment this fall. It’s a lot of emails and Zoom meetings this year, as well as a lot more prep and end work with COVID, but I’ve learned and grown a lot.
Any great stories to share?
During the first sports season I had here in the fall of 2019, our girls soccer program made it to state for the first time in school history. It was super cool to see a second-year coach help them make it to state and the girls crying with joy. With the short year we had, it was so fun watching our girls compete at state.
Why did you decide to start using VNN?
Our athletic department wasn’t happy with the previous product that we were using. Different schools were using VNN and they told us it would help our AD, students, coaches and community. So, we set up a training then we did a 1:1 with all the ADs in our league. Overall, I think it is going to be a great program. It really encompasses everything that an athletic department needs, as well as the coaches, athletes and community members.
How has the community responded?
I shared the athletics website with my old AD first and he was shook with all the new features. I made a little highlight reel of his son, who is a good basketball player, using BoxOut Sports and he got excited knowing we could use this to showcase our athletes more. I think it’s going to help communication in our community big time. I also have coaches that are very creative and I know they’ll make their site pages awesome.
If you had one piece of advice for other ADs, what would it be?
Take everything with a grain of salt. There’s a lot of times where an AD can get down on themselves. You’re putting out a lot of fires each day, but if you walk into your day asking what you can do to better yourself and make your athletic programs great, you’re doing a great job.
Thank you, Jackson, for taking the time to share some insight with us. Look for more of these How I Work features each month.
VNN advances gender inclusivity with first-ever ERG
This past summer, VNN launched its first employee resource group, Women at VNN (WVNN). The group aims to empower women by creating a safe space to build professional relationships, share advice and work through challenges.
Hallie Condon, Director of Human Resources at VNN, came up with the idea for the ERG after sending out a culture, diversity and inclusion survey to employees last summer. While reviewing feedback, she noticed that women scored their workplace experience less favorably than men.
“There were certain negative undertones and an employee resource group was a way to address that,” Condon said. “In addition to creating a sense of community belonging for employees, ERGs facilitate a clear line of communication from group to leadership in order to voice concerns and solve problems.”
Connecting over important topics
The mission of WVNN is to promote the hiring, retention and advancement of individuals that identify as women through workshops, webinars, networking, community outreach and workplace collaboration.
“Especially in a male-dominated industry, this ERG is a way to give women the opportunities, resources and tools they need to grow in their careers,” said Erin Blohm, Director of Sales and Advertising Operations at VNN.
WVNN held its first meeting in late September. Since then, its 15 members have met for an hour each month to discuss everything from parenting to influencing cultural changes at VNN. The group also hosted a Work/Life Balance Discussion Panel for all employees, in which three female panelists answered questions about integrating home, work and personal life.
Impacting positive change
So far, both Blohm and Condon have received positive feedback about the group’s impact. Blohm said members have expressed appreciation for an environment in which people can talk about things that aren’t often discussed, like company benefits.
Condon noted that several employees expressed feeling validated after hearing from others with similar opinions or issues. Others have said the meetings serve as a good outlet for voicing feelings without worrying about being judged.
“There’s a lot of value in being heard,” Condon said. “I also think that giving people at all levels of the organization the feeling that they can influence change is really positive.”
Planning for the future
WVNN recently solidified its 2021 agenda. A few topic discussions planned for the upcoming quarter include career goals and advancement, culture, networking and navigating difficult professional times. The group also plans to kick off events when COVID-19 allows it, with the hopes of doing a volunteer activity this summer.
Condon plans to track the group’s progress and make adjustments as needed. She intends to have employees take the culture, diversity and inclusion survey annually, then create different goals or initiatives for WVNN based on that feedback. She also hopes this first ERG inspires other employees to create resource groups where needed.
“As VNN grows, we want to make sure other demographic groups feel they can make something like that, too,” Condon said.
VNN top stories in high school sports 01/15/21
Each week, we scour our network to find the best stories in high school sports. Check out some of our favorites from the past month:
Highland High School (PA) recognizes fall scholar athletes
The school district is rolling out its Scholar-Athlete program, beginning with student-athletes that excelled in the classroom in the 2020 Fall Sports season.
Miamisburg Viking (OH) alumnus pledges matching donation
An anonymous alumnus has pledged to match donations made to the MHS Campus Quest initiative (up to $20,000) or Wrestling program (up to $20,000).
Jefferson’s (MO) Cattoor signs to play softball at Washington University
Catryn Cattoor, a four-year softball standout, has signed a Letter of Intent to continue her career at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Bruins (IN) improve to 6-0 with come-from-behind victory at New Albany
The boys basketball team drove three hours south to battle with 4A, #18 New Albany. With the win, the team tied the 2019-20 team with the best start in a season.
Lady Arcs (OH) ground the Griffins for 4th win In row
The Brush Arcs ladies basketball team took to the road Dec. 28, venturing to Akron to match winning records with Buchtel’s Fighting Griffins.
VNN x Rapid Replay Top Plays in High School Sports: December 30, 2020
VNN’s Romy Glazer counts down the top plays in high school sports from athletic departments across the country.
Watch as Romy Glazer from VNN reviews some of the highlights from VNN Network schools this week. Plays come from high schools such as Farmington (UT), Sam Rayburn (TX), Bishop Moore (FL), Wellington (OH), and Cedar (UT).
Missed the 2020 NIAAA National Athletic Directors conference? Here's a quick recap.
The 51st Annual National Athletic Directors conference, sponsored by the NFHS and NIAAA, looked a little different this year. The four-day event was completely virtual, but still drew in 1,800 athletic directors from around the country to network, share advice and develop new skills.
The conference featured professional speakers and athletic administrators who shared their experience and expertise on a variety of subjects. Topics ranged from the latest in esports to ideas for budgeting and of course, all things COVID-related.
There were over 35 educational sessions at this year’s conference – but if you missed it, there’s no need to fear. We’ve prepared a quick synopsis for you.
Tony Dungy kicked off the conference.
The former NFL player took the stage on Friday to welcome ADs to the event. Dungy served as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-2001 and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002-2008. He became the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl when the Colts beat the Chicago Bears in February of 2007. Dungy shared some words of wisdom about self-improvement and fostering a healthy culture to begin the conference.
Speakers shared advice on all-things COVID-19.
In a year full of unique challenges and changes, many speakers provided helpful information and advice on managing sports during a pandemic. They addressed tough topics such as athletes’ mental health during the pandemic and staffing challenges. Just a few of the sessions included:
- Schools & Sports Have Re-Opened – What Have We Learned?
- Where Do We Go from Here Regarding Corona Crisis & Education-Based Athletics?
- Mental Health of High School Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- The COVID-19 Crisis and Student-Athlete Anxiety
- Management of the Carry Over Effects of COVID-19 on Coaching Staff Challenges
Several standout ADs received awards and recognition.
We learned that communication is key.
Several workshops touched on the importance of quality communication. One session outlined the significance of word choice, analyzing your communication style and ensuring that you’re understood. As an AD, it’s important to be clear, concise, encouraging and educational whether you’re speaking with an athlete, coach or supporter.
And bringing the community together is essential.
Another workshop touched on promoting good culture and core values to rally your community. Steps as simple as using “we” statements and encouraging good sportsmanship show your community that everyone’s in this together. A unified front is more important than ever right now.
Interested in a full recap of the 2020 National Athletics Director Conference? Register to view the recorded content here.
VNN x Rapid Replay Top Plays in High School Sports: December 14, 2020
VNN’s Romy Glazer counts down the top uploaded clips in high school sports from athletic departments across the country.
Watch as Romy Glazer from VNN reviews some of the highlights from VNN Network schools this week. Plays come from high schools such as Cowan (IN), Lynden (WA), Louisville (OH), Randolph (AL), Scottsburg (IN), and Piper (KS).
How Eden Prairie girls basketball raised over $16,000 with digital fundraising
Selling isn’t easy. Ellen Wiese, head girls basketball coach at Eden Prairie High School (MN), knows this first hand. Each year, her team sells advertising slots in their gamely program to raise money for the season.
“The whole process of having to go and try to sell to businesses, then coordinate the artwork and try to get the money, it’s hard,” she said.
So when Wiese heard about Rally Around Us, an easy and effective digital fundraising platform for athletics, she approached it with a “nothing to lose” attitude. The Eagles, who had gone from winning just five games four years ago to claiming the sectional championship last year, had fallen short of their fundraising goal over the summer. They were hoping to raise money for new uniforms and hopefully, a trip to the state tournament.
A new approach to fundraising
Wiese said that getting started with Rally Around Us was easy. The team created a highlight video explaining what they were raising money for and sent it to over 1,000 of their friends and family members. Supporters could help the team by donating, leaving an encouraging comment or sharing the fundraising campaign on their social media accounts. By crowdfunding online, the Eagles increased their reach to contacts both inside the community and outside of state lines.
Exceeding goals and expectations
Over the course of one month, the team earned 158 online donations totaling $16,675 – exactly $1,675 more than their goal. With the proceeds, Wiese was able to pay for a live virtual training program while the team’s season is on hold due to COVID-19. The money will also help to support the team’s mentoring program.
“It was simple, straightforward and we could get it done quickly. It was not labor intensive and anything we got could just be pure profit,” Wiese said.
Interested in learning more? Schedule a demo of Rally Around Us here.
Campaign at a Glance
- 1 Video
- 1 month long
- 30 athletes participating
- 1,163 supporters contacted
- 158 donations
- $16,675 raised
Campaign takeaways
- The more supporters you can contact, the better. Each contact generated $14 for the team. Sometimes you can get lucky receiving a large donation, but it’s often small ones from many people that make your campaign a success.
- Create a compelling video that explains your team’s goals well. Donors love to see the student athletes and hear about the cause that they are donating to.
- Consider sending personal thank you messages or coordinate freebies for supporters. One concern from Ellen was how the team would be perceived if they were simply asking for donations. Be creative to make your campaign right for your community.
Want to get your team started with RallyAroundUs?
VNN and DragonFly launch partnership
The integration connects school athletic management tools to official team websites and communication channels.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, DECEMBER 2020 – VNN, makers of America’s largest and fastest-growing high school sports communication platform, announced today a partnership with DragonFly Athletics, provider of comprehensive sports management software for athlete eligibility, scheduling, officiating, credentialing and payments.
The deal connects VNN’s Sportshub platform to DragonFly’s product suite, used by more than 55,000 athletic directors and coaches nationwide as well as several state-level organizations including Alabama (AHSAA), Arkansas (AAA), Delaware (DIAA), Georgia (GHSA), Mississippi (MHSAA), Maryland (MAA), Montana (MHSA), and Wyoming (WHSAA). The integration will provide a streamlined process for high school athletic departments to administer forms, schedules, and more from their official home online, ensuring athletic departments have the tools they need to communicate effectively to all their parents, athletes, and fans digitally in one centralized place.
“Our software is
most useful when it gives you the information you need at the point where you
need it,” said Kirk Miller, CEO at DragonFly. “As an essential means for
communication in high school athletic departments, our partnership with VNN
into their product suite helps us deliver on that value and more.”
“Behind every
great match-up is hours of coordination, promotion, and administrative effort,”
said Jayson Jones, Vice President of Sales at VNN. “We’re thrilled to
collaborate with Dragonfly to simplify that work, save administrators time, and
make life easier for parents of high school athletes by connecting the right
information to the right places.”
About
VNN:
VNN is America’s largest and fastest growing
high school sports communication platform. As the exclusive partner of over 15%
of all US high school athletic communities, VNN connects the high school sports
experience onto a single platform for 19 million passionate parents, athletes,
fans, software providers, and athletic administrators.
About
DragonFly:
DragonFly is a comprehensive sports management
platform trusted by over 55,000 athletic directors and coaches nationwide. As
partners of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS),
DragonFly developed the NFHS Center for Officials Services to serve more than
20,000 contest officials and associations in nine states. From preseason
registration to postgame payments, DragonFly handles every aspect of the game –
saving you time and money so you can invest in student athletes.
VNN x Rapid Replay Top Plays in High School Sports: December 4, 2020
VNN’s Romy Glazer counts down the top plays in high school sports from athletic departments across the country.
Watch as Romy Glazer from VNN reviews some of the highlights from VNN Network schools this week. Plays come from high schools such as Roger Bacon (OH), South Christian (MI), Temple (TX), Prescott (AZ), North Catholic (PA), Bishop Moore (FL), and Garfield Heights (OH).
Partner Spotlight: Rapid Replay
When Nick Busto was in high school, his dad would sit behind the dugout at his baseball games with a camcorder, capturing footage to help Nick get recruited. It wasn’t convenient, but it was the best option for getting game highlights at the time.
The tapes paid off and Nick went on to play baseball at Cornell, where he met teammate Ben Swinford. Ben had noticed the same issues Nick faced when it came to accessing game highlights – but he had a solution. There was an explosion of fans filming with their iPhones in the stands in 2015 and Ben wanted to make that footage accessible to all.
“We believed the content being captured individually could reach its full value if we could help see that content be distributed amongst the micro fan communities,” Ben said. “The enthusiasm people have for their personal or local sports teams is even greater than their local professional teams, but there was a lack of available video content to share and celebrate.” With that, Rapid Replay was born.
Rapid Replay is a video content engine for local athletes, teams and communities, used by media outlets, brands and over 1,500 schools. It includes a video player that’s embedded on customers’ websites, as well as a free mobile app and video upload tool that audiences can use to capture clips at games and upload them to the video player. This creates a more sustainable site and better way for fans to watch highlights.
But when Nick and Ben co-founded Rapid Replay in 2017, it was exclusively an app with a camera built in to capture game footage. The company has evolved over the past three years, progressing from an app to an end-to-end video solution for athletics. Rapid Replay has partnered with several notable media, news and sports organizations including SportsEngine, KGW8 News, Comcast, the MCLA, GateHouse Media and VNN to bring video to their customers’ sites.
VNN was also one of the company’s first partnerships back in 2017. This past October, VNN announced that Rapid Replay video players were coming to all VNN SportsHub platforms, where ADs, coaches and fans could upload their favorite sports clips. It’s safe to say that the players have been a hit across the VNN network, as Rapid Replay videos recently surpassed one million views per day. You can check out some of the best clips here.
Nick said it’s been rewarding to see schools get creative with the videos they upload. Along with highlights, archives and game clips, he’s seen brand new facilities, ADs giving COVID-19 updates and coaches encouraging sign-ups.
“The real estate is there. Everybody has a video player on their homepage and everybody has a video section, so it’s really cool to see the new and exciting ways they’re communicating, especially during COVID,” Nick said. “With shutdowns, hopefully this tool is a way for schools to keep their communities engaged and ignited.”
Along with helping athletics departments stay connected with their communities during the pandemic, Nick and Ben have big plans for the future of Rapid Replay.
“We see Rapid Replay becoming a preferred platform for all prep sports video,” Ben said. “Our most recent step was launching an affordable full game film platform for teams, similar to Hudl. Since launching the game film platform, we’ve seen tremendously positive feedback. And soon we will be rolling out live streaming support with this.”
“We’re hoping to dive into live streaming to really become an end-to-end video solution,” Nick continued. “Then we can provide film during the game, after the game, as well as the aggregation and publishing of highlights.”
In the meantime, the company continues to provide high-quality video experiences for thousands of clients across the United States – growing and building new partnerships along the way.
Interested in learning more about Rapid Replay? Download the Rapid Replay app here.
5 best face masks for high school athletes
With winter sports kicking off across the country this month, thousands of high school athletes are getting back into the gym – and adapting to wearing their masks for indoor practices, workouts and games.
While facial coverings are undoubtedly crucial in slowing the spread of COVID-19, they can also be uncomfortable, itchy or hard to breathe in. It’s important to find a mask that’s comfortable for you, whether you’re sprinting down the basketball court, lifting in the weight room or doing yoga on your day off. Luckily, many brands have stepped up to create athletic masks over the past six months, giving consumers a lot of options.
With so many choices available, we scoured the web to find five of the top-rated, most breathable face masks for high school athletes. Before we walk you through them, here are some key factors you should consider when choosing a mask:
- The weight: A lightweight fabric goes hand-in-head with a mask being breathable and cool, which is crucial when playing sports.
- The fit: A mask should be comfortable and secure around your nose and ears. Not only does this keep you safe, but also keeps your mask from rubbing or sliding off your face.
- The adjustment: If a mask doesn’t come in your exact size, it’s important that you’re able to alter its ear straps or nose piece.
If your mask is lightweight, breathable and well-fitted, you’re probably in good hands. But if not, or if you’re just looking to try something new, here are five great options to consider:
Adidas Face Covering 3 Pack – $20
This best-selling mask was created with soft, breathable fabric and the option to insert a filter for additional protection. With a snug fit over your nose and ears, this mask stays in place during intense physical activity. The bands that go around your ears, while not adjustable, are made of a soft elastic that helps keep the mask in place.
Under Armour Sportsmask – $30
This mask was designed with athletes in mind. It has a water-resistant outer shell and three layers of fabric that allow ample airflow while also protecting you. One of its best features is that its interior and ear bands feel cool to the touch – which is perfect when you’re building up a sweat. It’s also positioned off your lips and face, making it easier to breathe and stay cool.
Athleta Made to Move Mask 3 Pack – $25
Designed to keep you comfortable during light fitness activities such as yoga and barre, this lightweight mask is a great option for your low-impact days. The interchangeable head strap allows you to alleviate pressure on your ears by attaching it to the ear loops. The strap can be positioned at the nape of your neck, crown of your head or wrapped around a ponytail. If you’ve found that masks hurt your ears easily, this may be the solution you’ve been searching for.
Carbon38 The Mask Kit – $29
This kit comes with two masks and a laundry bag for easy washing. With a multi-layer filtration system and fabric with antibacterial properties, it’s designed keeps you safe and comfortable on the court. The mask is available in two sizes with adjustable straps, making it easy to find one that fits just right. With a snug fit, however, the company does suggest sizing up if you’re between sizes.
Onzie Mindful Mask 2 Pack – $24
Created by a yoga brand, this sustainable mask is made with up-cycled stretchy, quick-drying fabric. It’s praised for fitting snuggly over the face despite having stretchy fabric. A breathable option, but lacking adjustable straps, this is a good option for your favorite low-impact gym workouts like cycling or rowing.
What’s the best mask for coaches?
Now that we’ve gone through some of the best mask options for athletes, we want to highlight one of the most popular masks for coaches. You may have noticed many prominent college coaches wearing it on the sidelines at football games this fall:
Shema97 Functional Active Mask – $14.50
This lightweight mask uses nano fiber fabric, filtering particles down to one micron. It comes in four sizes with easy-to-adjust straps, allowing a sturdy fit on nearly any face. The mask also has a cooling function that ensures good air circulation. Built for comfort, it’s a great option for coaches.
Sources: Best face masks for exercise sessions in 2020, Best face masks for runners, 9 breathable face masks to protect you while exercising, Sherma97 Functional Active Mask.
The school with the most passionate sports community is…
Earlier this fall, we kicked off our 2019-2020 National Championship, a competition to determine and celebrate the school with the most deeply connected sports community across our network.
With an unique insight to 2,500 local communities across 40 states, we used criteria such as content popularity, coach involvement and student body engagement to make ‘sense of community’ quantifiable. By putting numbers to community, we were able to determine the school with the most impactful athletic department and strongest support system. We’re thrilled to announce that our 2019-2020 National Champion is South Carolina’s Easley High School.
Located due west of Greenville, a two and a half hour drive from both Atlanta and Charlotte, Easley High School’s athletic department headed up by Athletic Director Gill Payne coasted past their competition. They published over 100 pieces of content from July 2019 to August 2020. Their most popular post, the Fall Signing Day photo gallery, earned over 104,000 page views – which, to put into perspective, is as if everyone who lives in the city of Easley viewed it five times.
A true community effort, the Green Wave had nine coaches contributing scores, rosters and articles to their site, snagged several VNN employee votes for their positive impact within our organization and is supported by local advertisers including State Farm agent Meg Boyles. Together, they earned the title of South Carolina State Champion, South Region Champion and National Champion.
Our runner-up Region Champions include Godinez High School (CA) in the West, Noblesville High School (IN) in the Midwest and Sherwood High School (MD) in the Northeast. These schools produced some of the best content across our network, generating over 1,000 page views on nearly every post. A few of their most popular pieces include a story about the Noblesville’s girls basketball home opener and photos from Sherwood’s varsity football matchup vs. rivals Blake High School. Each of these schools had over 40 coaches signed up to contribute to their athletics sites, helping to keep their communities informed and involved.
Beyond our National and Regional Champions, we also awarded 32 State Champions across the country and recognized the top communities in the four categories of the competition. By using a variety of criteria and accounting for factors like enrollment, we aimed to give schools of all sizes an equal shot at winning – and were able to recognize small schools with big community pride.
Category top placers:
- Relationships and development (based on VNN employee votes): Northmont High School (OH)
- Coach involvement (based on the number of coaches signed up): West Bloomfield High School (MI) and Eastview High School (MN)
- Community interest (based on the percentage of a school’s enrollment interacting with the athletics department online): Bellaire High School (OH)
- Community engagement (based on the quality of content and interest shown by the community): Easley High School (SC)
State winners:
- Alabama: Hoover High School
- Arizona: Scottsdale Preparatory Academy
- Arkansas: Benton High School
- California: Godinez High School
- Colorado: Gateway High School
- Florida: South Fork High School
- Georgia: Parkview High School
- Idaho: Nampa High School
- Illinois: Dunlap High School
- Indiana: Noblesville High School
- Iowa: Grinnell Community High School
- Kansas: De Sota High School
- Kentucky: Henry County High School
- Louisiana: John Curtis Christian High School
- Maryland: Sherwood High School
- Massachusetts: Ludlow High School
- Michigan: West Ottawa High School and Lapeer High School (tie)
- Minnesota: Monticello High School
- Missouri: Jefferson High School
- Nebraska: Millard West High School
- Nevada: SLAM! Charter School
- North Carolina: D H Conley High School
- Ohio: Reynoldsburg High School
- Oklahoma: Blanchard High School
- Oregon: South Salem High School
- Pennsylvania: Ringgold High School
- South Carolina: Easley High School
- Tennessee: Maryville High School
- Texas: Temple High School
- Utah: Maple Mountain High School
- Virginia: Cosby High School
- Wisconsin: Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School
Congratulations to all of the winners of our 2019-2020 championship!
Interested in connecting your local community through sports? Schedule a demo of VNN and join a network of like-minded athletic directors: vnnsports.net/schedule-demo.