Athletic Director Mike Ellson and Athletic Coordinator Matt Cox recently attended the 2015 National Athletic Directors Conference in Orlando, Florida, hosted by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). This marked the eleventh year of attendance for the CPA Athletic Department.
Ellson and Cox joined 1,600 athletic directors from the across the world at the four-day professional development conference. They participated in leadership training classes on high school athletics, group workshops on mentoring coaches, and general sessions on the principles, strategies, and methods of athletic administration. In addition to attending sessions, Ellson also taught a Character-Based Coaching course, as he is a member of the national faculty with the organization. While Ellson has already received his CMAA (Certified Master Athletic Administrator) certification, Cox hopes to earn his CAA (Certified Athletic Administrator) certification this spring.
“It was an amazing opportunity to network and interact with athletic directors located everywhere from Boca Raton, Florida. to Ontario, Canada,” stated Cox. “At the end of the day, all athletic directors face many of the same challenges, and it is great to have friends across the world with whom you can share ideas.”
While at the conference, Ellson and Cox had the pleasure of hearing world-renowned author Jon Gordon speak on his book, The Energy Bus, discussing strategies for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment. The two were also able to visit several local athletic departments at North Florida Christian School, Florida State University in Tallahassee, and the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Ellson and Cox will be serving on the 2016 National Athletic Directors Conference Host Committee, hosting next year’s conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville in December 2016. As the current TIAAA President and Chairman of the Tennessee Host Committee, Ellson gave a welcome speech at the conclusion of the conference at the NIAAA Hall of Fame Banquet.
