Talkin' with the AD
Talkin' with the AD dives into the complexities of America's amateur sports scene, from high school to club, travel, AAU, and recreational leagues. Hosted by an experienced coach and Athletic Director, this podcast delivers insider insights, expert interviews, and the latest trends shaping the future of sports at every level.
Episodes
20 episodes
20 - Tara Rose, CAA - Coaching Female Athletes, Student Leadership & Culture
Host Morgan Sullivan, athletic director, coach, and author, sits down with Tara Rose, CAA, Athletic Director at St. Croix Falls in Wisconsin, President-Elect of the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association (WADA), and state LTI instructor, to t...
19 - Paris McCarthy, RAA: How to Become an Athletic Director After Years of "No"
Paris McCarthy interviewed for athletic director jobs six or seven summers in a row and heard "no" every single time. Today she leads athletics at Eastpointe Community Schools in Michigan, and in this episode she shares how every one of those l...
18 - Jim Harris, CMAA - What Does an Athletic Director Really Do?
What does an athletic director actually do when the Friday night lights are off? Jim Harris, CMAA, Director of Student Activities at Freedom High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, joins Morgan to pull back the curtain on athletic administra...
17 - Youth Sports Playing Time: Should Every Kid Play Equal? | Talkin' with the AD
Should playing time in youth sports be equal, or should the best players play? In this impromptu solo episode, athletic director and longtime youth coach Morgan Sullivan answers a new parent's honest question about youth sports playing time and...
16 - Dr. Kiristen Robinson, CMAA: Athletic Director Burnout Is Real: Mental Health, Boundaries & Student-Athlete Wellness
Athletic directors spend all day taking care of everyone else: coaches, athletes, parents, facilities. So who takes care of the AD? This week, host Morgan Sullivan sits down with Dr. Kiristen Robinson, CMAA, Student Activities Coordinator at Ha...
15 - Marc "Hutch" Hunter, CMAA: Certification, the Three-Sport Athlete & Building a Career That Lasts
What does four decades in the athletic director's chair actually teach you? In this episode of Talkin' with the AD, Morgan sits down with Marc "Hutch" Hunter, CMAA — 41 years in athletic administration, 30 of them as the building AD at Jordan H...
14 - Mike Mossbrucker, CMAA; Pages From a Hall of Fame Playbook: Listening, Legacy & Mentoring the Next AD
Some guests you interview. This one, you just listen to — and take notes.This week on Talkin' with the AD, I sit down with Mike Mossbrucker, CMAA, a recently retired athletic director who spent most of his career at Mooresville ...
13 - Nate Larsen, CMAA
Nate Larsen has spent thirteen years in the athletic director's chair and three decades in education-based athletics — and he still says he wouldn't trade it for anything.In this episode of Talkin' with the AD, Morgan sits down with Nat...
12 - Claire Rietmann-Grout, The Positive Coach
Ballet at four. Division I softball at 18. And a question that stuck: the day she got to college and wondered — where are all the women?Morgan sits down with Claire Rietmann-Grout — founder of The Positive Coach, speaker, educator...
11 - Game-Day Experience, AI & Beating AD Burnout — Brandon Davis, CAA (Allen Academy)
Can AI actually save an athletic director real time and money? In this episode of Talkin' with the AD, host Morgan J. Sullivan sits down with Brandon Davis, CAA — Athletic Director at Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas — for a practical, steal-it-to...
10 - From Cop to Athletic Director — Colby Tillman on Law Enforcement, Leadership & Game-Day Ops
From the Squad Car to the Sidelines — Colby Tillman | Prescott Local School District (AR)What does a patrol officer, a school resource officer, and a police chief have in common with a game-day operation? In this episode of Talkin...
9 - Stephen Anderson - Rising Athlete Project
Youth sports move fast — and most families step into middle school and high school athletics without anyone telling them what's actually changing. In this episode of Talkin' with the AD, Morgan sits down with Stephen Anderson, Athletic Director...
8 - Athlete Mental Health: What Coaches & Parents Get Wrong (Expert Roundtable)
Athlete mental health can't be fixed with a slogan, a one-time awareness day, or "toughen up." In this Talkin' with the AD roundtable, five professionals — mental health counselors, an athletic trainer, coaches, and a mental performance special...
7 - But My Kid Should Be Starting
When your athlete is not starting—or is playing fewer minutes than expected—what should you do next?In this episode of Talkin’ with the AD, Coach Sullivan tackles one of the most emotional and difficult conversations in youth an...
6 - Winning Beyond the Scoreboard: How Great Sports Cultures Keep Kids in the Game
What really makes a winning athletic program?In this episode of Talkin’ with the AD, Coach Sullivan explores why culture is not the opposite of winning—it is the foundation that makes winning sustainable. From youth sports and h...
5 - The Role of the Athletic Director
What does an Athletic Director actually do? If your first thought is “schedule games and unlock the gym,” this episode is going to open your eyes.In this deep-dive solo episode, Coach Sullivan pulls back the curtain on one of th...
4 - Social Media and Recruiting: What Athletes and Parents Need to Know
In this 15-minute solo episode, Coach Morgan Sullivan breaks down one of the most overlooked but critical factors in the college recruiting process: your athlete’s social media presence. With insights drawn from real conversations with c...
3 - The Truth About Travel Sports: What Every Parent Needs to Know
Thinking about travel sports for your kid? Before you commit to that club soccer, AAU basketball, or travel baseball team, hit play on this episode of Talkin’ with the A.D.Coach Sullivan breaks down the rise of travel teams i...
2 - Love Blinders: Why Parents and Coaches See Games Differently
You love your kid—that’s not the issue. But sometimes, that deep love can cloud how we see their role on the team. In this episode, we dive into a phenomenon I call “Love Blinders”—the emotional lens parents often wear when watching th...
1 - Welcome to Talkin’ with the A.D. – Your Backstage Pass to Amateur Sports
Strap in for the very first episode of Talkin’ with the A.D., where host Coach Sullivan—20-year Army veteran, multi-sport coach, and current athletic director lays out the why, what, and how of this brand-new show. In just a few minute...