Joane Thibault didn't always plan to be an athletic director. Like
many other people in her position, she ended up there accidentally. "I was
in the military, in physical education, for 24 years," she says.
"The military decided to let the entire physical education staff go and
outsource that to a private company, and so I found myself looking for another
job."
Thibault didn't have to look long. "When I heard the military was
outsourcing the physical education, I applied to the Royal Military College,
and got hired on." She is currently the athletic director for the college.
Thibault loves what she does, though she admits it was an adjustment in
the beginning. "One day I was in a uniform, and the next day I was in civilian
clothes. The salaries and conditions were different, but I love what I do."
What Thibault does varies from day to day. "It really depends on what time
of year it is," she says. Transition times are busy -- like when fall sports
are ending and winter sports are beginning. "Coordination is everything so
that everything runs smoothly."
Still, Thibault says she loves everything about being an athletic director.
"I love dealing with young people. I love dealing with healthy people. And
I love dealing with people who want to play sports. Everyone here knows everyone
on a first-name basis, and that makes working together more fun."
Being able to working with people is also what drew Jeff Ward to the job.
Ward is the athletic director for Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
"I started out as a coach," he says. "I spent a lot of time coaching, but
I also volunteered to help in the administrative area. And that gave me a
good foundation for being an athletic director."
Eventually, Ward moved up through the ranks of the athletic department.
"I moved into an assistant director's position, and eventually, the director's
position came open and I was qualified for it," he says.
"At my level, there are really a lot of different aspects to the job,"
Ward says and then laughs. He jokes that it takes too much time to list all
of the different functions he has. "Just say that it's part management
of and supporting the athletic staff. It's part philosophy and dealing
with people. It's part working with the college. And it's part working
with the alumni to make sure that the traditions of the college stay intact."
Of course, Ward says that almost makes the job sound easy. It's not.
"I do budgeting, scheduling, personnel issues and much, much more. It's
certainly a challenging position."
Still, Ward isn't daunted by the different functions and duties. "I
love working with people in an athletic setting," he says. "And there really
is nothing I dislike about this job." Even the paperwork doesn't get
him down.
Ward says being involved in the athletics department is a good start to
becoming a director. "Good education is always helpful," he says. "But just
as important [is] getting involved in the athletics department.
It's hard to [say] exactly what makes a great sports director, but you
have to know the workings of the department and you have to get involved."