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.
Publisher
Coach Morgan Sullivan, CAA, RMSAA, CIC, NFHS Level 3 Coach, NFHS Level 3 MS Coach
19 - Paris McCarthy, RAA: How to Become an Athletic Director After Years of "No"
Send us Fan Mail 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 losses prepared her for the chair. If you're a coach working toward becoming an athletic director, a woman building a career in athletic administration, or an AD looking for practical game day ideas, this conversation is for you. Paris t...
24 Sept 2026
18 - Jim Harris, CMAA - What Does an Athletic Director Really Do?
Send us Fan Mail 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 administration, the value of NIAAA certification, and the lessons he's written into his own AD playbook. Jim's career has taken him through five Northern Virginia schools, from an admin internship at Briar Woods to rebuilding TC Williams Hi...
17 Sept 2026
17 - Youth Sports Playing Time: Should Every Kid Play Equal? | Talkin' with the AD
Send us Fan Mail 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 makes the case for long-term athlete development over winning at 8, 10, or 12 years old. A first-time sports parent asked the question the right way on Instagram. The comments answered it the wrong way: "you play the game to win." Morg...
14 Sept 2026
16 - Dr. Kiristen Robinson, CMAA: Athletic Director Burnout Is Real: Mental Health, Boundaries & Student-Athlete Wellness
Send us Fan Mail 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 Harrisonburg High School in Virginia, for an honest conversation about mental health and wellness on both sides of the whistle. Dr. K brings a rare résumé to the chair: former college basketball player, longtime teacher and coach, a PhD i...
7 Sept 2026
15 - Marc "Hutch" Hunter, CMAA on Certification, the Three-Sport Athlete, and Building a Career That Lasts
Send us Fan Mail Thirty years in the same chair. More than four decades in the profession. A wall full of hall-of-fame plaques and Athletic Director of the Year honors from five different organizations. Marc "Hutch" Hunter, CMAA, has watched the athletic director's job grow from an extra duty handed to an assistant coach into the demanding, run-everything role it is today — and in this conversation he walks us through what he learned in the seat at Jordan High School and beyond. We get into t...
31 Aug 2026
14 - Mike Mossbrucker, CMAA; Pages From a Hall of Fame Playbook: Listening, Legacy & Mentoring the Next AD
Send us Fan Mail 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 High School in Indiana. A state workshop presenter for the IIAAA and NIAAA, a past NIAAA Board of Directors member, the 2025 IIAAA Athletic Director of the Year, and a recent NIAAA Hall of Fame inductee (to be formally inducted at the NADC in Phoenix ...
25 Aug 2026
13 - Nate Larsen, CMAA
Send us Fan Mail 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 Nate, a Certified Master Athletic Administrator at O'Neill High School in O'Neill, Nebraska, an at-large Region D representative on the NIAAA Board of Directors, and Nebraska's leadership training coordinator. Nate grew up a coach's kid — in the...
25 Aug 2026
12 - Claire Rietmann-Grout, The Positive Coach
Send us Fan Mail 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, former D1 softball player and coach, and NFHS Level 3 certified. This one's about connection: why it comes before performance, how it keeps girls in the game, and what shifts when a coach builds people first. They dig into the environment girls le...
17 Aug 2026
11 - Brandon Davis, CAA - Athletic Director, Allen Academy
Send us Fan Mail 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 conversation that runs from the winding road that led him into athletic administration to the systems he's building right now. Brandon's path is anything but a straight line: a small Connecticut town, college lacrosse at Louisville, coaching stops at Kentucky Country Day and powerhouse Sacred Heart Academy, ten years co...
17 Aug 2026
10 - Colby Tillman
Send us Fan Mail From the Squad Car to the Sidelines — Colby Tillman | Prescott Local School District (AR) Before he ever ran a game-day operation, Colby Tillman was making split-second calls on the street. Patrol officer. School resource officer. Criminal investigations. Drug task force. He even helped stand up a school district's own police department — and served as its chief. Now he's heading into year two as athletic director at Prescott Local School District in Prescott, Arkansas, and a...
10 Aug 2026
Stephen Anderson - Rising Athlete Project
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Talkin’ with the AD, Morgan sits down with Stephen Anderson, Athletic Director at Providence Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and creator of the Rising Athlete Project, for a wide-ranging conversation about helping young athletes navigate every stage of their sports journey. Stephen brings a unique perspective from overseeing athletics from the earliest youth levels all the way through high school. Together, Morgan and Stephen break down what athletes actua...
3 Aug 2026
Athlete Mental Health - Beyond Awareness
Send us Fan Mail Athlete mental health cannot be addressed with motivational slogans, one-time awareness campaigns, or instructions to simply “toughen up.” In this special roundtable episode of Talkin’ with the AD, Morgan Sullivan is joined by five professionals with backgrounds in mental health counseling, athletic training, coaching, education, mental performance, and athlete development. The panel discusses the challenges today’s athletes face, including anxiety, depression, perfectionism,...
14 Jul 2026
But My Kid Should Be Starting
Send us Fan Mail 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 and school sports: playing time. You’ll learn why the athlete should usually speak with the coach first, how parents can advocate without creating confrontation, who should attend a meeting, and when it is appropriate to involve the athletic director. T...
6 Jul 2026
Winning Beyond the Scoreboard: How Great Sports Cultures Keep Kids in the Game
Send us Fan Mail 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 high school athletics to travel ball and club sports, adults often chase trophies, scholarships, playing time, and early specialization. But what happens when athletes stop having fun before they ever reach their potential? This episode takes an honest...
22 Jul 2025
The Role of the Athletic Director
Send us a text 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 the most misunderstood roles in education and athletics: the high school Athletic Director. From balancing budgets to managing facilities, handling parent concerns, supporting coaches, enforcing compliance, and dealing with last-minute emergencies—this is...
22 Jul 2025
Social Media and Recruiting: What Athletes and Parents Need to Know
Send us a text 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 college coaches, national surveys, and personal experience, this episode explores how Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube can either open doors—or close them. You'll learn: Why 90% of college coaches monitor social mediaRed flags that immedia...
15 Jun 2025
The Truth About Travel Sports: What Every Parent Needs to Know
Send us a text 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 in youth sports, what they offer, what they really cost, and whether they’re worth the time, energy, and financial investment. From recruiting exposure and elite coaching to burnout, overuse injuries, and family strain, we unpack it all. If you're a sports ...
15 Jun 2025
Love Blinders: Why Parents and Coaches See Games Differently
Send us a text 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 their child compete. We’ll talk honestly about why playing time decisions are more complex than they appear, how parents and coaches see games differently, and how to support your athlete in a way that builds confidence, not entitlement. We’ll break...
7 Jun 2025
Welcome to Talkin’ with the A.D. – Your Backstage Pass to Amateur Sports
Send us a text 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 minutes you’ll learn: Who’s behind the mic: From combat zones to crowded bleachers, Coach Sullivan's journey and mission to make amateur sports the best classroom in America.Why this podcast exists: Pull back the curtain on athletic-director decisions, ...
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Podcast Authority Score: 13 / 100
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