Hangin With The AD Podcast

Episode 25: Homer Rice - Retired Athletic Director - Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA

February 04, 2021 Don Baker & Josh Mathews Season 2 Episode 25
Hangin With The AD Podcast
Episode 25: Homer Rice - Retired Athletic Director - Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA
Show Notes

EPISODE # 25 ...Homer Rice, retired, Georgia Tech AD

Today you all are in for a treat. We get to sit down with Dr. Homer Rice. The former athletic director at North Carolina and Ga. Tech, who at 93 still teaches classes, is a leader who many consider the godfather of athletic administration and whose book Leadership Fitness should be on the bookshelf of every leader. A small town kid from Kentucky, Dr. Rice served our country in WWII, played baseball with legends like Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson, coached football at all levels, high school, college , and the NFL…and coached a high school team and a prison team to undefeated seasons in the same year. Yes, I said prison team. They simply do not make’em like Dr. Rice anymore. Get ready for an amazing story of life and leadership as we get to know Dr. Homer Rice.

1:19- Introduction
 1:50- Definition of LEADERSHIP
 3:02- Grant Teaff & Rice Family Success
 5:50- Learning how to Coach as a Child
 6:50- A Successful Playing Career
 7:30- The Navy, Bob Feller, & Mike Brown
 11:34- Being Coached by Homer Rice
 14:34- Being a Coach under Homer Rice’s Leadership
 16:28- Importance of Holding Leaders Accountable
 18:14- The Total Person Program
 22:58- Major Temptations as a Leader
 24:05- Attitude Technique-Seeing Opportunities rather than Problems
 25:07- Having A Daily Routine
 25:47- Lessons from Meeting Jackie Robinson & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 30:29- Dress for Success
 31:43- Setting Goals for Success
 33:57- Maximizing Each Day
 35:50- Dealing with Loneliness as the Leader
 37:57- Starting a Women’s Program at Georgia Tech
 40:09- Moving from NFL success to Georgia Tech
 43:20- Helping Attract the Olympics
 45:46- Assembling a Staff
 47:20- Teaching Championship Behavior
 49:54- Improving Your Leadership Fitness
 54:00- 2 Minute Drill

Book Mentions:  I Dare You (William H Danforth)               Leadership Fitness (Homer Rice)                Lessons for Leaders (Homer Rice)

About Hangin With The AD Podcast….Hangin with the AD is an interview style podcast where Don Baker  partners with Josh Mathews to discuss hot topics and lessons learned with leaders in the world of athletics.  These leaders include high school athletic directors at the district and local school levels; college athletic administrators; leaders in spaces that connect to athletics such as nutrition, wellness, recruiting, student-athlete recognition; current and former athletes; and others, who can help athletic administrators develop themselves and their programs for a better daily experience for their athletic communities. Please leave us a review or rating to help us know how you were benefited from this podcast or how we can improve it.  Thank you for listening.  And until next time, thank you for spending your time, Hangin with the AD.   
Don Baker, CAA.... Director of Athletics for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. @CCSD_AD (twitter & instagram)
Josh Mathews, CMAA...Athletics Director at Pope High School in Marietta, GA (East Cobb) @jwmathews14 (twitter & instagram)