SPEAKER_00 0:04

You're listening to the Hanging with the AD Podcast, where we break down hot topics in athletic administration and lessons learned through leadership. Now, here are your hosts, Josh Matthews and Don Baker.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Welcome back to another episode of the Hanging with the AD Podcast. This is a special episode for us because we're joined once again by a familiar voice and a great friend of the show, Steve Throne, or Throney, as we call him. Each year, we're fortunate to sit down with the current president of the NFAA, and this annual conversation has become one of our favorite traditions. In 2025, that role belongs to Steve Throne, and today we're excited to reflect on his year of service, leadership, and vision for athletic administrators across the country. For those who may be new to the podcast, Steve serves as the activities director and an assistant principal at Miller's South High School in Omaha, Nebraska. He first joined us back on episode 87 in 23. Later that year, the NIAA Board of Directors has elected him as a president-elect, and throughout 2025, he has served as president of the NIAA. In this episode, we'll catch up with Throni as he's known nationwide to talk about his presidential theme, link it up, the relationships that define our profession, innovative programs happening at Miller South, and what athletic administrators can take away from the National Athletic Directors Conference. Whether you're a veteran AD, a first-time conference attendee, or someone simply looking to grow as a leader, this conversation is packed with insight, energy, and practical takeaways. So let's settle in. This is our conversation with NIAA President, Steve.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

You joined us a while back, so now as board president, we get to have you on. We look forward to having you here and hearing about your year as the president.

SPEAKER_03 2:10

Awesome. Thanks for inviting me over, boys. Good to see you again.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Yes, sir. For our listeners who might have missed him last time, Steve Throne is the activity director and an assistant principal at Millard South High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Steve joined us on episode 87, way back in 2023, uh, to just talk leadership with us. In December of that year, the NIAA board selected Throne as president-elect. And so for this 2025 year, Steve has served as president of the board of directors for the NIAA. We'll catch up with Throni as he's known across the country about his year as president now. And um, Throney, you know, we already have the back of the baseball card bio back there on episode 87. But just to refresh us, uh, what would it look like? Um just give us a little sense of to our listeners who you are and what you're about.

SPEAKER_03 3:06

Okay, awesome. Well, uh I appreciate the chance being on with you guys again and just kind of sharing some thoughts and talking with you guys that enjoy it. Uh the big biggest piece is uh this is my 16th year as an AD. I was in Iowa for three at a at a 3A, 4A school, and now I'm back at Omaha at Millard South, where I coached and taught. Uh, and I'm in my 13th year, and so it's an exciting time. We got about 2,500 students. Uh we're 6A school, um, and we're busy all over the place making things happen and trying to make uh moments to kids and and staff we'll we'll never forget.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

Yes, sir. You're good at those uh making those moments. Uh we know that as uh being on the board with you, but you talk about being busy, man. You just had a football trip out to Vegas and flew halfway across the uh the the country, and you've been traveling as the president a little bit this summer, so we'll get into that. But you uh you're traveling a lot there. Um yeah, it's been it's been good. That's good. All right, so we're gonna hit pause on the president talk for a minute, though, and we're gonna start with something y'all just did at Miller South that's very rare and unique. A few weeks ago, you hosted an outdoor volleyball game with two of your Omaha neighbors there. I know the University of Nebraska had it held an outside game in their football stadium several years ago, followed by a couple high schools in Iowa. Uh, then we did it here at Pope. Uh, Don was able to attend the game. It was a big game for us, and several other schools across the country, uh, including y'all there at Millard South. Tell us about hosting that unique event.

SPEAKER_03 4:38

Well, it was a it was a great community event. It was a great chance for us to showcase our female athletes, our volleyball uh players and our coaches and our programs. Uh, you know, I think the biggest piece for us was, and you know it too, because you've hosted one of these, you need Mother Nature to make sure she works with you. And she did. We had a beautiful night. Uh, it started out because a couple coaches from uh Millard West and Miller North started talking about it, and then they brought it to us and to our coach and to the ADs, and we kind of just ran with it. Um, but you know, at the end of it, there's a lot of work, a lot of work to get the court down to organized who's doing what and where. And then at the end of the day, uh somebody asked me, said, Was all the work that you put into this worth it? And I just turned around as the girls were playing. I said, look at the faces of our girls. I mean, the pure joy of them getting to play in that type of atmosphere. I think I think we probably had close to 4,000 people on our stands. Uh, and it was just a beautiful night, and people were coming out to to celebrate female athletes, and that was probably as the best thing for me and then for our community.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

Yeah, I echo that same same sentiment. It was it was a lot of work, it was different than anything we've ever done, right? And uh, which it was. It was somebody we had an issue middle of the day, and uh, I had to call in help. I said, Usually I've done this 14 years, you know, almost the same time you have, usually I have an answer. And I said, I ain't got an answer for this. So uh it was it was something brand new, but you're right. You you you look at those faces on the kids, the energy in the crowd, uh hundred percent. Uh now, what one more question, kind of along those lines. How do you encourage your coaches? You mentioned coaches from other other um schools came up with the idea. I think that's funny because they came up with the idea and then you wound up hosting it. So uh they kind of tricked you a little bit there, I think. But uh uh shame on them. But no, how do you encourage your coaches to be forward thinkers and maybe try things that haven't been done before?

SPEAKER_03 6:31

Well, we've always tried to tell our coaches that we want to be cutting edge, we want to be at the front of the pack, and and so we'll we'll entertain any idea. There's been some ideas over the years that sounded great on paper that we didn't do, and there's other ones that, you know, coaches said we want to do this, can we try it? And we didn't we're willing to do that because uh it was there there's points of that outdoor volleyball where I was really uncomfortable, and that was when we're trying to piece that court together. I'm a laborer, I'll pick up, carry anything, but they're like, hey, we got to piece this together. I'm like, not my skill set. Not my skill set. But uh yeah, with coaches, you know, we we want to be we want to be out front. We don't want to be behind and and and follow people. But in this case, obviously the two coaches from Young Other School brought it up. And at the time I was like, what are we doing? And then as we got going, it was a lot of work, but uh the the the end reward was well worth it.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

I tell you what, I I'll let Josh uh chime in here in just a second on his on his problem because it goes to the construction of the court there as a public service announcement. But I will say, as someone who witnessed that and was there to watch it uh over at his place, one of the cool parts about it I thought was that and as people were leaving, I heard people say, you know, I've never been to a Vonabama match before, and I'd have had no idea it was that exciting, right? And so I have no idea if that's translated into more bodies that are attending their games on a regular basis, but at least that exposure to people that saw it as maybe a novelty and then realized this is actually a great sport to come watch. And so I think if if for anything, if it gets some more people interested in the sport, then it's it's kind of done its job. Josh, I'll let you speak to your your technical difficulties you mentioned.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Yeah, I I like how Steve said it showcased our female athletes in a different environment. That was uh that's exactly what you were talking about there, and it's what it did. But yeah, middle, we we set it up. We had a 7:30 tip-off, I guess is what you call it. Um, and we set it up, had it ready to go by 10 a.m. And it was uh it was August, so it was could it could have been really hot, but the high that day was about 83, which is not too bad in Georgia in in the middle of August. But as the sun came up and and uh shot shine down on the on the court, the pieces wanted to expand. And just like a normal wood floor would, and and we didn't let it acclimate. And then later on, the heat came up from the turf underneath it. And during those times, that court wanted to expand, but with those two standards sitting on that court, it couldn't expand, and uh all the pieces couldn't expand, so it looked like lava about an hour after I we put it down and I went back out there, it was all bucked up and it looked like literally volcano lava, and I had no clue how to fix it. Uh, and uh really we got a coach out there who does some indoor stuff, and she's like, I think we just need to take it apart and roll the thing off. And when we did, it kind of settled and uh the heat it had to acclimate to the heat later on, but it it settled in there finally. But uh our coach O'Sullivan, female coach O'Sullivan, because she's the wife of our head coach, but uh hand football coach, uh, she saved the day for sure. She was she was really, really smart. So yeah, I I uh I I stood there with my head.

SPEAKER_03 9:37

Do I I shared that, but I shared that same advice because you had said that with our folks who were putting it down and there started to be some buckling and they they did some things to adjust it. But uh the other thing for us is with our football team from Miller South and the Miller North came in the morning that morning Thursday, put it down, and the Miller West football tore it up. So that community of other co-curricular groups working together and and and other athletic teams coming together. I was amazed at how many other athletes from our schools were there, you know, rocking your school colors, man. That's the fun part of this whole thing, man. Get people together, cheer for great uh great performances out on the court.

SPEAKER_01 10:12

Yeah, I agree with you. Our football team put it together and took it apart. And taking it apart was probably the worst part of the whole thing because you've been there all day and it was late and it's pretty tedious taking it apart. But Throny, I I just had a middle picture when you said putting pieces together. I mean, you're like six eight. There's a great episode of Paradox that people need to go talk listen to to hear you talk about riding on a gator. But I just had a middle picture of you doing Legos. You're not I you're not a Lego guy, you're saying. No, I'm not.

SPEAKER_03 10:43

I'm not Tetris. I'm none of those. I'm right there with you, man. But that's funny.

SPEAKER_02 10:50

All right, uh, Thorny, let's jump into your year as president. Let's start with your theme, link it up. Uh, first, I understand that there are three keys uh to linking it up, but is there a backstory to to what those keys are?

SPEAKER_03 11:03

You bet. I was a uh Lincoln High link, not the cat, but the normal link, like a chain link, and we had four links in our chain. And obviously, growing up and playing for Lincoln High, the links, we talked about the strength of the chain and the importance of every link and those types of things. And back then we had you know that each link stood for something diversity, unity, excellence, a tradition. Well, my high school coach was Aldi Johnson, he's a Hall of Famer as a person, as a as a as a coach, as a Christian man. But he he taught me three life lessons, and that's what the three links that I have are. And he was a very simple man. He said, one, you're good, the first link stands for you're gonna outwork people. Whatever you're doing, you're going to outwork people. If you're gonna be a ditch digger, be the greatest ditch digger of all time. And so I've always remembered that, and that's been my mantra of whatever I do. The second thing was be good to people. If you're good to people, people will be good to you. It'll be a great positive interaction, and you'll love it, and people will love you, and you'll get a lot more done. And that's something I've always tried to bring is a positive uh attitude to everything I do and energy. Then the third one is just build relationships that last. As you look at what we do, it's about all three of those things. We work hard every day for our organization. We want to make sure our schools the best they can be, our coaches and kids and staff the best they can be. Uh and for us in the NIAA. And trying to we're we work hard as volunteers to make sure that organization is the best in the world. Uh, then the second one is people. What we do is so people-oriented that we have to be good to people because we if we don't, we're gonna burn bridges and people aren't gonna want to work with us. Then the third one is we talk about relationships all the time. But if you look around a room when you're in an NIAA deal or at your school, and you just look at the relationships you have with the people in the room, they're longstanding. My wife and I have been married 35 years. That's the greatest relationship I have. And it's strengthened by the fact that we care for each other and want success for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren. But relationships, so those three things have been my guiding force forever. Uh, my coach who died when he was 94, every day he got smarter. In high school, I thought he was he was crazy. But uh, he and his wife, as they got older, I would go meet him every summer. I taught driver's ed. I'd drive down for the day, and I would stop there, and then I would just sit at the feet of him just and to steal knowledge from him. And those are the three things he taught me over and over and never let me forget him. And I'm trying to do the same uh with the kids that I work with, the staff I work with, and now on the national level, that that's that's who I am and what I'm about.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

Yeah, that's so good. I I I kind of share that. My my head coach uh was a Hall of Famer, legendary uh head uh head coach, uh football coach uh down in Valamasta, and he down in South Georgia in you know, June and July, it's like you know, you could we literally cooked an egg one time on the track. Um, I mean, it was just so hot. And he would go out there and before practice even started, he would get everybody up. He'd talk for over an hour. And it was on all character-based stuff, it was on all choices and and and life stuff, really. And he just poured into us, and that was every single day. And I can remember being, you know, being a 17-year-old sitting there just cooking, like, can we please just start practice? Like, can we please? Right. But it it was, and as I grew up and as I became, you know, an adult, and as I became an employee, and then as I became a husband and a father, all of those things came to the surface. You know, it was like I was internalizing all of that. Um, and I'm not sitting in this seat without him. Um, and uh it's it's great that you had the opportunity to go back and and kind of give him his flowers a little bit. I didn't get to do that. And I, you know, he he passed away the year after I graduated. Uh he was in the cafeteria, he pushed away from the table, he got up, said, I'll see you all practice, and drop dead in the middle of cafeteria. And so uh not being able to you know to go back and and thank him for all of this is is uh something that you know I def you know I definitely wish that I could have done. Maybe talk about the the visual that you gave the board to remind them to link it up on a daily basis.

SPEAKER_03 14:59

And and I keep mine right next to my desk. It's the three chain links, Chrome chain links. And and the thing I love about this visual too is is that, and I was talking to the state coordinators about it, is the three links take zero talent to do. You don't have to be talented to outwork people, you don't have to be talented to be good to people or have built relationships. You just have to do it. And and the strength of this, it's not gonna break, and that's how how important it is too. So I put it by my phone, I leave it there. I've got that Mike Bogertz coin, I've got our Patriot coin, and that link there to remind me. And every day I got to get out of my office and go link it up with people and connect and just talk to them and and and see what's going on in their world, see how I can support them, whether it's students, staff, whoever. But yeah, the vision, the visual is there for me. The other the other visual I have out there, and I every time I I remember, I want to say something, Scott Jarvis helped me make it, and it's uh it's a great graphic that he created because he just has that skill set. But uh I I was at state coordinators, he was there, and I was gonna thank him, and I totally forgot. So I told him, and he's like, hey, any thanks, but he did a great job making that too. Just trying, just trying to keep it in front of people, and then I think it's easy. And uh, like you said though, Don, there's been so many people that have come up to me and said, Hey, we did that with our teams. We talked about each of us had a link and how important the link was, and we've all heard food yearly strongest, your weakest link, and all those types of things. So I think the chain resonates with people for different reasons. Uh, and obviously mine ties back to my coach and and the school that I played for in high school.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

Yeah, I got mine right here. I kind of uh after I read your newsletter or your uh column in the in the IAA magazine and you had your three keys there, I kind of decorated mine. I know it's hard to see on the on the camera there, but I put those put those three, I wrote them on there. So it's uh really cool to sit in front of me every day and think about that that theme. Uh, I did like you telling us that uh your shop teacher uh might have been a little upset with you asking you you asked him to cut those links or whatever. Uh he had if you're gonna cut those up for your team, you might want to uh prepare ahead of time, right? You're not gonna do that in five minutes, right?

SPEAKER_03 17:00

No, I tried to cut him with the bolt cutters. I had like my body, I was jumping on top of it, and still couldn't get it to cut. He cut it in about 30 minutes, but then I had to take care of him with a little gift card. Then my grounds guy, the second time around, my grounds guy give it to me, I'll cut him. Boom, and he popped him off. So uh whatever you decide is your theme down the road, president's the future to make sure it's something that's easy to do. You know, and at the end of the day, being on a board for a couple different years and being around the NIAA, you've seen people's what what presidents uh you know, what their mission was and what their their different things were from their smile for for uh tall last year and everything is just making sure it's something that ties to who you really are and and being part of those people, those past presidents has been fun for me too.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Yeah, it's really good. But I mean, hey, you being able to connect it back to your high school days and what your coach taught you is is really special. And I think what you just said about you could do the same thing where you're every every team has three or four values, right? Every team and uh having that chain, being able to do that with players, that's a great application to uh what you did for us and what you've done for us this year. Staying on that, and you kind of mentioned it already, and you kind of I think you flew through it, uh, but but I want to I want to bring you back to it. How do you envision athletic administrators implementing this link it up theme every day? It's not just for the board. You you want this theme to be to transcend our entire membership, which is 17,000 people almost now. So, so as a as a just an athletic administrator in Marietta, Georgia or uh wherever across the world, as a member of NIAA, they read your column as the president this year and they read about Link It Up. Uh, give us give us a little bit more about what you want them to do with that.

SPEAKER_03 18:49

I think that the biggest thing is you've got to make it your own. Whatever those things are those core values that you believe in and that you live. It can't be my core values. You can't take mine and say that's who I am. You can, you can utilize them, change them whatever way you want. I think the biggest thing for me this year has been how do I get my message out? How do I get my theme out so that people know what I stand for, but what what I think is impactful for the whole organization. But I think getting it out just let people know how important it is and the impact that we're making and and how we do it. If there's and I'm an old PE guy, so the three chain link is because I'm an old PE guy, old basketball guy. We don't think past three, so three's all we can have. So, but uh, I think in more than anything is you're hoping that something you say or something you do, or that's the visual, whatever, connects with people and takes them wherever they need to go uh in their leadership journey. And maybe it it it it fires them up and gets them excited about something with their own school, their own program, whatever it might be, their own family. And so you hope you have an impact on them in a positive way that they can utilize it and say, I heard this and I liked it. And then I took it and did my own thing with it. So uh just just trying to be positive, impact on people and anybody that I come in contact with. One person at a time. That's been my mission all year is how do I get in front of more people to have to share my message.

SPEAKER_02 20:07

I think that's so good. And I think another thing that makes it resonate, and I think that not enough leaders really lean into it's an authentic thing to you, right? It meant something to you. It was something you were already doing. And I think people they try to be somebody else uh a lot of the times, and they try to be something they think people will want, and you don't really have to do that. Like there's there's only one of you, so just be you and be authentic to you, and that's what people will connect with, I think, which is really good. Now, as president, you get to travel the state and section meetings plus NFHS summer meetings, the NEDC and other special gatherings. What has been the highlight of your visits with uh athletic administrators across the country?

SPEAKER_03 20:51

Uh the biggest thing for me, and people have asked that, they're like, what have you learned? What have you what have you on your travels, what have you noticed, whatever? I said the the best part for me is I now know more about the organization than I ever did. Uh went to the NFHS summer meetings, spoke with uh Rich Barton and I, big Rich. We uh we we presented together on mentoring, but I didn't know that side of what the uh what they were doing from an NFHS standpoint, what their summer meetings look. I met a lot of new people that I didn't know and got to share some thoughts and steal some thoughts from them. The other thing was I didn't make it to the NEDC because my flight had an issue with my flight, so I didn't make it. So that's one I'm disappointed on because that's a group of people that I'm love to go sit with and and learn from. Um but then I just got back from the state coordinators meeting. Man, I've missed out for 15 years. I should have been going to that every year. That is a great group of people and about 100 people in at the airport and in the just getting after it and doing some heavy work for our for our uh organization as far as professional development go, and obviously the PDA committee and all that that doesn't create. But getting out section meetings, seeing people uh and meeting them in on their in their area has been fantastic. My goal is to try to get To every section. I'm still working on that. But I got to go up and be part of section section four and section five. And I'm trying to get in section one. But just trying to get, I want to meet as many people as I can because I well, I'm a people person. So like when I'm walking through an NIAA event or wherever, I'm hoping I can everybody who walks by know who they are and they know who I am. We can have a conversation and just share with each other and be friends.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

Yeah, that's good. That's really good. All right, let's talk about the comforts. You know, you mentioned one person at a time trying to connect with one person at a time or be in front of one person at a time. You're gonna get to be in front of 2,500 people at a time or more. So that's gonna be a little different there. But uh first, and we kind of joked about this before we got on. Are you gonna be healthy? You know, there's an incident.

SPEAKER_03 22:52

I'm trying to tell you everything right now.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

You gotta be in bubble wrap and that also was stuck. Yeah, you had a lower leg injury last conference. And then we go into the July meeting and you got a uh hand injury. Uh so it's been a special year of service for you, uh, for sure. Uh so hopefully you're gonna be healthy come December. Uh, but seriously, you get to serve as the leader of the conference from the NIAA's perspective. Obviously, it's a joint venture between NFHS and NIAA, but uh a lot of NIAA business that you'll get to lead. Uh, I know you've looked ahead and that you've watched other presidents preside over the conference. You mentioned other presidents already, and I know you've probably uh been a basketball guy, you got the scouting report a little bit. Uh, from what you've seen, what do you look forward to being the president at the NADC in December?

SPEAKER_03 23:45

I think the biggest thing is connecting with people that you maybe have not before, but also recognizing their work. I'll take, for example, the committees, getting a chance. I've worked with some of the committees as a liaison within my role as a board member, but then getting the chance to go around to each committee member or meeting and tell them how much we appreciate their work and what they're doing, uh, those types of things. But just getting to meet the Hall of Famers, people that we some of them we know, some we don't, recognizing and celebrating people within our profession. Um, then obviously get in front of the whole group and get a chance to share some thoughts on different things. And in the biggest anxiety for me right now are two things. One, Phil Risens, well uh Phil, I don't know what the program height is, but it's probably five, five nine. He's gonna say five eleven, but five nine, and I'm six nine. So the pictures, I'm worried about what those are gonna look like uh as we recognize all the different QPA winners and things of that nature. Um, and the other thing is the teleprompter, I'm a little worried about because people don't know this about me, but and I I'm gonna say this in joke, but I'm dyslexic. I truthfully am. And so reading off a teleprompter, if you've ever been around me, I'm I'm a from the cuff, you get what you get, and I speak from the heart because if I'm reading something, you might get something totally different. So I'm gonna be working on some names and memorizing some stuff, so I'm ready for that. But those those are probably my two biggest challenges. But more than anything is how do I get out and meet as many people as I can and and and have a positive influence.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Yeah, that's good. I know you'll meet a lot of people, and that's who you are for sure. But maybe that allows you to, you know, just let that teleprompter be at Phil Rising's height, right? I know he's worried about oh, is he gonna have to stand on a box to read the teleprompter? May I have to get him a box for those pictures or something like that.

SPEAKER_03 25:32

I think he's gonna make me kneel down. That's where I'm going. I think he's he's the executive director. I'll be kneeling is way the way that I think that's gonna work out.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

Yeah, I saw a picture recently. Robert De Niro's on a on a movie set and he had on these shoes that had like literally, I mean, it was these platform shoes because he was supposed to be playing a character who was much taller than he was. Maybe we can get we can get some folks uh some of those platform shoes, maybe even that out a little bit. I know that when when I went to my first state conference, it was huge for me and a big growing uh uh experience for me to see people, uh like-minded people from all over my state. But when I went to my first national conference, it was it was overwhelming, right? Um it was something that I thought it it was it was almost too much to take in at one time the way that I did it. I think I tried to do too much, and as a result, it was just kind of like my head was spinning for two weeks, I think. Maybe speak to someone that's going to their first national conference. Um maybe you know they they haven't been many times before or they haven't been at all. What should they prioritize?

SPEAKER_03 26:39

I I think it's important that you get a taste of everything. I like you, Don, I made the mistake because my first couple of years I took way too many LTI classes at the I mean, I took three and four, and you just kind of get pulled out because you're it's a lot of time of sitting and getting in and moving around. But I would take a course. I would make sure I take at least one uh course. I'd make sure that I'm getting to the talking and trade. Those are those have really taken off and have given some different way to interact with ADEs and share ideas. I get to as many workshops as I can. It's easy to come to the NADC in beautiful Tampa and say, you know what, I'm gonna go do something that's in Tampa outside of the conference and not do take advantage of what we have at our conference. We have great professional development. Get in there and dive in, but just pace yourself because too many times, like you said, we're trying to do too much. My biggest concern is when I flipped from a teacher coach to an AD was am I gonna lose that part? I love going to clinics and getting ideas and all those things. And I went to the NADC and I just went, I'm home. This is what I wanted because now I can share ideas. I'm a big collaborator, but uh, you got to pace yourself. And then the other thing I would recommend for new people or people that haven't done is attend some of those sessions where they talk about getting involved in a committee. Get involved because if you're involved, there's a whole nother level of connection and development and leadership that you gotta make sure you see those, because I think if you do, you're gonna get hooked and you're gonna want to come back every year and work hard with your district to make that happen. But there's some great stuff going on. Attend the banquet, get get to the luncheons, get to the award ceremonies, see all of the things that are going on at the conference because there is so much that that we that that that that goes into this Becky and the staff to do a great job putting this together and and and and the people that volunteer to make it work also.

SPEAKER_02 28:26

Yeah, I think to piggyback on that too is the and I probably looking back, I think this would be my advice is once you come back, right? It's great when you're in that bubble. You know, there there's like-minded people. There, you're you're you're not distracted like you are in your your day-to-day. But then when you come back, you have all of this stuff and you don't know what to do with it. I would recommend that as you build connections at at that conference, maintain those connections after you leave, right? Like schedule a Zoom with somebody you met to go over the things so that they don't just get lost because you come back and you've got 10,000 things to do. And so I would I would encourage people to do that. You mentioned the talking and trading. What is something that it may not seem as valuable on the paper schedule? So as you're looking at it and you're like, uh, you're looking at whatever it may be, it you may not it may not seem super valuable, but actually in person at the conference, it's a home run. What would you say?

SPEAKER_03 29:22

Well, I think the talking and trading, but I I think even the social that we're doing now after the opening ceremony type thing of getting out and just meeting people like you talked about, the thing I always try to do is how many people's numbers can I get that down the road I can text them as I'm driving across country and say, hey, what are you guys doing for student leadership? And then we start sharing ideas and they're in Maine or Delaware or California, is just trying to make as many connections as you can. But I think the talking and trading is a great spot. And I think getting it in and do a workshop, take in some of that. And then if you're not, if you've got something, move to another one. Try to catch as many things as you can so you get as many experiences that you can. But I think you're right. I'd email people all the time, hey, heard you speak, it was fantastic. Can we follow up? Because it's that that continual leadership that you get after the conference. Can't just be a moment in time. It has to be how do I utilize this and take it back and do something. It's like anything, though. I can have a zillion basketball plays that I pick up at a clinic, I can't run them all. And so the same thing when I get ideas at an NADC. If I take all those ideas back, I'm in trouble. So, but I I've got to find a way to fine-tune those. But the other thing would be when you're writing down your notes, make sure they're legible. So when you get back, you can read them because sometimes they're so exciting. Title is probably better. But uh yeah, I I think you just got to get in there and dive in and figure out because sometimes it might be a workshop that resonates with you, it might be the the keynote speaker, it might be the closing speaker, it might be, you know, it might be the the trade eating, it might be you're walking in, you're in a vel elevator, you meet somebody, and they say, Hey, talk to me about, you know, you just build out a start of relationship, and now you see them multiple times through at the conference, you just can make a friendship out of it. So that's what happened with me a lot of times too.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

Yeah, I think that's really good. And that idea that really from from the top down, I mean, I'll I'll I'll give you know Phil uh a shout out here too. This is an organization that is so tangible. That they're not it's not like they're in an ivory tower, you can't touch them like you don't know them, like anybody can call Phil, right? You from Phil down, like they it's an organization that wants to help you, that wants you to get involved because we all want the same thing. Now, when let's say just personally for you, when you look at that schedule, what is a can't miss for you uh that maybe you would tell everybody, like of all the things on this schedule, make sure you're at this. Whatever you got going on, just make sure that this block of time, you're at this place.

SPEAKER_03 31:48

Well, I think the banquet's a big one. I I love watching people hear their story and see and see their you know, their careers and people highlighting them and just see, I love to see how people react to that. Because a lot of us as athletic administrators, we do work in the dark, nobody knows what we're doing, we're behind the scenes, and that's the way it should be. But to get their shine and finally get their flowers and then be recognized in front of everybody and to see their families there, though those are those are times that are really special to me, I think. Just seeing that celebration of a career uh and and people doing stuff at such a high level.

SPEAKER_01 32:22

Yeah, I agree 100% with that, Steve. I think that's good. And you talk about giving people's numbers, those people at the banquet, there there's it's almost a guarantee there are eight sections in our country and our and the way it's divided. I know we have some international uh membership, but it's almost a guarantee somebody from your section, and a lot of times maybe somebody from your state is going to get recognized. And to be in that room and they get recognized and be able to go up to them afterwards and connect with them is is vital. I think vital to your development and sustainability as an athletic director. So, yeah, so so glad you mentioned that because I agree with that 100%. The banquet's a camp mess, it's a free meal, it's a really good meal, and the the production is is off the charts. Um, really good. So, yeah, uh thanks for mentioning that for sure.

SPEAKER_03 33:12

I think I think another thing with that too is is obviously take pictures with people. Yeah, you know, you and you've been part of the selfie thing that we do from time to time, but capture that. There's too many times we can do all these great things together, get some pictures with people, and you're from your state, your section, wherever celebrating your group, because too many times we get down the road and we go like, yeah, I wish I'd taken a picture of that, or I'll be looking through my phone and go, Oh, yeah, but I remember that group, we were here doing this, and this is who this is. And and so capture that with your phone. That's the best thing with the cell phone. Now it's got the best pictures in the world that you can take on that. It's an easy one, but gives you a chance later on you take that picture, you can send it to Greg Smith and say, Hey, Greg, remember when you uh did this to Mike Mossbrucker and those types of things?

SPEAKER_01 33:57

That's a good one. That's a good story. And I'll be honest with you, I've thought about that watching these Hall of Famers. Not that I'm ever gonna be in that class or anything like that, but seeing their pictures on those videos, it's like, man, they took a picture together at that event. They took a picture together with that group or with that person. I need to make sure I get a picture with this other person that I admire and inspire to be, right? So, yeah, you're right. Uh, Don, our guest did it again. He led us right into the next question perfectly. Hey, great job. Appreciate that. That was not planned, but uh that just shows how in tune you are. We're gonna go back to your theme, but connect to what you just talked about. That theme, link it up. One thing you are a genius at doing is getting people linked up through icebreaker type activities. Uh, so so we're gonna kind of get off the conference a little bit, we're gonna finish with this question because I think it is a strong suit of yours. I think it's a a strength. Uh, first, why are these so important? Although a lot of times we think we're too big to do them, right? I don't want to, I don't, I'm afraid to ask this person for that selfie, but you play a selfie game. So why are these so important? And why is it important for us to let down our guard and say, you know, I'm not too big to do something silly.

SPEAKER_03 35:14

Well, I think I think the biggest thing is is we're always trying to find different ways to connect. And people maze, the first time I ever did that selfie activity that we did, uh, or I ever did it with whatever group, I the laughter, the smiles, the connections, you know. Don, what it was, you've got three minutes to get everybody in the room. You got to get a selfie with everybody in the room. So we're in the NIAA boardroom. So you're getting staff, everybody, people are flying around and just having a great time. Um, and then obviously those pictures popped up later on in different functions or wherever, uh, but just getting people to relax with each other, let their guard down so they feel comfortable enough to share what you really want them to share. Because too many times we're in leadership, we don't get below that surface level when we work with people. How do you make them comfortable that they'll be comfortable enough to really share what they're thinking? Uh, and so that's that's one of the lot of the things I do is just to try to get people to connect, but often also to get comfortable. But I want to know their story. I want to know who they are and why they are who they are and what they believe. And so I think a lot of the activities I do is to try to get that deeper connection and that bond so we can go a lot farther as a group.

SPEAKER_01 36:25

No, that's really good. All right. Uh you you might have just mentioned your favorite, I don't know, but give us a couple of your favorite icebreakers that leaders listing could incorporate into their next meetings.

SPEAKER_03 36:36

Uh, you know what? I I think the best one I've ever done is the 30-second, the 30-second impact that when you're building culture, 30 seconds it's done in 30-second increments. And so when you're trying to build that culture, that elite culture in your building, it happens in 30 seconds. So you and Josh, Josh, you and I are partners. And I take my phone, I'm going to record you. You're going to say a 30-second message to somebody in your family, your work family, coaches, whoever, that you just want to let them know that you appreciate them for whatever reason. Then you'll videotape me saying something about somebody else. Josh, you will text my person and say, hey, I was hanging out with Fronie today, and he said this about you. And you'll send that video that you took of me saying those things to them, and then I'll do the same. It is the most powerful thing I've ever done because I will come back and people go, You made me cry. And I'm like, why? I was in church and you sent that message from whoever the person was, and and because it's authentic, you're finding a specific reason why you're because I'm a big celebrator. I think we don't celebrate our what we do or who we we do it with or celebrate people enough. And in that time, I can celebrate you in 30 seconds. I can pick my activity secretary, my wife, or whoever it is during that time that I need to say, hey, thank you for helping me out and doing these types of things. But man, that's been very impactful. Um I think of other ones that we've done, trying to think back. I've just had a handful, so many that I'm not sure I can't think of one right offhand, but uh just any of those where you're doing that, where you're where you're really getting you're getting deeper with what your message is and your connection with your group and and hopefully getting them to buy into what you're doing. The other the other one would be that uh I ran a 5K at the Anaheim, uh you have not heard the story, but some sections have uh 5K, and I'm 6'9, 350, so running to 5K is a bad idea for me, and I didn't do any prep to do it. But if you've ever been to Anaheim, that that that uh has two huge hotels and then there's a courtyard in the middle, whatever. Well, I ran through the first loop when my calves are starting to tighten up. I told the guy, make sure you keep the time running. Took me forever. I was the last kid, I was like that last kid in the two mile that everybody's waiting for a clap four. Did that, and and so that was a story that I've told people when I came back to our coaches. I just my message to them was every day you have to do something that you've never thought you could do. And I didn't do any prep. I'm telling you what, I was I was I was eating wings the night before and maybe having adult thrusk. I did not prepare for for running the fight when that was a bad decision. But when I came back to talk to our coaches, the biggest thing my message was it's how do you every day is important, enjoy every day, and do something that that pushes you um out of your comfort zone to see because there's things that you can do you never thought you could do.

SPEAKER_02 39:26

So good. Throny, we you you talked about being bought into what you're doing. We're bought into what you're doing. We appreciate your leadership. Thanks for sitting down with us again uh and breaking down your role as president. We wish you the best of luck at the conference. Uh, and uh don't hesitate if you see anybody, anybody from the state of Georgia at least walking around, uh, we'll definitely uh give you a hand. So uh thanks again for the time.

SPEAKER_03 39:49

Appreciate it. Hey, one other thing I just want to make sure people know, like you talked about with Phil's uh there's no ivory tower. Our our staff at the NIAA is fantastic. They are between Becky Phil and everybody in the office, Alice Nelly, Patty, um my Miss Patty, Cole, Justin. I mean, we have a great staff that are just amazing people. So we got to make sure that they're they're doing a lot of work that sometimes people don't know or or they do, but they don't know how impactful it is. So we appreciate what they do and all the other band of volunteers that we have that make this organization great. Thanks, fellas. You guys are awesome. I love watching you, so keep doing great things.

SPEAKER_01 40:26

Well, it's a great conversation with NIAA president Steve Throne, Activities Director at Miller South High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Always great to catch up with Throne. Uh I tell you what, Throne is a leader of people. He is a leader in connecting with people. And you heard his theme this year uh with the NIAA board of directors is link it up. Uh, his heart and his passion for linking it up uh goes back to his high school days. And I mean, it's been great to hear him share his passion for outworking people, being good to people, and building relationships that last. Uh uh, you know, this little link of chain on my desk is fantastic to look at every day, and I'm so grateful that he brought these three keys of connecting with people to our mindset this year. Um, hopefully you learned something from Thorney today. Pick up the phone and call him, or text him, or email him, and he'll connect with you. He's a connector of people. So uh we appreciate listening to this special episode with the NIAA president Steve Throne. We appreciate you listening to our podcast. We'd love for rating or review from you. And as always, thank you for spending your time hanging with the ADs.