Staff Development Continues to Pay Dividends at Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas – Each Tuesday night during the fall, the nation turns its attention to a studio in Bristol where the latest College Football Playoff official rankings will be unveiled.

Who will be the top-four teams? Who could potentially jump into the top spots? Those questions and more are broken down by longtime ESPN host Rece Davis and a panel of analysts shortly after the latest top-25 rankings are announced.

Halfway through the show, Davis and crew turn their attention to a dark room in Grapevine, Texas, where Kirby Hocutt sits. Hocutt, Texas Tech's Director of Athletics, explains the committee's reasoning behind the rankings each week as part of his role as the chairman of the CFP Selection Committee.

Hocutt completed his third and final year of his appointment to the CFP Selection Committee just a few weeks ago when Alabama rallied to top Georgia in the National Championship game. Hocutt served as the committee's chairman the final two years, one of the highest positions in collegiate athletics.

It's not the only leadership position for members of the Texas Tech athletics department, however, as Hocutt and his executive staff have emphasized professional development significantly in recent years.

"We have a great staff at Texas Tech," Hocutt said. "We're always looking for ways to improve and find that competitive advantage, and one of those ways is through professional development through the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy."

Inspired by legendary Hall of Fame Coach Marsha Sharp, the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy is a comprehensive program designed around four overarching themes, including leadership, character and civic development, wellness and professional career development.

Since its creation in 2014, the leadership academy has focused on providing advantages to student-athletes through classroom education and a high-impact leadership course along with investments into team-building, lectureship series guests and an aptly-named "Suited" for Success Career Series.

The academy has also paid dividends among the more than 200 employees in the athletics department, providing the resources for seminar training, conferences and on-site lectures from various guest speakers.

"There is no doubt we want to develop our student-athletes, but it's also important to focus on our staff – those who interact with our student-athletes – as well," said Amy Heard, Senior Associate Athletics Director for the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy. "We strive to offer a variety of professional development opportunities each year, specifically with the intent to continue our mission, which is to 'Educate, Serve and Grow Fearless Champion.'"

This month, three Tech staffers – Audrey Bickel (Red Raider Club), Brett Hof (Ticket Office) and Chloe Schaefer (Event Operations) – will attend the NCAA Emerging Leaders seminar, which focuses on "effective leadership, educational and transitional programing" for roughly 200 current graduate assistants and interns from across the country.

The seminar, which was attended previously by compliance coordinator Sean McCarthy and assistant director of Red Raider Club membership Rickie Alvarez, is one of several hosted by the NCAA or various organizations each year that are tremendous resources for many Tech employees who are just beginning their careers in collegiate athletics.

According to Heard, a significant number of Tech Athletics staffers and coaches belong to at least one national professional development organization with memberships ranging from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), to the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATC), National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletes (N4A) and the National Association of Athletic Compliance (NAAC) among others.

In fact, several members are involved in leadership positions in those organizations as well such as men's golf coach Greg Sands, who is the First Vice President for the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), and interim women's basketball coach Shimmy Gray-Miller, who is on the committee for diversity and inclusion with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

"I think it's important for us as coaches to learn from each other and that's part of what these organizations are intended to help foster," Sands said. "We're fortunate to have a great administration at Tech who encourages this type of participation. It only leads us to be better coaches which ultimately benefits our student-athletes."

The J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy is a first-in-its-kind program that has received rave reviews since its launch as one of the first initiatives of The Campaign for Fearless Champions. The staff includes Heard, Sharp, Dr. Gionet Cooper and Vicky McKenzie.

Proud of these 3 @TechAthletics professionals. Appreciate the @NCAA team for offering such phenomenal opportunities. #2018EmergingLeaders #LearnLead pic.twitter.com/mKBsmn7gUj
— Leadership Academy (@JTMTalkingtonLA) January 26, 2018

Texas Tech University Athletics

Staff Development Continues to Pay Dividends at Tech

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