Being an athletic director within your district has many rewarding experiences and opportunities. From the day-to-day interactions with your coaches and athletes to the struggles and triumphs of a long season. While athletics are usually measured by the ultimate results, success can be measured in multiple modalities.
While championship expectations may not always be realized, positive experiences can always be reinforced and actualized for a team and its members. Coaches may not realize they may be the lone component of how a student-athlete perceives their experience. Coaches must realize that their actions and guidance will remain with their student athlete long after graduation. It is important to remember that as an athletic director you are responsible for the oversight of the entire program. While no two coaches are alike, it is also important to realize that not all athletes and teams are alike. With that, it is important to realize that while we strive for excellence there are many ways to reach our student-athletes.
While this daily process is all contained within the boundaries of our towns, Section XI offers athletic director’s a chance to be involved at the county, state and national level. For the past 15 years, while serving as the Islip athletic director, I have enjoyed and relished my roles within the most successful governing body of athletics in New York State, Section XI. While many of the roles necessary for the operation of a successful sport season and the entire High School athletic process, are done for no money, the big Blue Machine of Section XI would cease to operate without the dedication of the 61 athletic directors in Suffolk County. Throughout the years I have been a member of the Constitution Committee, Placement Committee and served as the Conference III President. While these committees sometime require time out of district, it is essential that we as athletic administrators, stay involved as the entire process would cease to exist as we know it.
These committees are the backbone of Suffolk County Athletics. My current responsibilities include serving on the Seeding Committee, which seeds every post season event in the Section. As a member of the Safety committee, chaired by Bayport athletic director Tim Mullins, we meet to examine all aspects of safety procedures for all Athletics. I currently sit as a member of the Section XI Athletic Council which approves and disapproves all proposals and current rules and regulations within the operations of Section XI. Over the past 10 years I have cherished my position as a member of the New York State Wrestling Committee and am proud to be a part of the most dedicated coaches within the Suffolk County Wrestling Coaches Association which has now won 8 Inter Sectional State Championships in a row. As my term as the President of the Suffolk County Athletic Directors Association comes to a close next March, I am grateful to be a part of such a dedicated group of professional men and women that I am proud to call my colleagues and friends. The past Executive Leadership of W. Homer Ball, Joseph Barlin, Cathy Gallagher and Ed Cinelli have laid a blue print for the continued success of Section XI and our current Executive Director, Don Webster, continues to lead us not only throughout the state but also at the national level.
The athletic directors in my association are the most dedicated and committed professionals that I have had the pleasure to work with. It is a fraternity of dedicated men and women who truly believe that athletics is truly an extension of the classroom and that lessons learned in the gyms and on the fields will provide our student athletes with the experiences to guide them throughout the rest of their lives.
Bob Panariello, CMAA
President – Suffolk County Athletic Directors
Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics Islip Public Schools