Guest Speaker Bill Popp

     Today Coach Bill Popp, the Head Athletic Director at Reinhardt University came to speak in our class.  Previously the Head Baseball Coach, he is the first full-time Athletic Director Reinhardt has ever had.  The first thing he mentioned is that he does not have a graduate degree, however, he recommends getting one.  As part of his job, Coach Popp keeps up with all of the athletic department finances, eligibility rules, equity reports, and budgeting (uniforms, travel, NAIA dues, etc.).  He created the athletic department mission statement with the help of Dr. Isherwood.  Along with the mission statement, he created the athletic department policy and procedures handbook.  He stated that each coach at Reinhardt has goals each year that they strive to accomplish, for example: recruitment.  New this year is a recruiting "funnel" called Frontrush.  It helps tremendously with recruitment, and networking.  It also helps Coach Popp keep up with what each coach is doing recruiting wise. 
     Since Coach Popp has been at Reinhardt there have been quite a few improvements, for example: baseball and softball fields, parking lots, locker rooms, fitness and weight rooms, lights, walkways, and the Annual Reinhardt University Golf Tournament.  Some of the questions asked are:

• Will there ever be a graduate assistance program? - Maybe, every academic department has to approve this.  Not only athletes can get graduate assistance.
• What will be completed by next fall in regards to the Field house?- field layed, field house built, walk ways, lights, etc.

I find it very interesting that the NAIA has an honesty policy.  If you screw up, you take blame instead of waiting for somebody to call you out on it.  The NCAA is not under this same honesty policy.