The University of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business has formalized its partnership with Northwestern’s athletics department by creating the Kellogg Coaches Leadership Academy. The academy will provide leadership and business training to college coaches, and its first cohort will include 21 head coaches from a majority of Northwestern’s D-I teams.
According to NU Sports News, the idea for the Leadership Academy was born when Mark Jackson, vice president for athletics and recreation, saw a need for critical skills among Northwestern’s coaches.
Coaches in the academy will learn “business analytics, crisis management, dynamic relationship shifts, complex negotiations and selling in uncertain situations.” Leading this educational resource are Harreld and Sara Kirkpatrick. Harreld Kirkpatrick was a member of Northwestern’s men’s basketball team, and he currently serves as a university trustee and a member of the Kellogg Global Advisory Board.
"Today's collegiate coaches are essentially CEOs of complex organizations," said Kirkpatrick. "They manage multi-million-dollar budgets, lead diverse staffs, and navigate complex, new regulatory environments, all while expected to compete at the highest levels of sport. As both a business leader and a former student-athlete, I see tremendous opportunity in sports leadership, and this new program brings to coaches a business and sports framework and leadership strategies that will be critical to future success. Sara and I are so impressed with Northwestern's coaches and love that they, along with Mark, recognize that their impact extends far beyond wins and losses - they're developing the next generation of leaders, and they deserve the best professional development tools available.”
The Leadership Academy will launch in August, and one inaugural cohort member, Kate Dorhan, head coach of Northwestern’s softball team said, “The business of college athletics has never been more complex. Having access to world-class faculty from our business school will give our coaching staff tools that directly translate to program success while continuing to create a remarkable experience for our student-athletes."
While the inaugural year of the program is limited to Northwestern staff, there is a possibility of the program expanding to other universities and divisions.
