AD 360: Game Plan for Memorable Senior Nights

Host: PlayOn Sports
Date: October 11, 2024
Guests: Amanda Waters Nelson (Del Norte High School, San Diego), Greg Vandermade, Scott Rosenberg

Episode Overview

This episode of AD 360 dives into the art and logistics of creating meaningful Senior Nights in high school athletics. Hosts Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg welcome guest Amanda Waters Nelson, Athletic Director at Del Norte High in San Diego, exploring best practices, challenges, and memorable stories around honoring senior athletes. The discussion provides valuable insights and concrete strategies for athletic directors, coaches, and school communities seeking to make Senior Nights memorable and inclusive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Makes a Senior Night Special?

• Celebrating the Seniors and their Circle
  • “The biggest message is celebrating the seniors … and I think the seniors want to thank their families, they want to thank their parents, they want to thank their coaches.” — Amanda [02:01]
  • Inclusion of club coaches and non-family influences is encouraged for broader recognition: “If those coaches are really important to them, we want them to be a part of that.” — Amanda [04:48]
  • Format and intimacy vary by sport and team size—from big, public celebrations for football/volleyball to smaller, intimate gatherings for teams like golf and tennis. [02:41–02:48]
  • Emphasis on the importance for families: “You just can’t underestimate how important a night like this is for a family … it’s a culmination kind of thing. Most kids aren’t going to the next level. So this could be sort of it for that sport.” — Scott [05:30]

2. Timing and Logistics

• Planning Begins Before the Season

  • Amanda starts Senior Night discussions with coaches before the season starts. “As soon as, like before the season even starts, when I have my first coaches meeting, like, okay, senior nights, pick your day.” [09:19]
  • Usual practice is selecting the last home game, with flexibility for matchups and maximizing attendance (e.g., not on holidays). [09:53]
  • COVID-era prompted thinking about earlier celebrations, but sentiment from Amanda is that Senior Night is more poignant at the true end of a season: “It’s kind of their send off, right? … it doesn’t have as much impact as one of their last games they’re ever going to play.” [11:09]

• Communication is Critical

  • Importance of over-communicating with coaches, parents, and athletes regarding expectations, schedules, and budgets. [24:06–24:16]
  • Greg: “Set the expectations early so everyone involved has an understanding of what could potentially transpire on senior night.” [23:43]

3. Stakeholder Involvement & Community Building

• Head Coach Driven, Community Supported

  • “It’s got to be head coach driven. Those parents know the head coaches, right? So I work with the head coaches, and we really talk about what does everyone want.” — Amanda [16:05]
  • Team moms, team parents, alumni, and club coaches all play roles.
  • Amanda provides options and guidance in the coaching handbook for best practices and past ideas. [29:00–30:10]

• Recognizing Lower Profile Sports

  • Lower-profile and off-campus sports are given options to be recognized at larger events (e.g., football games) or their own venues for a more intimate setting. [25:47]
  • “I always give options … if a coach reaches out and says, we’d like to do a senior night at a football game, we oblige.” — Amanda [25:47]
  • Example: Tennis, golf, cross country may celebrate on their own or on-campus with a larger audience. [27:25]

4. Setting Expectations & Playing Time for Seniors

• The Balancing Act
  • Amanda aims to get all seniors playing time but doesn’t believe every senior must start: “You have to coach that up with parents and kids, set the expectations … They have to know the expectations going in so they're not disappointed.” — Amanda [23:02]
  • “There’s just no perfect way to do it. But if you communicate, if you set the tone early and you do the best you can, that’s all you can do.” — Scott [24:06]
  • Conversation also covers differences depending on team size and sport, with examples of football and softball. [20:31–23:23]

5. Dealing with Logistics & Budget Constraints

• Proactive vs Reactive

  • Amanda stresses the importance of planning ahead: “Having a backup plan is helpful and you know, again, being proactive rather than reactive.” [34:42]
  • Avoid scheduling multiple Senior Nights on the same evening for community support and to allow ASB/student sections to attend. [28:17]
  • Provide parents with clear, transparent information about budgets and expenses, especially as public schools can’t require all families to pay. [32:18]

• Guidance for Sustainability

  • Balance going “big” with sustainability for future years. “If you want to try and walk that backwards in the next year, there’s going to be a lot of friction.” — Scott [30:10]
  • Give options in handbook; turnkey solutions allow less organized teams to still deliver a great night. [33:59]

6. Creative & Memorable Traditions

• Favorite Senior Night Memories
  • Amanda: Football—parents meeting at the 50-yard line, speeches, flowers, and photos. “Last year we had a lot of seniors and you see a lot of tears but some really good pictures and that’s probably one of the best I’ve seen for sure.” [35:50]
  • Greg: Remembers his own high school senior night with parents as a memorable, emotional experience. Lights and PA introductions in indoor sports like basketball are highlighted as impactful. [36:21]
  • Scott: Highlights inviting a favorite teacher to join seniors on the field/court, honoring educators’ roles in athletes’ lives. “She would have the teacher come out in their like away jersey, walk out with them … honor the teachers at the same time as they were honoring their parents.” [37:56]
  • Amanda: “It also brings the educational piece into educational based athletics, which is great.” [38:46]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Senior nights are always an adventure for fall sports.” — Amanda [01:36]
• “If those coaches are really important to them, we want them to be a part of that.” — Amanda [04:48]
• “You can’t really sort of like underestimate it … for most kids it’s a culmination kind of thing.” — Scott [05:30]
• “Write your bio like you’d write part of your college application. … What are you thankful for? Right, because that’s what the parents want to hear.” — Amanda [07:23]
• “Communication is super important, right? … it’s probably like the number one thing we can say to athletic directors.” — Scott [23:53]
• “You can never really go too big, but understanding that if you do, other teams may follow.” — Amanda [29:00]
• “Every sport, every team, every program is going to have different things that … they value.” — Greg [31:23]
• “Playing chess, not checkers, as they say.” — Scott [35:08]
• “Gone are the days where you can’t be transparent. You have to be transparent.” — Amanda [42:46]
• “Families first. … Keeping that in mind first is an incredibly important night.” — Scott [43:34]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• What makes a senior night special: [02:01] – [05:07]
• Inclusion of club coaches: [04:48] – [05:27]
• Importance of senior night for families: [05:30] – [07:23]
• Bio preparation and keepsakes: [07:23] – [08:10]
• Timing (when to plan a senior night): [09:13] – [12:34]
• Balancing the emotions and logistics: [16:05] – [17:38]
• Lower-profile sports inclusion options: [25:47] – [27:25]
• Setting expectations for participation/playing time: [20:31] – [24:06]
• Dealing with budgets and scale: [32:18] – [33:59]
• Creative traditions (including teachers): [37:56] – [38:53]
• Quick bullet-point takeaways: [41:25] – [43:34]

Quick Takeaways & Tips for Athletic Directors

• Plan Early: Begin before the season; secure dates, coordinate with coaches, consider schedules and holidays.
• Communicate Effectively: Over-communicate with all stakeholders—coaches, parents, students—even vendors and officials.
• Be Transparent: Especially about budgets, event costs, and decision processes.
• Provide Options: For teams, families, recognition events, and alternate venues (especially for smaller or off-campus sports).
• Create Memories: Personal touches—bios, keepsake videos, involving teachers—can make the night unforgettable.
• Stay Flexible: Prepare for last-minute changes and have backup plans.
• Celebrate Inclusively: Recognize all who contributed to the senior’s journey (families, coaches, club coaches, teachers).
• Balance Ambition with Sustainability: Avoid setting unsustainable precedents for future classes.

Further Inspiration

The episode closes with encouragement for new and veteran athletic directors to share ideas, leverage social media for best practices, and “keep doing what you’re doing” to celebrate student-athletes in meaningful ways.

Whether you’re a seasoned AD or new to the role, this episode offers practical wisdom and creative inspiration to help you make every Senior Night a cherished memory for student-athletes and families.