Right on time for DPS’s ongoing graduation season, Hackney has earned enough credits to secure his latest professional credential as a nationally Certified Master Athletic Administrator. This highest distinction bestowed by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association is education-based athletics’ equivalent of the National Board certification for classroom teachers.
Hackney gave credit to DPS high school athletic directors’ Robert Duncan (Riverside), Amy Green (Northern Durham) and Joseph Sharrow (Jordan) who also earned their CMAA credentials within the last two years themselves. They all inspired him to go after his certification and complete it himself.
CMAA aspirants must complete 12 four-hour courses designed and facilitated by the NIAAA and accrue a certain number of points per years of athletics administration service, fill roles in administering state championship competitions, serve as a communications ambassador, lead awards programming, facilitate professional development and serve on state committees, among other things.
Finally, an aspirant must design and implement a project that innovates or improves programming in a school/district.
Hackney’s multiyear project included the development of DPS’s first athletics handbook, and an online shared drive – a one-stop shop for his 16 school-based athletic directors. Within this living document, information concerning student-athlete eligibility and associated forms, protocols for transportation and facilities’ needs, and resources to optimize compliance with school district and state policies can be accessed by any DPS athletic director.
“There’s rarely not something in there that we need,” Green said. “You can get to it from wherever you are. You can get to it on your phone.”
Athletic directors in DPS receive a stipend for this certification which is another reason Hackney was inspired to get his CMAA. He thanked his predecessor for making that possible.
“It was necessary for us to get those things started,” McDonald said. “At the same time, it’s important to keep them going, and get people to understand how beneficial they are now. Certainly, I believe that David Hackney will keep that legacy going.”
Hackney, a Jordan graduate and previous middle school principal in Granville County, praised the education-based athletics advocacy of previous and current DPS superintendents Pascal Mubenga and Catty Moore, the latter who was a beacon for fostering female leadership opportunities during her career leading the Wake County Public School System. Hackney spoke proudly of how seven of DPS’s 16 school athletis directors are women.
“He has always, always, had my back, has always been there for me to ask questions, to vent if I needed to,” Green said. “It makes you want to work harder when someone has your back and is pushing you to be the best. He’s trying to be his best as well. I know we’re supporting him.”
Hackney has set a goal for all six DPS high school athletic directors to get their CMAA credentials.
He, again, will not take credit, but frames this pursuit as a continuation of the foundation laid by McDonald and preceding DPS athletic directors’ Tommy Parker and Willie Bradshaw.
“Without them, there is no me,” Hackney said. “We’re going to accomplish it. But we’re going to do it together.”
