After five years of directing a team by myself, I was ready for a career change. We were moving to a new city and it seemed the opportune time to start something new. I knew in my heart that I could not continue the "director" lifestyle. It was taking a toll on my physical and mental self, not to mention my family life. It was time to re-evaluate my life...time to put "first things first"...God, Family, Self. I knew I would miss the girls but I, more importantly, knew my first responsibility was with my own children.

It wasn't until I talked to a former director from the Houston area that I even considered taking a director position after the move. She told me about a school district where they somewhat understand that directing a drill team is a two person job.

So, I took the job at Alief Hastings High School and directing couldn't be more enjoyable. There are still the ups and downs with the girls but the workload is reasonable. Yes, reasonable...there are two of us!

Having an assistant director is the answer. The duties are split and the director oversees to be sure that every thing is taken care of, just like the head coach of football or director of the band. In my case, the assistant handles fundraising, money collection, accounting, reservations of space, AC/heat requests, along with the escorts and managers. They are her helpers as they assist her with her responsibilities. This leaves the director with all of the planning for the team, directing practices, choreography, and the booster club. The team is run more efficiently because there are two people to do the work.

There are several highlights of directing with two. Routines look much cleaner and polished since there are two sets of eyes to find the placement errors and mistakes. The girls get more attention since two people can "be there" for them, not just one. When one director needs a day off, she can take a day off! When one needs to leave early, the other is there to cover the remainder of practice. It's the answer to having a family and a drill team.

 When requesting to have an assistant join your program, use this article along with several of the following bits of information. Compare the number of girls you deal with to another sport or activity that has one or more assistants. For example, the band, theatre, choir, football, track, and soccer usually have the same or fewer students as the drill team and they have an assistant! Document your year round schedule! Most school districts do not realize that you work year round without an off season other than maybe a month in the summer. If they tell you to cut back on the time, let them know that you must spend that much time to remain competitive. Outline a list of duties for the assistant and the director. They will see that there is plenty to keep the two of you busy. Make the district aware of other districts that have assistant drill team directors. Some districts may ask you to take a cut from your stipend. Be prepared to let them know how much you are willing to do without or let them know why you deserve what you get and that they should come up with additional money for her stipend. If you have a large number of girls, compare to another program that has a lot of students and an assistant! Lastly, be confident in your need for an assistant before you make your formal request to the district.

 An assistant director can be someone who's been a director and is ready for a break...ready to not be quite as involved and doesn't mind someone else making the final decisions. An assistant can be a new director who needs some experience before actually directing a team and taking on more responsibility. Although dance experience would be nice, it's not absolutely necessary. Keep in mind that taking a new director as an assistant means she will probably not be around for long. Understandably so, she will be ready for a director position within the first year or two. On the other hand, an assistant who has been a director will more than likely be around for a while. She's already had the position of directing and is satisfied with her involvement on a different level.

 In either scenario, it is important to respect the assistant for her knowledge and expertise. Treat her as you would like to be treated if you were in her position. Take the time to avoid pitfalls that may occur. Before she is hired, let her know the job responsibilities. Tell her to be prepared to not be the one who makes final decisions. Let her that you will often ask her advice but the final decision is yours to make. Once she begins, you make the schedule of when each of you will work. Be sure to ask the assistant if she needs a particular day off or if she will need to leave early for any reason. Communicate with each other. Be sensitive to her needs. If she needs help on one of her duties, help her! If you let her know you care, she will be more willing to do whatever you need her to do.