North Carolina Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham and ADU’s Tai M. Brown sit down at the 2022 Women Leaders Convention for a conversation on the concept of a “coaches-led department,” in which the culture, tone and values for Tar Heels Athletics are set by the head coaches on staff. Cunningham: “The coaches are really the ones that lead the department. It started with Coach Smith, Coach Williams took over, and they’re the ones that really share their wealth of knowledge with the other coaches.” Cunningham reflects on the challenges he faced when arriving in Chapel Hill and his early focus on “policies and procedures” as the department developed its four core values. He also discusses the process of bringing on new coaches and the importance of staying agile in the industry’s current landscape.
The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing (click the time stamp to jump to a specific question/topic).