My goal is to be a mission driven servant leader, that inspires leaders to pursue excellence & influence the lives others! AD | Author | Speaker | Podcast Host

Joined March 2013
Congratulations 🎉🎈🎊 to my 2 Warrior Princesses A. Garvis JR. Varsity Girls Basketball 🏀 @NewtonGirlsBB LHC All-Conference & Academic All-Conference 4.0 GPA & B. Garvis FR. Varsity Most Improved Player Award #ProudDAD #Warriors – at Newton, IA
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Remembering Dr. Anthony Pappas: A Man Who Challenged Me to Be Better Today, Iowa high school athletics lost a legend, & I lost a colleague whom I deeply respected. Dr. Anthony Pappas was an extraordinary coach, educator, & athletic administrator. But what I’ll remember most is how he always kept me on my toes. I’ll never forget presenting at an Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association conference when Dr. Pappas challenged me from the audience. As I shared some of the things we were doing in our athletic department, he questioned me, essentially saying, “There’s no way you’re doing all that stuff!” Well, as he later found out, we actually were! I still smile thinking about that moment. If you knew Dr. Pappas, you knew he wasn’t afraid to ask tough questions or challenge your thinking & while he certainly kept me on my toes, I always appreciated & respected him for it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that some of the people who make the greatest impact on our lives aren’t those who always agree with us. They’re the ones who challenge us to become better. That was Dr. Pappas. His accomplishments as a coach & educator were remarkable, but his greatest legacy will always be the countless lives he influenced through athletics. I’m grateful our paths crossed. I’m grateful for the conversations, the challenges, and the lessons. Most importantly, I’m grateful for the respect I developed for a man who cared deeply about our profession. Dr. Pappas, thank you for challenging me, making me think, & reminding me that growth often begins when someone pushes us beyond our comfort zone. My thoughts & prayers are with his family, the Waterloo West community, and everyone whose life he touched. Rest in peace, Dr. Pappas. You made me better, & for that, I will always be grateful. ❤️ #DrAnthonyPappas #WaterlooWest #IowaHighSchoolAthletics #CoachingLegacy #Leadership #ChangingLives
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Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. retweeted
Well… I did a thing. 🎤 I auditioned for Season 22 of America’s Got Talent! I’ve spent much of my life encouraging student-athletes, coaches, & leaders to believe in themselves & take a chance on something that matters to them. This time, I needed to take my own advice. Singing gives me a different way to connect with people. There’s something special about sharing a song & knowing someone else feels the words, too. So I put myself out there and gave it a shot. I don’t know where this goes from here, but I’m glad I didn’t let that uncertainty keep me from trying. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me, listened to me sing, and helped me find the confidence to do this. It means more than you know. Also thank to all those who have mocked me & made fun of me.. It pushes me to prove you wrong! Here’s to having the courage to try. Let’s see what happens! 🙌 @agt @agtauditions #AGT #AmericasGotTalent #AGTAuditions #NeverStopDreaming #ScottGarvis
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Please help us ensure your coaches have a voice in the 2026 U.S. National #Coach Survey. I’m asking each of you to share the survey with your coaching staff & encourage them to participate. Survey link: osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/fo… The Ohio State University LiFEsports Initiative is gathering input from coaches nationwide to strengthen coaching & inform youth sport practice, policy, & decision-making. This is an opportunity for our coaches to share their experiences and help inform the support available to the profession. Why should your coaches participate? Make their voices heard. Give those working directly with student-athletes an opportunity to share their perspectives. Help identify coaching needs. Contribute to a better understanding of the challenges coaches face and the resources that would help them. Inform professional development. Help build a research foundation for education and support that reflect coaches’ experiences. Support student-athletes. Contribute to research aimed at strengthening coaching and the youth sport experience. Represent Your Profession. Help ensure our coaches’ perspectives are included in the national conversation. Please forward this invitation to all your coaches, include the link in your next staff communication, and give them a reminder at your next coaches’ meeting. A personal encouragement from you can help get more coaches involved. We ask our coaches to invest in our students every day. This is an opportunity to help inform how we invest in them. Thank you for helping us reach coaches across Iowa and for your continued leadership in education-based athletics. LIVE LINK: tinyurl.com/nationalcoach #athleticdirector #CoachVoice #coaches @IGCAcoach
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Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. retweeted
Across the country, about 1 in 8 student-athletes struggle with disordered eating, and athletes are 2–3 times more likely to face these challenges than non-athletes. Unaddressed, these issues can show up as recurring overuse injuries, drops in performance, burnout, and mental health crises. If your school, coaching staff, or athletic network has connections to Duluth, Minnesota or the surrounding region, we invite your coaches, athletic trainers, parents, and student-athletes (ages 14+) to join us for a free in-person presentation and expert panel in Duluth: “1 in 8 Athletes: When Performance, Pressure, & Eating Collide" Thurs, Nov 19, 6:30 PM CST Registration required: eventbrite.com/e/1-in-8-athl…  Presented by author and Head Coach Rachael Steil alongside a panel of sports health professionals, this session equips athletic departments with actionable tools to spot red flags, navigate conversations, and foster a healthy team environment
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We spend years preparing athletes for the next game, the next season and the next level. How much time do we spend preparing them for life after sports? Listen here: spotifycreators-web.app.link… Eventually, every athlete takes off the uniform for the last time. The schedule changes. The team moves on. And a question they may never have considered becomes very real: Who am I without my sport? On the Bound for Greatness Podcast, I sat down with Dan Wirth to discuss athlete identity, finding purpose beyond competition and preparing student-athletes for life’s transitions. We explored how coaches, athletic directors and parents can help young people recognize their value beyond performance, navigate disappointment and carry the skills they develop in sports into their careers, relationships and communities. This conversation applies to the adults, too. When coaching or athletic administration becomes so much of who we are, we need to consider what gives our lives meaning beyond the role. Share this episode with your coaching staff and start this conversation with your athletes. Preparing them for what comes next is part of developing them today. #BoundForGreatness #AthleteIdentity #LifeAfterSports #AthleticDirectors #Coaching #StudentAthleteDevelopment
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Well… I did a thing. 🎤 I auditioned for Season 22 of America’s Got Talent! I’ve spent much of my life encouraging student-athletes, coaches, & leaders to believe in themselves & take a chance on something that matters to them. This time, I needed to take my own advice. Singing gives me a different way to connect with people. There’s something special about sharing a song & knowing someone else feels the words, too. So I put myself out there and gave it a shot. I don’t know where this goes from here, but I’m glad I didn’t let that uncertainty keep me from trying. Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me, listened to me sing, and helped me find the confidence to do this. It means more than you know. Also thank to all those who have mocked me & made fun of me.. It pushes me to prove you wrong! Here’s to having the courage to try. Let’s see what happens! 🙌 @agt @agtauditions #AGT #AmericasGotTalent #AGTAuditions #NeverStopDreaming #ScottGarvis
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Athletic directors spend their days helping everyone else get better. Take 15 minutes to invest in your own growth. youtube.com/watch?v=2eTUgG37… We’re launching our inaugural 15 Minutes to Better, & I’m inviting our Iowa ADs and athletic directors across the country to join us! Presented by the IHSADA, this professional development series brings athletic leaders together to share practical ideas, learn from one another, and strengthen the work we do for students, coaches, and communities. After nearly three decades in athletic administration, I’m still learning. Some of my best ideas have come from another AD willing to share what’s working and what experience has taught them. That’s the spirit behind this series. Watch our inaugural episode, with Taylor Chapman, Spencer, IA Athletic Administrator & make time to get better together. #15MinutesToBetter #IHSADA #AthleticDirectors #AthleticLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment
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AUTISM AWARENESS: SOMETIMES OUR GREATEST TEACHERS ARE THE PEOPLE WE LEAST EXPECT. ❤️ This picture is one of my favorites: my niece, Kelsey, & me sitting together at the piano. It reminds me how much this incredible young person has taught me about life, love, laughter, & what truly matters. Kelsey has autism, but autism is only one part of who she is. She is funny, beautiful, unique, & amazing. She brings joy to ordinary moments and reminds me that life’s greatest gifts are often the people we’re blessed to love. I’ve spent much of my life working with young people, speaking about leadership, & encouraging others to make a difference. Yet some of my most important lessons have come from Kelsey. She’s taught me that communication is more than words, love doesn’t have to look a certain way, laughter can connect us deeply, & being different never means being less. Autism awareness is only the beginning. What truly matters is acceptance, understanding, inclusion, & valuing every person for exactly who they are. Kelsey doesn’t need to become someone else to make the world better, she does that simply by being Kelsey. As her uncle, I’m incredibly proud of her & grateful to be part of her life. I love you, Kelsey. Thank you for making my world brighter, my laughter louder, & my heart bigger. ❤️ #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity #InclusionMatters #DifferentNotLess #FamilyLove #LifeLessons #CelebrateDifferences #UnconditionalLove
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Embrace the challenge of difficult people by responding with empathy & grace, transforming their negativity into an opportunity for personal growth & understanding. Rise above their behavior, choose kindness, & let your character shine. #EQ #DifficultPeople #GrowthMindset
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The first person to break through the wall is usually the bloodiest!
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Across the country, about 1 in 8 student-athletes struggle with disordered eating, and athletes are 2–3 times more likely to face these challenges than non-athletes. Unaddressed, these issues can show up as recurring overuse injuries, drops in performance, burnout, and mental health crises. If your school, coaching staff, or athletic network has connections to Duluth, Minnesota or the surrounding region, we invite your coaches, athletic trainers, parents, and student-athletes (ages 14+) to join us for a free in-person presentation and expert panel in Duluth: “1 in 8 Athletes: When Performance, Pressure, & Eating Collide" Thurs, Nov 19, 6:30 PM CST Registration required: eventbrite.com/e/1-in-8-athl…  Presented by author and Head Coach Rachael Steil alongside a panel of sports health professionals, this session equips athletic departments with actionable tools to spot red flags, navigate conversations, and foster a healthy team environment
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Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. retweeted
Leadership isn’t about standing above others. It’s about standing in front of them when they need protection, beside them when they face adversity, and behind them when it’s their time to shine. If you’re only leading when it’s comfortable, you’re not really leading.
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Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. retweeted
Today, I find myself overwhelmed with a mix of emotions as I sit down to write this post. It feels like just yesterday that my little girls were running around the house, watching ABC Mouse, Calling people on Skype to show off their latest Pet Shops, their laughter filling the air and their tiny hands reaching out for mine. Time truly flies, and now, these amazing young women stand before me, in the blink of an eye! From the moment they took their first steps to the accomplishments they now achieve, my heart is filled with pride. They have grown into young ladies who embrace challenges head-on, who never back down in the face of adversity, and who constantly strive for excellence in everything they do. As I reflect on their journey, I can't help but feel a longing for the days when they were little. The moments we spent singing Danke Schoen, saying “Daddy talk like a monster”, watching the girls put on their nightly theater productions with song 🎶 & dance & even some sketch comedy, and the countless hugs & kisses now reside in my memories. I miss those days, but I also understand that life is a series of ever-changing chapters, of a book in which we never know when or how it ends. I find myself filled with anticipation for what lies ahead. Their potential knows no bounds, and I can't wait to witness the incredible things they will achieve. I know they will make a positive impact on the world, just as they have made a profound impact on my life. @alexgarvis_26 & @Brookeg_03 Always remember that your dad is here, cheering you on every step of the way. You have grown into remarkable people, and I feel blessed to be apart to your journey. As you pursue your dreams & navigate the path ahead, never forget how much I love ❤️ you both! So, here's to the past, the present, and the future, a journey filled with memories, lessons learned, and endless possibilities. Love ❤️ You!
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Congratulations Bryce!!
Please join us in congratulating Northeast High School District AD of the Year, Bryce Conway of Riceville!
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Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. retweeted
📘 GREAT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS DON’T JUST MANAGE PROGRAMS. THEY CHANGE LIVES. What separates a good Athletic Director from a GREAT one? It’s not championships, facilities, or budgets. It’s the ability to lead people, build relationships, develop coaches, and create a culture where student-athletes thrive. That’s the foundation of my book, The DNA of an AD-Athletic Director: 12 Principles of Highly Effective Athletic Administrators. And nothing means more than hearing from athletic leaders who are putting these principles into action! 💬 “The DNA of an AD is a great tool. I’ve been following and utilizing the content and best practices throughout this fall. Keep up the great work!” 👏 Blake Johnson Athletic Director | All Saints Episcopal Day School The true value of leadership isn’t what you know. It’s what you put into practice. Whether you’re a new Athletic Director, a veteran AD, or an aspiring athletic administrator, this book provides 12 practical principles to help you: ✅ Build stronger relationships ✅ Develop coaches and student-athletes ✅ Create a championship culture beyond the scoreboard ✅ Lead with purpose and confidence ✅ Leave a lasting legacy through educational athletics Athletic Directors have one of the most influential jobs in education. Let’s make sure we’re leading with purpose, not just managing the next event. 📚 Ready to elevate your athletic leadership? Get your copy of The DNA of an AD-Athletic Director today! 👇 ADs, what’s ONE leadership principle you believe every athletic director should live by? #AthleticDirector #AthleticLeadership #AthleticAdministration #HighSchoolAthletics #EducationalAthletics
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🏆 THE INVISIBLE MVP: WHO’S REALLY MAKING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS POSSIBLE? Every successful athletic program has people working behind the scenes who rarely receive the recognition they deserve. They aren’t always the ones holding trophies, calling plays, or standing in the spotlight. But without their leadership, dedication, and commitment, our athletic programs simply wouldn’t be the same. It’s time to recognize the INVISIBLE MVPs of high school athletics! 🎙️ Join Scott Garvis, Executive Director of the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association and host of Bound for Greatness, for a powerful conversation with three outstanding athletic leaders: 🏆 Geoff Dixon, CAA | River Valley (PA) 🏆 Jason Corley, CMAA | Long Branch (NJ) 🏆 Phillip Gilmer | MIT (AZ) Together, we’ll explore how athletic directors can recognize, empower, and develop the people who make education-based athletics possible. 💡 We’ll discuss: Recognizing the unsung heroes behind successful athletic programs. Building a culture where every contribution matters. Empowering coaches, staff, and support personnel through intentional leadership. Creating stronger athletic departments through appreciation, connection, and purpose. Why great leadership isn’t always about being visible. Sometimes it’s about making others feel valued. 📅 October 21 | 1:00 PM ET 🎥 FREE WEBINAR Presented by Bound, the Official Scheduling Partner of the NIAAA. Great athletic programs aren’t built by one person. They’re built by people who believe their contributions matter. Who is the INVISIBLE MVP in your athletic department? 👇 Tag someone who deserves recognition! #TheInvisibleMVP #AthleticDirectors #AthleticLeadership #HighSchoolAthletics #EducationBasedAthletics #AthleticAdministration #SchoolLeadership #CoachingLeadership #NIAAA #BoundForGreatness #LeadMoreManageLess #ChangingLives
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📘 GREAT ATHLETIC DIRECTORS DON’T JUST MANAGE PROGRAMS. THEY CHANGE LIVES. What separates a good Athletic Director from a GREAT one? It’s not championships, facilities, or budgets. It’s the ability to lead people, build relationships, develop coaches, and create a culture where student-athletes thrive. That’s the foundation of my book, The DNA of an AD-Athletic Director: 12 Principles of Highly Effective Athletic Administrators. And nothing means more than hearing from athletic leaders who are putting these principles into action! 💬 “The DNA of an AD is a great tool. I’ve been following and utilizing the content and best practices throughout this fall. Keep up the great work!” 👏 Blake Johnson Athletic Director | All Saints Episcopal Day School The true value of leadership isn’t what you know. It’s what you put into practice. Whether you’re a new Athletic Director, a veteran AD, or an aspiring athletic administrator, this book provides 12 practical principles to help you: ✅ Build stronger relationships ✅ Develop coaches and student-athletes ✅ Create a championship culture beyond the scoreboard ✅ Lead with purpose and confidence ✅ Leave a lasting legacy through educational athletics Athletic Directors have one of the most influential jobs in education. Let’s make sure we’re leading with purpose, not just managing the next event. 📚 Ready to elevate your athletic leadership? Get your copy of The DNA of an AD-Athletic Director today! 👇 ADs, what’s ONE leadership principle you believe every athletic director should live by? #AthleticDirector #AthleticLeadership #AthleticAdministration #HighSchoolAthletics #EducationalAthletics
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Congratulations Jake!!
Please join us in congratulating Northeast Middle School District AD of the Year, Jake Nimrod of Decorah!
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Congratulations Bryce!! Well deserved honor!
Please join us in congratulating Northeast High School District AD of the Year, Bryce Conway of Riceville!
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