Independent Athletic Department Reviews
Does your athletic department know what your community really thinks?
An independent, comprehensive review of your athletic department from experienced athletic administrators.
People · Programs · Potential
Why Districts Conduct an Apex Review
Three moments when an outside look matters most.
When there are concerns
- Parent complaints
- Communication problems
- Coaching concerns
- Cultural issues
When leadership changes
- New Superintendent
- New Athletic Director
- New administrative structure
When things are going well
- Benchmark your department
- Identify opportunities
- Build a long-term roadmap
Why Independent?
Why an independent review?
District leaders are often asked to evaluate the very departments they supervise.
But internal evaluations can be limited by
- Existing relationshipsLong-standing working relationships can soften what gets said and what gets heard.
- Institutional knowledgeWhen you know why things are done a certain way, it is hard to see what could be done differently.
- Personal perceptionsEvery evaluator brings opinions, history, and blind spots to the process.
- Limited timeReviewing your own department happens on top of a full-time job.
- Incomplete informationParents, athletes, and coaches don't always share candid feedback with the people who supervise them.
- Fear of damaging relationshipsHard findings are harder to deliver when you will work with the same people tomorrow.
Apex provides an outside perspective.
Our reviewers have spent 20+ years managing athletic departments and school operations.
We understand the challenges because we've lived them.
Outside perspective. Inside experience.
What We Evaluate
Twelve pillars of a healthy athletic department.
From governance and compliance to culture, communication, and revenue — every review looks at the whole program, not just one corner of it.
Leadership & Governance
AD structure, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness
Compliance & Risk Management
State association rules, Title IX, eligibility, and safety protocols
Coaching & Personnel
Hiring, evaluations, compensation, and professional development
Coach & Staff Development
Onboarding, mentoring, certifications, and career pathways
Athlete Experience
Student experience, communication, and retention
Culture, Climate & Sportsmanship
Code of conduct, hazing prevention, and team culture
Parent & Community Relations
Communication, complaint handling, and engagement
Scheduling & Operations
Facility scheduling, transportation, officials, and game-day management
Facilities & Equipment
Condition, utilization, maintenance, and capital planning
Sports Participation & Program Health
Participation numbers, trends, and equity by sport
Communication & Technology
Website, registration, social media, and data systems
Marketing, Branding & Revenue Generation
Sponsorships, fundraising, and partnership opportunities
Every package is built on the same foundation. The Standard Review covers six core pillars, remotely; the 360° and Enterprise Reviews evaluate all twelve.
What You Receive, By Package
What you receive depends on the package you choose.
Every Apex review delivers a written report, a scorecard, and prioritized recommendations. The presentation slide deck is included with the 360° Review and the Enterprise Review only.
Your report
A written, evidence-based review of findings across every pillar evaluated.
- Standard
- 360°
- Enterprise
Scorecard
A 10-point score for each pillar and an overall score for your department.
- Standard
- 360°
- Enterprise
Presentation slide deck
A slide deck for presenting results to your superintendent, board, or staff. Not included with the Standard Review.
- Not included in Standard
- 360°
- Enterprise
360° & Enterprise only
Recommendations
Prioritized short-term and long-term actions to build a better department.
- Standard
- 360°
- Enterprise
Standard Review (Package 1): written report, scorecard, and recommendations, with a findings debrief by video call. The presentation slide deck is included only with the 360° Review (Package 2) and the Enterprise Review (Package 3).
Who Conducts the Review
People who have run the department you're asking about.
Experienced athletic administrators with 20+ years of running athletic departments.
The Apex Difference
Built by practitioners, not generalist consultants.
Every recommendation in your report has been tested by someone who has actually managed a roster, a budget, and a booster club — not just studied one.
Practitioner-led
Both founders spent 20+ years as Athletic Directors before founding Apex — hiring coaches, running budgets, and fielding the 9pm phone calls. Every review is conducted personally by an Apex member who holds an extensive background in athletic administration and management — never outsourced to a generalist reviewer.
Genuinely holistic
One engagement covers participation data, registration, social media, coaching practices, community engagement, communication, and facilities — together.
Low-disruption on campus
The Standard Review is entirely remote — no visit required. The 360° and Enterprise Reviews add just two focused on-site days per school, a fraction of the repeated visits typical consultants require.
Action, not academia
Every report ends in short-term and long-term action plan recommendations — not a static checklist that sits in a drawer.
Transparent pricing
Flat, published fees for the Standard and 360° Review — easy for a school business office to evaluate and approve. Enterprise engagements receive a custom quote.
Built to grow with you
Start with the Standard Review, add AD Mentoring, and step up to the 360° Review — or a district-wide Enterprise Review — when you're ready for more.
How It Works
A clear plan at the end — remote or on-site, by tier.
Kickoff call
Confirm scope, package, and the document request list.
Document review
Rosters, policies, and platform access reviewed remotely.
Interviews & fact-finding
Standard Review: video/phone interviews and a facilities self-assessment. 360°/Enterprise: two on-site days per school.
Analysis
Findings benchmarked against NFHS/NIAAA standards, individual state standards, and peer programs.
Report & plan
Written report, scorecard, and short-term and long-term action plan recommendations. 360° and Enterprise Reviews also include a presentation slide deck.
Ready When You Are
See what an outside look might find.
Three review packages, transparent pricing, and a process built to respect your season calendar.
What We Review
Three review packages. One consistent methodology.
Every package is built on the same foundation: the Standard Review's six core pillars, conducted entirely remotely. The 360° Performance & Risk Review builds on that foundation on-site, expanding it into a scored twelve-category framework — and the Enterprise Review extends the same foundation district-wide, across every school.
Package 1
Standard Review
The six core pillars that form the foundation of every Apex package, evaluated entirely remotely — no on-site visit, no additional costs. Three to four weeks, start to finish. Presentation slide deck not included.
Package 2
360° Performance & Risk Review
Builds on the same six core pillars, expanded on-site into a scored twelve-category benchmark. Travel expenses for the on-site visit are billed at cost, in addition to the flat fee. Four to six weeks. Includes a presentation slide deck.
Package 3
Enterprise Review
The same six-pillar foundation and the full 360° methodology, extended to every school in your district, with one consolidated report. Includes a presentation slide deck. Travel expenses for each school's on-site visit are billed at cost, in addition to the quoted fee.
Standard Review · Six Core Pillars — The Foundation of Every Package
Core Pillars are the six foundational operational areas that most directly shape how an athletic department runs day to day. Each one is evaluated through the same lens — submitted documentation, evidence artifacts, and stakeholder interviews — and scored against the Athletic Department Performance Index™ rubric.
Student Participation
Roster trends by sport, grade, and gender; Title IX participation ratios; cut/no-cut policy; access and inclusion.
Registration & Tracking
Registration platforms and process; physical, insurance, and eligibility documentation; data security and retention.
Social Media & Promotion
Active channels, posting cadence, and brand consistency; recruiting and fundraising use; game-day communication.
Coaching Hiring & Firing
Posting and selection process; background checks and NFHS certification; onboarding, evaluation, and non-renewal documentation.
Community Engagement
Booster club governance and financial oversight; fan experience; sponsorships and feeder-program relationships.
Communication
AD-to-coach and coach-to-parent norms; crisis protocols; transparency around scheduling and playing-time decisions.
Facilities Review
For the Standard Review, a self-assessment questionnaire with submitted photos and video covers fields, gyms, weight rooms, locker rooms, and storage. The 360° and Enterprise Reviews add a physical on-site walkthrough — assessing safety, ADA accessibility, maintenance, and equipment lifecycle.
Stakeholder Interviews
Structured, confidential conversations with the Athletic Director, a representative sample of coaches, key support staff, and booster club leadership — by video or phone for the Standard Review, in person for the 360° and Enterprise Reviews.
Premium Tier
The 360° Performance & Risk Review
Builds on the same six-pillar foundation as the Standard Review, expanded on-site across two days into a twelve-category scored framework — plus a scored Athletic Department Performance Index™ report card.
Districts & Multi-School Programs
The Enterprise Review
For districts with multiple high schools or athletic departments, the Enterprise Review extends the same six-pillar foundation and the full 360° Performance & Risk Review methodology to every school — with a consolidated, district-level report alongside each school's individual findings. Price and timeline are custom-scoped to the district's size, school count, and calendar.
Not sure which package fits your program?
See the full fee schedule for the Standard and 360° Review, and how Enterprise pricing works.
Pricing & Packages
Three packages. Transparent pricing.
Every package builds on the same six-pillar foundation. The Standard Review is a single flat fee with no additional costs. The 360° and Enterprise Reviews are flat, published fees plus reasonable travel expenses for their on-site portion, billed at cost — no day rates, no open-ended quotes.
Package 1
Standard Review
$9,500 flat fee
A fast, fully remote baseline review across the six core pillars that form the foundation of every Apex package — no additional costs.
- Three to four weeks, start to finish
- Fully remote — no on-site visit, no additional costs
- All six review pillars, video/phone interviews & a facilities self-assessment
- Comprehensive written report
- Short-term and long-term action plan recommendations
- Findings debrief with leadership (video call) — presentation slide deck not included
Package 2
360° Performance & Risk Review
$16,500 flat fee
Builds on the same six-pillar foundation with a scored, twelve-category benchmark across two on-site days. Travel expenses for the on-site visit are billed at cost, in addition to the flat fee.
- Four to six weeks, start to finish
- Two days on-site — travel expenses billed at cost, separate from the flat fee
- Twelve-category scored framework
- Scored Performance Index™ report card
- Comprehensive written report
- Short-term and long-term action plan recommendations
- Presentation slide deck for your superintendent, board, or staff
- Executive presentation to leadership (video call)
Package 3
Enterprise Review
Custom quote
For districts with multiple high schools or athletic departments — extends the same six-pillar foundation and the full 360° methodology to every school, plus travel expenses for each school's on-site visit, billed at cost.
- Extends the full 360° methodology to every school in your district
- Same six-pillar foundation and twelve-category scored framework, per school
- Coordinated on-site scheduling across every campus
- One consolidated district-level report, plus each school's individual findings
- Timeline and fee scaled to the district's size, school count, and calendar
- Presentation slide deck for district leadership and the board
- Travel expenses for each school's on-site visit billed at cost
Optional Add-Ons
AD Mentoring
Year-long implementation support for the Athletic Director — a monthly check-in call to keep the action plan on track.
Commissioning multiple schools or a full district? That's the Enterprise Review, above — a custom quote based on school count, size, and timeframe, with a consolidated district-level report. For the Standard and 360° Review, payment is structured as 50% due at signing and 50% due upon delivery of your final report. The Standard Review has no additional costs; the 360° and Enterprise Reviews add reasonable travel expenses for their on-site portion, billed at cost.
Questions We Hear Often
Pricing & process FAQ
No — the Standard Review has no on-site component at all. For the 360° and Enterprise Reviews, the on-site portion is just two consecutive days per school, typically scheduled Thursday and Friday. Document review, analysis, and report writing all happen remotely.
The Standard Review is a single flat fee with no additional costs — there's no on-site visit at all. For the 360° and Enterprise Reviews, reasonable travel expenses (airfare, lodging, mileage) for the on-site portion are billed at cost, in addition to the flat or quoted fee.
Every Apex review — document analysis, interviews, and the final report — is conducted personally by an Apex member. Each Apex member holds an extensive background in athletic administration and management, so your review is led by someone who has done the job, not a generalist consultant or subcontracted reviewer.
Yes. We execute a mutual non-disclosure agreement before any documents change hands, and it includes specific provisions for student education records consistent with FERPA.
We're happy to work with your business office's standard PO process. Note that some districts require competitive bidding or board approval above a certain dollar threshold — worth checking early for larger engagements.
Absolutely — most districts do. The Standard Review is a natural, low-cost first step, and the 360° Review is designed as a deeper, on-site benchmark once you're ready for it. Districts with multiple schools can move straight to the Enterprise Review.
Only the 360° Performance & Risk Review (Package 2) and the Enterprise Review (Package 3) include the presentation slide deck. The Standard Review includes the written report, scorecard, and recommendations, with a findings debrief by video call, but no slide deck.
Yes — just ask when you reach out. We're glad to share a sample report so you know exactly what to expect.
About Apex
Founded by two Athletic Directors who wanted an outside perspective of their own.
After a combined 40+ years running high school athletic departments, Jason Miller and Jesse Spencer built the independent review they wished they'd had — one led by people who've actually done the job.
Jason Miller
Co-Founder
Jason Miller brings more than 20 years of experience as an Athletic Director and, as a school administrator, has developed a broad understanding of school operations, leadership, organizational management, and the demands of successful athletic programs.
Throughout his career, Jason spent more than 15 years as a varsity coach, giving him firsthand experience in athlete development, team culture, parent communication, staff leadership, and the day-to-day realities faced by coaches and athletic departments. His leadership and contributions have been recognized with honors including Teacher of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Athletic Director of the Year.
In addition to his extensive experience in education and athletics, Jason has developed expertise in marketing, content creation, social media, and digital platform development through co-founding a sports coaching marketplace. This combination of athletic administration, coaching, education, and business experience provides a unique perspective when evaluating how athletic departments communicate, engage their communities, promote their programs, and build their public presence.
Jason brings a practitioner's perspective to every review, drawing on more than two decades of firsthand experience to help athletic departments identify strengths, opportunities, and strategies for continued growth.
Jesse Spencer
Co-Founder
Jesse Spencer is an experienced educational leader and Athletic Director with more than 20 years in education and extensive experience leading high school athletic programs. He has expertise in athletic administration, coach evaluation and development, program improvement, facilities and operations, hiring, scheduling, and community engagement. Jesse is committed to creating positive, student-centered athletic experiences while building systems that support coaches, students, and families. As Co-Founder of Apex Athletic Advisory, he brings the perspective of a practicing Athletic Director to help school districts evaluate their athletic programs, identify opportunities for growth, and implement practical strategies that strengthen leadership, operations, and the overall student-athlete experience.
People · Programs · Potential
What we bring to every engagement.
Practitioner credibility
We've hired the coaches, defended the budgets, and taken the parent phone calls — not just studied them from the outside.
Independence & objectivity
We work for the district, not for any one program or personality inside it — which is exactly what makes the findings useful.
Action over academia
A report that doesn't end in a plan your staff can actually run isn't a finished report. Every engagement ends with one.
Want to talk it through first?
A short call is often the easiest way to figure out which tier fits your department.
Get In Touch
Let's talk about your athletic department.
Tell us a little about your district and we'll follow up within one to two business days.