Coach McCormack’s work-life balance is unmatched and he highly recommends taking on more responsibility for any coach or athletic director out there — with the right help.
Timmy McCormack, assistant athletic director & women’s head soccer coach at Piedmont College, wants you to know how impactful it is to work in both roles at the same time. I sat down with him to learn more about his background and how he balances his work and personal life.
What put him in such a position to succeed?
“I was fortunate to have a family growing up that was supportive of having a good work ethic. It all started with my parents balancing a family of seven with unbelievably successful careers in education and law. I believe strongly in work being a part of who you are and not just a means to an end. The environment in which I grew up in cultivated a desire to be with family.
“I remember so vividly my father rushing home from work so he could take me swimming at the pool on the military base I lived on as a kid, even for just a few minutes before it closed. My mother involved our entire family in her childcare school as I tagged along every day seeing just how meticulously she went about her day with a smile throughout. It meant so much to me as a child to be involved in a professional life that my parents valued, and I think I demonstrate the same to my family when I involved them in what I now do for a living.”
“Our fantastic staff allows me to prioritize what I need to do and check items off my list rather than trying to do everything myself, as I would have in my younger years in athletics.”
Taking on two roles must be difficult. How does he handle it?
“I think I learned that you can’t do everything yourself over time because I would spend 90 hours a week trying to ensure all details were perfect when I first started my career in athletics. However, it was really through that time that I began to learn no matter how much time I put in, I was limited in what I could do, especially if I was going to spend time outside of work with my wife and family. I’m in a unique and very lucky situation right now because my wife is our volleyball coach at Piedmont. So, even when work becomes busy with preseason and tournaments, she and I still have an opportunity to see each other, even if it’s a brief time. That means the world to me, especially as someone who put in so much time at work when I was younger.”
Timmy surrounds himself with an experienced staff to help Piedmont athletics succeed. Outside of working alongside his wife, he has fantastic help from Rachel Hines, the assistant women’s soccer coach at Piedmont. Timmy goes on to mention that this is far from a one-man job, “Our fantastic staff allows me to prioritize what I need to do and check items off my list rather than trying to do everything myself, as I would have in my younger years in athletics.”
How do these positions connect?
“The role of an athletic director reminds you to think outside of yourself, outside of your program. Take everything into account and act from there. Coaching provides balance to that train of thought. Coaching tells you not to think so much about the bigger picture, focus more on the players, and grow from there. However, no matter how you slate it, remembering that balance must be in place for both positions to work is vital.”
The balancing act is crucial.
“I think taking on the additional role within the athletic department actually helps to focus my time in order to be as efficient as possible. I don't have a lot of time to not focus on exactly what needs to be done on any given day, so it's imperative that I make the most of my time in the office in order to avoid having to take time away from being at home. It's tough to do so as you're squeezing in two full-time jobs into a regular workweek, but it's important to me to ensure that I take time away from the office to be with my family. Having a strong work ethic helps the efficiency of operating in both capacities. It's a challenge if you want to excel in both areas, but it's a challenge that I welcome.”
What does Timmy want you to take away from this?
“For those interested in pursuing multiple roles within the athletic department should not shy away from doing so as long as you're willing to work twice as hard for what you want in order to succeed. I'm driven to succeed in all areas of life, and my job is a part of who I am, though not the only way I'm identified. I enjoy greatly my involvement in multiple areas in the department, but I love even more how my personal and professional life are so intertwined. I feel like I've never had to work a day in my life, and I'm lucky to have the opportunities I have had to succeed.”
For more about Timmy and his programs at Piedmont, visit the Piedmont athletics’ website.
