Prodigy Search Retained by Pop Warner Little Scholars to Find New President/Executive Director

September 27, 2024 – Prodigy Search, a boutique recruiting firm serving the talent needs of media, sports, and entertainment organizations, has been called in by Pop Warner Little Scholars to lead in its search for a new president and executive director.

The executive will serve as Pop Warner Little Scholars’ primary spokesperson to the organization’s constituents, the media, and the public. They will collaborate with key personnel, including the chief operating officer, national football commissioner, national cheerleading commissioner, and national events manager, to stay updated on field events and commissioner plans. The executive director is responsible for leading strategic planning and implementing objectives to ensure that Pop Warner Little Scholars has a long-term strategy to successfully fulfill its mission into the future. They will oversee financial health, including budgeting, fundraising, sponsorship, and licensing agreements. In addition, this executive will identify and secure opportunities for mutually beneficial relationships and projects with partner sports organizations. They will represent the organization at regional meetings and major national events.

The ideal candidate will have extensive management experience in amateur or professional sports, is a passionate advocate for youth sports and their benefits for young people, has an understanding and deep appreciation for football and cheer, and is a proven manager and consensus builder. They should be able to inspire and guide a small professional staff and a large, diverse group of volunteers running thousands of programs at the grassroots level across the United States.

Those applying will have the ability to deliver high-quality work and function both independently and as a team member. Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred. In addition, a postgraduate degree in non-profit management, business administration, finance, economics or equivalent is a plus. Prodigy also notes that candidates should have a minimum 10 years of athletics administration and management experience as well as professional experience in a non-profit setting.

For nearly 100 years, Pop Warner has been synonymous with youth football in America and has been a leader in competitive cheerleading and dance for generations. The organization has been recognized as a leader in player safety and the balance of academics and sports. In this leadership role, you will set the vision for the organization, serve as brand steward, and position the organization for growth and long-term stability.

Through tackle football, flag football, cheerleading, or dance, Pop Warner is committed to creating positive experiences for young people in a structured and supervised environment, where they have fun and develop critical, lifelong values and skills including teamwork, leadership, perseverance, physical fitness, academic success and a respect for others.

Sports and Entertainment Specialists

Prodigy Search, which has been involved with the sports and entertainment business for years, is one of the sector’s leading boutiques. The firm has placed hundreds of candidates into a variety of functions and roles. It represents all disciplines, including senior management, sales, marketing, operations, and administration.

Prodigy’s client roster reads like a Who’s Who of the sports world. It includes: the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, Pittsburgh Steelers, TD Garden/Boston Bruins, AEG Worldwide, Liverpool Football Club, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Oak View Group, Live Nation, PGA TOUR, Legends, the TGR (Tiger Woods) Foundation, and Endeavor.

Related: Prodigy Search Assists USA Lacrosse in the Recruitment of New CEO

Aside from the traditional sports space, over the years, Prodigy Search has expanded by bringing its expertise from the traditional sports business to the “non-traditional” sports space. Prodigy Search has done work throughout the ever-expanding esports industry; sports technology industry; and education and non-profit industries. Today, the firm’s senior partner involvement, high level of service, and transparency of process have presented opportunities to expand beyond sports and entertainment.

An industry veteran with nearly 40 years’ experience in wide array of disciplines within the sports and entertainment business, Scott Carmichael founded Prodigy Search in 2007. Prior to founding the firm, he served as head of the National Hockey League’s club marketing department for nearly 10 years.

Prodigy recently placed Scott Riewald as the new CEO of USA Luge. “Following a stellar 11-year tenure at USA Luge, former Prodigy Search placement Jim Leahy is passing the torch to Scott this month,” the search firm said. “With Scott’s proven expertise throughout the Olympic movement, coupled with his high-performance experience and business acumen, we are confident USA Luge will thrive under his leadership. Our sincere thanks to USA Luge for their enduring partnership and collaborative relationship.” Mr. Riewald has worked for both Olympic and professional organizations for the last 25 years, developing strategic performance plans to help athletes achieve world-level performance. Most recently, he worked for the Boston Red Sox, where he worked as manager of minor league performance development.

Related: Prodigy Search Assists United States Association of Blind Athletes in Selecting New Board

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media

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