AI and the Athletic Director: the Future of School Sports

AI and the Athletic Director: How Jacob Burke, Nathan Haila, and Bound are Shaping the Future of School Sports

By Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. Bound Chief Evangelist

Athletic directors have always been masters of logistics, community engagement, and student support. But in an era where demands have never been higher and time never more scarce, a new tool has emerged with the power to reshape everything: artificial intelligence.

AI is not just coming for athletic departments—it’s already here. And leaders like Jacob Burke of Des Moines Public Schools and Nathan Haila of Bound are proving it can make our schools more efficient, inclusive, and impactful than ever before.

In a groundbreaking webinar hosted by Scott Jarvis and powered by Bound, these innovators broke down how AI is already transforming athletic departments—and what’s coming next.

"AI Isn’t the Future. It’s the Present."

Scott Jarvis, a veteran athletic director and leadership expert, opened the session with a clear message:

"AI isn’t futuristic anymore. It’s not something out of a movie. It’s here right now—and the ADs who embrace it are going to lead the next generation."

Jarvis emphasized how Bound—an all-in-one platform built specifically for athletic directors—is at the forefront of embedding AI into everyday athletic management.

Jacob Burke, Director of Athletics and Community Education for Des Moines Public Schools, echoed the sentiment:

"I was sitting in my basement as an AD just starting to play with ChatGPT, and I realized: this is everything I do, all the time."

Since then, Burke has become one of the nation’s foremost advocates for AI in school-based athletics.

The Many Hats of an Athletic Director

Every athletic director is also a publicist, crisis manager, event planner, negotiator, marketer—and yes, a leader of kids.

That’s why AI tools have become so vital. Burke laid out how he uses tools like ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, and more for:

• Writing letters of assignment
• Drafting social media posts
• Creating high-quality images
• Translating messages into multiple languages
• Drafting newsletters and community announcements

"I don’t send out an important email without running it through ChatGPT," Burke said. "It’s not just about spelling—it’s about clarity, tone, and impact."

Burke even uses AI to help student interns write posts or create content, making his department more efficient while developing the next generation of sports leaders.

Personalization at Scale

One of the most powerful use cases Burke shared was about reaching every student—not just the standouts.

"We used to avoid posting highlights because if we posted about one kid, we had to do it for them all," Burke said. "Now, with AI, we can."

Burke creates graphics, videos, and even narrated avatars to deliver personalized messages to families in Swahili, Spanish, Arabic, and other languages spoken in his district.

He shared one particularly innovative use case: when trying to promote a boys' volleyball camp, he asked ChatGPT to analyze which student groups—based on home country—would be most likely to respond to the offering.

The AI recommended Nepali students. Burke translated the promotional material, created an avatar to speak in Nepali, and sent the video out. Enrollment spiked.

"AI helped me connect with a group of kids who might never have even known the opportunity existed. That’s what this is all about."

The Power of Avatars

One of Burke’s most fascinating innovations? Digital avatars.

Using a platform called HeyGen, he created a lifelike video avatar of himself. The avatar reads scripts Burke writes (often with help from ChatGPT), delivering messages to students, families, or staff.

"It saves me hours," he said. "And people can’t even tell it’s not really me."

In one case, Burke used the avatar to create a 15-minute rules explanation for a flag football league. The father of one participant recognized Burke and thanked him—only to find out it wasn’t actually Burke, but a synthetic version.

Even more impressive? He created versions of the avatar that speak in different languages to reflect his district’s diversity.

Moving from Automation to Intelligence

Nathan Haila, a leader at Bound, took the conversation further.

“AI is great at saving time, but it’s even better when it starts helping ADs think.”

Haila detailed how Bound is evolving from a management platform to an AI-powered command center. Their mission: to make every AD’s data work for them.

“You should be able to ask Bound, ‘Do I have officials assigned for Friday’s game?’ or ‘When is my next available gym slot?’ and get instant, accurate answers,” Haila explained.

Bound is working on an AI co-pilot that:

• Detects scheduling conflicts
• Suggests rescheduling options
• Tracks unsigned contracts
• Manages game-day logistics
• Recommends opponents based on competitiveness and distance

It’s not just theory. Haila and his team are already prototyping:

“Ask the system: ‘Can you find me a boys’ basketball game next Thursday against a 3A school within 40 miles?’—and it can.”

One Platform to Rule Them All

What makes Bound so well-suited for AI? Integration.

Jarvis and Haila emphasized that because Bound brings scheduling, rosters, ticketing, facilities, and communication all into one place, it becomes an ideal hub for AI.

“If your data lives in five different systems, AI can’t help,” Haila said. “When it all lives in one, it can make powerful connections.”

That’s the difference between copying and pasting—and actually leading.

“Bound’s goal,” Haila said, “is to be your co-pilot—not just your clipboard.”

From TikTok to TikTokers

Burke’s use of AI extends beyond the walls of the school. His TikTok account, built around AI-generated avatars telling inspirational stories, has over 27,000 followers.

“I started it to send stories to my kids when they weren’t with me,” he said. “Now I’ve got hundreds of thousands of views.”

And students are watching. His stories—crafted with care, purpose, and AI—have become another way to connect. Another way to lead.

The Role of Athletic Directors is Changing

What became clear throughout the session is that AI is not replacing athletic directors. It’s upgrading them.

As Jarvis put it:

“We didn’t get into this business to be social media managers or data scientists. We did it because we love kids. AI lets us get back to that.”

AI is the assistant AD every program has always needed—but never had.

And tools like Bound, built with athletic leaders at the center, are helping ADs do what they do best:

• Lead coaches
• Build relationships
• Support students
• Grow programs

The Future is Conversational

Haila closed with a compelling vision:

“You should be able to talk to your system, just like you’d talk to an assistant.”

Instead of scrolling through events or reports, you’ll simply ask:

• “When is our rivalry game next year?”
• “What’s our average ticket revenue for that game?”
• “Do I need to order more water for concessions?”

And your system will answer. Accurately. Instantly.

That’s where Bound is headed. And it’s where the future of athletic leadership is going.

Final Takeaways: How ADs Can Lead with AI

If you’re an athletic director, here’s what you can do today:

1. Get curious. Try ChatGPT or other AI tools for emails, schedules, or social posts.
2. Think big, start small. Automate one task. Then another.
3. Train your team. Involve student interns or support staff.
4. Ask better questions. Use AI to solve problems and plan better.
5. Adopt platforms that think with you. Like Bound.

The athletic departments of the future aren’t bigger—they’re smarter. They’re agile. They’re student-first and AI-powered.

And leaders like Jacob Burke, Nathan Haila, and the team at Bound are already there.

Welcome to the next era of athletics. Let’s build it together.

Want to learn more about Bound and how AI can support your program? Visit www.letsbound.com or connect with their team today.