Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 4, 1993 TAG: 9303040349
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
SPORTS COHORTS
When Jane Layman went to her first Region III meeting, it wasn't apparent that she was William Byrd High School's athletic director."I was very pregnant," said Layman. "One of the principals came over and asked me who I was there to take notes for. Mr. [Bob] Patterson [the William Byrd principal] told him who I was.
"The funny end of that story was that principal called me constantly the next few years to get answers to questions. He's long since gone.
"I wasn't offended because other athletic directors treated me [as their] equal."
Layman, Salem's Sandy Hadaway and Patrick County's Cindy Terry are the only three female athletic directors in Timesland.
"When you go to state conferences, there always seem to be a few more [women athletic directors]. But there's a long way to go for a female to be involved. Some of the big schools up North have a woman take care of girls' athletics," said Hadaway.
Layman, 37, has been Byrd's athletic director since 1983. Hadaway, 41, is in her fifth year at Salem.
The two have been among the dominant athletic directors for Group AA schools, running numerous district, regional and state tournaments.
Although they have become fast friends, Layman and Hadaway
arrived in the Roanoke-area by different means. Layman, from Wilmington, Del., married a Roanoke native and moved into the area after graduating from Longwood College.
Hadaway, who is from Elyria, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland, was recruited to Roanoke College where she played field hockey, volleyball, basketball and golf.
Hadaway also is an assistant principal at Salem, while Layman's main job is to serve as athletic director for Byrd high and middle schools.
Hadaway, who also officiates field hockey, lacrosse and volleyball, has persuaded Layman to become a field hockey official.
The athletic director's job has become more complicated in the past 10 years, which is one reason most schools separate the duties of coach and athletic director.
"We have to do the scheduling, fill the eligibility forms, order the equipment, work with the booster club in all sports and be the managers on game day," said Layman.
"It isn't just a job. I really honestly care for them [the players and coaches]. I almost feel like they're my own children. My office is constantly full of basketball, football and baseball players," said Layman. "If you truly enjoy what you're going to be doing as an athletic director, I don't see how you can't be emotionally involved. When they lose, I hurt every bit as much as they do. When they win, I'm every bit as excited as they are."
Hadaway's emotions were tested when Salem made a protest about Richlands wearing illegal cleats in the Group AA Division 4 state football semifinals.
When Salem football coach Willis White was admonished by the Virginia High School League for his statement that others felt the organization would do nothing about the cleats situation, Hadaway was upset for both her coach and school.
"Sure I feel for our teams. I'm competitive at heart, and you always want to win. You know as a former athlete how much time and effort they put into a sport, how much the coach puts in.
"I've played all the roles - player, coach, official and administrator," Hadaway said. "I always go back and see the coach afterward, but they need to deal with their winning or losing. I always go up to the fellows or the girls [after a loss] and say `Good game,' or `We'll catch them the next time.' "
Though Byrd and Salem are fierce rivals, this doesn't spill over between the athletic directors.
"We socialize, and we've gotten to be better friends and do some things outside of school," said Hadaway. "I've been the first one over to congratulate her when they've beaten us, and she's done the same when we've beaten them.
"It's a nice rivalry, but you have to keep things in perspective.
"It's very congenial. We've both been in sports all our lives. You win some and lose some. It evens out."
Layman and Hadaway also must juggle all their work with their personal interests. For Layman, it's her daughters - Elizabeth and Victoria. Hadaway, also an assistant principal, has two golden retrievers and a black Labrador retriever at home.
"As my kids grow up, it's going to very difficult. It's already very difficult," said Layman. "I hope it won't force me out, but basically my children are first.
"I left school one day in total panic to race across town to get Elizabeth to ballet. It'll be much harder when they're both in ballet, Scouts and all the things little girls like to do.
"I'm fortunate that I have a lady whom my children adore that comes to the house and is there all day long. Then the girls' father, my ex-husband [Vic Layman], is involved, and he helps. If he knows I have a Big Orange [wrestling tournament], he helps as much as he can."
Hadaway is involved with evaluation of teachers and 11th-grade discipline as well as taking care of all activities at Salem.
"It's tough," she said. "You have to be a good manager of your time.
"Most of the coaches help me in the eligibility sheet. They do a worksheet, and I double check it. But, otherwise, I do everything else so that let's a coach coach."
Layman is the Blue Ridge District athletic director in charge of making up a master schedule, updating the district handbook and overseeing the selection of all-district and all-region teams. Hadaway has become a willing accomplice in many of the tasks.
"When she took over the job [at Salem], we started working together. It's good to be in the situation we're in and have the friendship that we do," said Layman. "Between the two of us, we've done practically everything from running tournaments to breaking ties [for district championships].
"Anything unusual that comes up affecting something within the district or within the school, before we make a major decision or take it to the principals, we run it by each other."
Now the two are co-chairwomen of the state athletic directors' conference that will be held in Roanoke the first weekend in April. At that conference, Layman will receive an award as Group AA athletic director of the year.
It has been more than 10 years since this area has played host to the conference.
"We'll have sessions on things like gender equity, tips for the new athletic director, AIDS in athletics, the role of the computer in athletics, athletic study hall, drug and alcohol products as they pertain to athletics and a wide range of other topics," said Layman. "It's not like one big party. It's a very useful four days."