Polar Athletic Group
JHC Mid-Atlantic supports Polar Athletic Group's Remote Athletic Director services for schools in Maryland and Washington, DC, including school onboarding, regional account leadership, and youth sports prospect research.
Experience
Experience
Selected work by Joseph A. Hayden and JHC Mid-Atlantic in public recreation, youth development, higher education, curriculum, and policy.
Selected work
Programs, plans, and policies
Sport Clubs strategic plan
A strategic plan for the Sport Clubs program, including community service and cross-marketing initiatives with the athletics department.
Sport Clubs Coaches Manual and coaches training
Wrote the Coaches Manual and designed the accompanying coaches training, focused on student development, sportsmanship, and inclusive coaching practice.
Accreditation and field allocation process
Presented the county's revised organizational accreditation and facility scheduling process, built around equitable and transparent allocation of public athletic fields, in a public webinar and to County Constituent Services.
Atlanta Falcons Fitness Zones fitness study
Tested the health and fitness of students in after-school programs at participating Falcons Fitness Zone schools and compared them with each school's full student population, testing every student at the beginning and end of the school year. Recognized as a Falcons Fitness Zone Hero by the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation in 2008.
Course development and assessment
Developed and assessed online courses, including MED 101 (CPR and First Aid) and PE 101 (Personal Wellness).
Grant scope and research
Developed the scope and research sections of awarded proposals, including the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation's Falcons Fitness Zone grant to the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta ($3.1 million, 2009); The Wellpoint Foundation for Disabled Sports USA ($150,000, 2011); the M-NCPPC Historic Property Grant Program for Fairmount Heights School ($40,000, 2011); NFL Play 60 for Centennial Place Elementary School ($10,000, 2009); and the Charlotte Martin Foundation for the Boys and Girls Club of Spokane County ($10,000, 2012).
Planning samples
Planning work Joseph prepared, shared as examples of approach. Organization names are withheld; full documents are available on request.
Municipal recreation leadership plan
A 180-day entry plan for leading recreation centers in a large city department, moving from listening and assessment to building partnerships and evaluating results, with a focus on open-door, low-cost community programming.
Campus recreation strategy
Strategic visions for university recreation departments connecting intramural and club sports, well-being, and nontraditional programming such as esports to institutional student-success goals.
Recreation center closure and transition plan
An equity-centered plan for transitioning a historic urban recreation center, including community profile, phased engagement, program and transit mapping to alternative sites, a three-year timeline, and legacy preservation.
Presentations and resources
Joseph has presented at the NRPA Annual Conference in 2025 and 2026, in a public webinar for Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, and at the University at Albany. Session summaries, practitioner tools, and his doctoral research are on the Research & Resources page.
Community
Detroit Police Athletic League
Professional background
Roles held by Joseph A. Hayden
Public Recreation
- Deputy DirectorFrederick County Division of Parks and Recreation, Maryland
- Facilities ManagerAnne Arundel County Recreation and Parks
- Sports SupervisorAnne Arundel County Recreation and Parks
- Facility DirectorMaryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
- Recreation SpecialistCity of Sandy Springs, Georgia
Youth Development
- Youth Sports and Wellness DirectorCentennial Place Family YMCA, YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta
- Advisory Board MemberAtlanta Falcons Youth Foundation
- Recreation ProgrammerOkemos Community Education
Higher Education
- Assistant Director of Competitive SportsTowson University
- Advisor, Sport Club CouncilTowson University
Teaching
- InstructorTowson University and Community College of Baltimore County
- Courses taughtSport Officiating, Student Success, Personal Health and Wellness, Basic Life Support, First Aid
Curriculum & Assessment
- Course AssessorStraighterLine
Officiating
- Football OfficialNCAA
“Joe has a great sense of detail to work, and has innovative and creative ways to engage parents, staff and program participants. He was one of the most organized Youth Sports Directors I have come across and would be a boon to any organization.”
LinkedIn recommendation, June 30, 2014
Organizations
