A big part of being athletic director for a school as large as LFHS is planning.
“A huge part of this job is logistics. From planning, organizing schedules, events, tournaments, staff, hiring coaches, being available to the community, and most importantly being a resource to LFHS,” AD Tim Burkhalter said.
Burkhalter also manages budgets within each sport, the procurement of resources, equipment, and uniforms, along with managing the staff.
“When you coach, you coach your athletes. When you are the athletic director you coach your coaches. I always like to think I am a coach to the coaches,” Burkhalter said.
Burkhalter graduated college with a degree in mathematics at Bradley University, then followed his degree by completing his master’s in school administration at Northeastern Illinois University where he received an endorsement in school administration. Burkhalter began working at LFHS in 1999 as a mathematics teacher and as a basketball coach. In 2005 Bukhalter became the athletic director, which he has been ever since. Being an athletic director comes with many responsibilities.
Behind the office doors, Burkhalter believes that the hardest part of his job is time management because there is no time to sit around and slack off. He claims that the work that comes with his job never ends and that there is always something to be working on. A goal that Burkhalter works to meet every day is a healthy work-life balance.
“Work-life balance is always a challenge,” Burkhalter said.
Burkhalter strives to be time efficient and get things done immediately so he can make his way back home to his family.
When LFHS athletics are at their peak, Burkhalter believes that success is the bi-product of doing all the right things.
“When the athletes and coaches compete at the highest levels and know that they have done their very best whether it shows on the scoreboard or not, I feel joy. It is absolutely the best part of my job, I would not trade it for the world. It makes everything we do worth it when we see our teams compete at the highest level. Our athletes put so much time inside and outside of the practice room. I am a part of a proud athletic program, and I am blessed to have great coaches,” Burkhalter said.
The most challenging job Burkhalter took on in his now nineteen years as an athletic director was the 2007 project which was to undertake the varsity field at west campus.
“I was pretty young in my career when the varsity field project took place. It was challenging to oversee it and as hard as it was when going through it, it is one of the things that I am the most proud of,” Burkhalter said.
The varsity field project included the construction of the stadium, an addition of a turf field, the installment of stadium lights and a concession stand.
“The varsity field was such a special addition to our community, not just LFHS but it is a vocal point for the Lake Forest community to see. I was so excited to be able to bring lighted sports to LFHS,” Burkhalter said.
In 2012, Burkhalter was sitting on a golf cart with Booster club President, Brian Vandenberg at west campus while looking at the back of the building that now projects what is known as the Wall Of Excellence. They both noticed that the back of the brown cinder block building was not particularly attractive so they threw around ideas with something they could add to the building.
“Then we landed on, what if we could put the winners from honors night onto the wall,” Burkhalter said.
This is now what LFHS calls the Wall Of Excellence. The wall pictures athletes, band students, class presidents and any student that was to apply and get accepted.
In Burkhalter’s free time, he enjoys golfing, although he wishes that he was better at it. He believes that golfing is a therapeutic getaway. Burkhalter enjoys spending time with his family where he has two kids, a son and a daughter. With his family, he loves visiting and trying new restaurants that open up in the Lake County area. Burkhalter can’t wait for what the future brings to LFHS.
