< Previous8 | Jenkins: My goals have always been pretty modest. I want time with my family and I want my SID work to be accurate and as well-done as possible. Obviously, there are some busy weeks and seasons that keep me at work for a long time. But during other times, the opposite is true. And summers are light so we take advantage of that. As my career has progressed, family time has become even more important. Elder: I went to Emory & Henry College with the goals of graduating with a degree in mass communications to be a sports broadcaster. Check and check. Following graduation, I spent a year behind the scenes at a local television station and decided it was not where I wanted to be. I was hired by my hometown newspaper as the first female sports editor and spent the next seven years moving around from paper to paper. I had no desire to be a writer in college. I enjoy telling a story through written word, but was never a huge fan of English in school. I loved math. My path has diverted greatly from where I thought I would be, but in it all I see God’s hand and I’m exactly where I should be. Fisher: I had the lofty goal of being the first female play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals! Very naïve, but I knew that I wanted to work in sports, and had to see how I fit into that puzzle. As I worked through college, I realized that my best fit wasn’t as a journalist, and that’s when I found this craziness that is athletic communications. I loved being behind the scenes and not being the center of attention. Now, I really love helping young people secure their brand and speak for themselves to the best of their abilities. Being “behind the scenes” legendary sports columnists. As a result, I began writing for The McGill Daily student newspaper. That ignited a passion in me. I began my sports info career covering the varsity hockey and football teams fixated on getting more media coverage than our opponents, and quickly earned the respect of the sports media. I came to realize this was my path and that I really wanted to be part of the sports media. By working as an SID, I felt attached to that world. I furthered my education by enrolling into a diploma program for sports administration, followed by a certificate in journalism, advertising and public relations. A course in basic editing and effective written communication proved to be extremely beneficial. It provided the tools to cover numerous pro sporting events as a part-time stringer. Eventually, I landed my own sports show on the radio, which I did for seven years. It gave me access to the press box for all major sporting events, which was my element. When I took over on a full-time basis at McGill, I was responsible for overseeing media coverage of all 50 varsity teams — a daunting, challenging task. But I was determined to make a difference in our media relations, to be better than any of our competitors and hopefully, force management to elevate my employment status to full-time. I explored a few other opportunities, in newspapers, radio and with pro sports teams but I was established at McGill and would’ve had to start at a very entry level with a move. looks a lot different than it used to and involves a lot more devices, but I still love those basics. Now more than ever, student-athletes have a very strong voice and they deserve to be heard, and I want to help them find that voice. I have spent more time the last few months, helping the Diversity Leadership Committee here at Michigan State, as it navigates the complex waters that we face now. Borghetti: Midway through my senior year, I had a vague idea of going to law school. My dad said to me one day, “Do you really want to go to law school?” So many people choose career paths because it “sounds good” or it meets someone else’s expectations. He told me to pursue what I was truly interested in and noted my enthusiasm for working in Pitt’s sports information office. A light went on. I finally could write the answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My last semester at Pitt I fully focused on pursuing a career in college athletics from a communications standpoint. I was so lucky to have the mentorship and encouragement that I did, both at home and in Pitt’s SID office. It was always my goal to come back to Pitt, which is not only my alma mater, but also my father’s. He played football for the Panthers in the early 1960s so I grew up surrounded by Blue and Gold. I was able to achieve that goal five years after graduation and have been richly blessed to work on behalf of the university for the past 23 years. I never aspired to have a corner office or some long title on a business card. My aspirations have always centered on being an asset for the people of Pitt. In retrospect, perhaps that mentality did allow me to make some personal advancements along the way. But to Staying Power “Looking back, the most challenging times of my career were at the beginning, trying to get established and working through self-doubts. When speaking to college seniors who are pursuing their first full-time jobs, I always tell them the best quality you can have is perseverance.” E.J. Borghetti E.J. Borghetti with his son Branden at the 2019 Pitt spring football game.CoSIDA 360 | NOVEMBER 2020 | 9 the years — with the student-athletes, the athletic department and the campus and town communities. It’s awesome to watch the student-athletes succeed on and off the field and watch them turn into young leaders. It’s been greatly rewarding to have my three kids grow up and constantly be around strong role models (student-athletes, coaches and athletic staff). Worley: I am a people person and what has been most rewarding is the relationships with the athletes that I have nurtured far beyond their four years. My cell phone contains enough contact information to make our alumni department green with envy. Through social media, I have maintained relationships with all the athletes from the sports I have worked with and that’s the most rewarding. Plus, I’ve had a choice seat to some of the most outstanding games, matches, meets and races in the world. Zukerman: Making lifelong friends and earning respect from coaches, athletes, my peers in the CoSIDA world and especially in the media. Jenkins: I feel like my calling is to positively impact whomever I come in contact with while doing this job including student workers, fellow SIDs, coaches, athletes, and others. There shouldn’t be any bad days. So when someone comes away from working a game with me, it’s rewarding when whom more is given, more is expected. Anytime I received a promotion, I didn’t think of it as being about me. I was being charged with a larger responsibility in order to serve our student-athletes, coaches and staff. To whom more is given, more is expected. I think this is a profession of passion, and if you aren’t passionate about the people and place you are working for, you certainly can lose a spark given the hours and nature of the business. Fortunately, I’ve never lost that drive. That’s more of a positive reflection on the University of Pittsburgh than it is me. I’ve been very fortunate to work for encouraging and supportive people, whether it’s coaches or administrators. As you look back on your career so far, what has been the most rewarding thing to you? Cutler: All the relationships that I’ve been able to create. I’ve been lucky to meet people from all across the country and develop friendships with these amazing people; from student-athletes and coaches to grad assistants and full- time employees at Wichita State to SIDs at other schools and local and national media members. Meier: For me, it’s been the relationships that have been built over Staying Power We talk about relationships, which are so key, but BALANCE is the other thing that helps with longevity, I think. I’ve found ways in all the insanity of this job to see my blood relatives, which is extremely important to me. I also volunteer in the children’s department at my church. Kids have such pure joy, it’s hard to be negative or frustrated around them, and their energy keeps me young. Finding time to workout has been a saving grace. It’s all too easy in this business to eat a bunch of fast food, grabbing meals on the go. It’s also easy to let working out slide. Trying to make better eating decision as well as physically working out has been important in the past five years. Making it a priority and finding times has kept me healthy as well as given me an avenue to put my body and mind in the right frame of mind. I sleep better and feel better and thus everything goes better. The final thing I’ve added in my life is I picked up my officials license for soccer and in the summer or when I can in the spring, I officiate soccer. It makes me some extra money as well as puts me back in touch with a game I love so much in a different way. Prioritizing balance and relationships has helped to keep me grounded and settled even in the toughest of times. Jenny Elder Kara Fisher, and her husband Zach, are both on the Michigan State communications staff. C ou rte sy R ic ha rd D av is P ho to gr ap hy .10 | something and definitely thought about getting out of the profession at that time. It seemed too overwhelming to try to balance all of it. At the end of the day, this is what I love to do. I needed to figure out a way to do it all — be a mom and have a career that I love. I learned to multi-task even better than I did before and use every second to work ahead. When traveling with the team, I used every minute on the bus or waiting in airports to work ahead. I learned to leave the office at a decent time when I had a free night so I was able to be present for my family. I realized that not everything at work needed to be max effort. Sometimes good is good enough. Meier: Having three kids and trying to manage 60-80 plus hours a week I know someone’s heavy day was lightened. As far as professionally rewarding, MNU women’s basketball winning the NAIA D1 National Championship in 2016 gave me the only concrete goal I ever set. I just wanted the chance to be part of one national championship. Elder: Seeing and being a part of so many goals accomplished for so many wonderful coaches and athletes, whether it be academically, professionally, on the court/field or personally. Building those relationships and staying in touch with so many wonderful people, even going back to my newspaper days. Fisher: I have always enjoyed watching the growth of our student- athletes, such as a young freshman —once terrified to talk to a student reporter — who emerges as a well- spoken leader by their senior season. It’s amazing to see these young people reach the next level professionally and find their voice personally. As for myself, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve faced obstacles, such as health and lack of confidence, head on and am still here doing what I love. Borghetti: When asked what has been most rewarding during my career, I always answer without hesitation: the personal relationships. I’ve been so fortunate to form so many friendships over the years through my work in sports information. Former athletes, bosses, co-workers and media members. You put so many hours in together. You savor wins, pick each other up after losses. A real bond forms there. Those are the relationships that keep you going, keep you smiling, especially during more challenging times. What has been the most difficult part of your career? Did you ever seriously consider other career options and how did you get through it? Cutler: The most difficult part for me was right after I had kids. Trying to balance all the work hours and travel as a baseball SID, while having little kids was really hard. There’s a lot of mom guilt involved. I was always missing Staying Power Nancy Worley (left) of Louisville involves her daughter, son and grandson in her work. You can have it all, but not always at the same time. Sometimes you’re rocking it at work and your house looks like an episode of Hoarders. Sometimes you miss a beneficial networking opportunity because you’re coaching little league or doing a science project with your child. Sometimes you are working on your anniversary or your spouse’s birthday. But sometimes, they get to go with you on a European trip. All are okay as long as there is an overall balance. I have no artifacts, art work, trophies or plaques from my work in my home. Somewhere, my children and husband must come first. The University of Louisville has cast a long shadow on my life which has been my honor. However, they don’t have to grow in that shadow. Conversely, my children know how to operate every Daktronics scoreboard made, do PA, keep a baseball book, a volleyball official scoresheet and a basketball scorebook. They can sneak into any arena and grew up as gym rats. They claim to be normal despite that upbringing. Nancy Worley during the school year while being a mom can be challenging, not to mention as they get older and are playing sports. But with challenges, there are also rewards. For example, a lot of times my kids can come to campus and watch the games or play in the gym and outside while I’m working (at least before COVID ). Fortunately, I have a great supportive husband who understands my job and is able to be with the kids and support them in their schoolwork and home life which helps balance my work schedule. I’ve never really considered other career options, I just love being involved in college athletics. Worley: I was one of the first female SIDs to have kids, the first to have a grandchild. The profession was partly CoSIDA 360 | NOVEMBER 2020 | 11 immediate family to take care of. I was driven to avoid giving up from a young age and chose to sacrifice a personal life, for the most part. My student-interns, the coaches, athletes and to some extent, the media, were like a substitute family for me. I seriously considered other career options a couple of times, with freelance writing and dabbling in radio, doing a weekly sports call-in show for seven years. But I was well-established and comfortable at McGill and wasn’t prepared to gamble on moving elsewhere to a starting position. Jenkins: This is a common issue I hear about often, and I must be blessed because I can’t relate at all. Some institutions have toxic environments where the SID is hardly valued, but I’ve received nothing but respect and appreciation from my coaches and administrators. And it’s not because to blame for my divorce which forced me into single parenthood. I was one of two single female parents in CoSIDA. And of course, wow, did we bond. It was incredibly difficult to travel when I had to find someone to watch my kids, pack for me, pack for them, get all their homework and papers signed, etc. It was absolutely brutal for 10 years. I remarried and my second husband, now a retired police officer, understood weird schedules, working holidays and putting in hours. His hard work on the home front helped me right my ship and move forward. Zukerman: So many things made me question if I could continue. What probably saved me in terms of staying in the sports info position was being somewhat introverted and single, which meant that I could focus on work, without the responsibilities of an Staying Power A CoSIDA Hall of Famer Reflects on a Long Career by Bill Hamilton | South Carolina State University Retired SID/Sports Historian | CoSIDA Hall of Famer When my alma mater, South Carolina State University, gave me — a young, recent college graduate — my first title as as a public information specialist in July of 1973, I never envisioned it would lead to a career in a profession that I have found both enjoyable and rewarding. I felt my hiring some 47 years ago would be a stepping stone to someplace else; however, it turned into a lifelong vocation. I retired (transition might be a better word) in 2013 but returned to the office four days a week as a part-time employee and later as a volunteer. I remain engaged with the university today, assisting with several sports and special projects. I began my career in the public relations office as there was no sports information department at the time. Two years later, in 1975, I was named the first full-time sports information director at the university, but continued to work out of the Public Relations Office, sharing a secretary, which came under the Vice President for Institutional Advancement umbrella. Front the beginning, I enjoyed telling the SC State story, promoting the sports program. Today, I’m especially excited and grateful that I’m allowed to stay engaged as I enjoy the interaction with players, coaches, other SC State stakeholders and many colleagues throughout the profession. I embraced the job and never seriously considered changing professions. Early in my career, athletic teams at the university enjoyed enormous success and as a one-person shop there was great demand on my time. However, I was single, without a care in the world and had no aversion to working long hours and traveling. The pay was not great but I was able to make do. Even today, I think people in our profession are underpaid; however, the perks that came with the position helped. I got married in 1983 and family life and work became a juggling act. Somehow I persevered, relying heavily on students. I was fortunate in finding good, dedicated and committed students, who were quick learners. My late wife and I didn’t have any children so she was able to join me on some road trips, making things a little more palatable to her. In the early 90s, I physically moved to the Athletics Department, answering directly to the director of athletics and was given my own budget. In 2001, after 28 years, I got my first full-time assistant. A second was added two years later. Life became a lot easier and more enjoyable. Our profession is often times a thankless one. So many do not know what we do until something is not done or goes wrong. It’s important to not get discouraged. I often engaged my boss about raises, bonuses, assistants and any tools that would help me do a better job. Many times, the response was surprising and positive. I’m awesome — I’ve made plenty of significant mistakes — but I believe the culture of this department has fostered a positive working environment. As for burnout…no. In candid moments I often say that I can’t believe I get paid to do this. My kids are approaching high school sports, and maybe if I miss a few of their games then I might consider reorganizing my situation. But I’ve never seriously considered another career. I’m well aware of my strengths and weaknesses, and this profession fits me perfectly. Elder: The lack of pay raises and slow progress of building a staff are two of the challenges that make being a small college SID difficult, however; the family you build with coaches, administration, students and fans is second to none. Relationships, at the end of the day, are what make 12 | CoSIDA’s 2020 Salary Survey indicated that members in their 30s are the most frustrated with their jobs. Anecdotally, this is largely due to being new parents, not getting raises they feel they deserve or not getting promoted. Can you relate to that, and what advice would you give to someone in that demographic? Cutler: I can absolutely relate. It took a very long time for me to move up in this profession. It’s exhausting to be stressed about money all of the time. I think that we are a group that spends all of our time and energy promoting our student-athletes, coaches and programs and unfortunately, we don’t do that for ourselves. We need to do a better job of advocating for this profession and its role in the athletic department. Meier: I’m very passionate about college athletics and sports information and I love the field I’m in, so when there have been frustrations, it’s very easy to re-center and appreciate that I’ve been given opportunities to live my dream. Having that passion has helped me stay in this field for so long without getting burned out. If working in this field is something you’re passionate about, then it’s worth sticking with it. Even though there are long days, weeks, and months, there are also great rewards and experiences in this field. It’s how you hold your perspective. Worley: All SIDs can relate to this. I don’t know of a single SID who could say with a straight face “boy, I am stealing money, I’d do this for free.” I explain this to outsiders in this way: If you were the head of PR for a $126 million-dollar business (or whatever your athletic budget runs) would you make what you make? Probably not. Probably much everything worth it. If you love who you are doing this for and with, the difficulties fade away. God will take care of the rest. He’s blessed me every year I’m in this job, and I know He has me where He wants me. I’m called to be here at Georgetown College, doing what I’m doing. I pray that I am as much of a blessing to this campus and family as they have been to me. Fisher: I am a walking episode of House (the TV show), as my husband so lovingly says! So, I have dealt with some health setbacks that make these hours a little tough at times. Doing “whatever it takes to get the job done” isn’t always the best plan. It’s hard to appear not “up to the challenge,” when your body betrays you. So, I have considered other career options as a form of self-preservation, but at the end of the day, we stay because it’s in our DNA. I also recommend marrying an SID that can cover for you when your body breaks down! Borghetti: Looking back, the most challenging times of my career were at the beginning, trying to get established and working through self-doubts. When speaking to college seniors who are pursuing their first full-time jobs, I always tell them the best quality you can have is perseverance. Many doors are closed, or appear closed, but persistence is a magical thing. That same persistence will serve you well throughout your career and life. The greatest rebounders aren’t necessarily the tallest players on the floor. What they have is tenacity and a relentlessness. That mentality will get you the ball off the backboard and it will also help you achieve in life. I’m extremely fortunate to have a wife who understands and supports my professional duties. We met at Pitt, so she had an up-close view very early on of what my profession entails and can demand. As a married couple, and now as the parents of three children, we certainly have had to adjust and adapt to balancing the personal and professional aspects of life. Working for supportive people at Pitt—supportive of one’s professional pursuits and, more importantly, family considerations — is such a blessing. That I’ve been able to work in this field as long as I have is far more a credit to my family and bosses than it is to me. more. Promotions are tricky in our business because they aren’t always clear-cut. Or, to advance you may have to relocate which can be problematic in a two-career family, so that avenue is often closed off to us. Family comes first. Don’t put them secondary to a business that will never put you first. We have several former UofL SIDs that got out of the business and stayed in the area and they get their fix by doing TV stats, serving on stat crews or stringing for newspapers. Zukerman: I can easily relate to this and if I had a family to support, I probably would not have lasted one decade in a position that requires you to be available 24/7, especially on weekends. For the most part, it’s a rewarding profession but most of us are overworked and underpaid and you just have to be aware of that before making that career choice. The burnout rate is probably higher than most professions and the only advice that I can think of would be to surround yourself with reliable staff who can assist taking some of the workload from your shoulders. If you are prepared to seek and accept the help of others, life might be a little easier. Jenkins: This job isn’t conducive to financially supporting a family on its own. My wife also works, so with two incomes we do fine. I’m generally a contented person, so I can’t relate to getting snubbed out of raises or promotions. My advice would be to make yourself valuable and irreplaceable. But if that were easy to do, we’d all be making a lot more money. Elder: I can most definitely relate to those feelings, but at the end of the day, if you work with a group that feels like family those other needs will be met as well. I don’t have a husband or children, but two years ago my dad fought cancer. No other job in the world, in my opinion, would have allowed me such abilities to be around him through Staying Power “Promotions are tricky in our business because they aren’t always clear-cut. Or, to advance, you may have to relocate which can be problematic in a two-career family, so that avenue is often closed off to us.” Nancy WorleyCoSIDA 360 | NOVEMBER 2020 | 13 course. But a lot of them don’t and if you work for their approval, you will never be happy. Zukerman: This type of work requires an individual who is focused, driven, loyal, discreet, honest and well-prepared — someone who pays attention to detail. If you’re not willing to do that, then you should only consider this rewarding profession as a stepping stone to another one. Put your nose to the grindstone, be thick- skinned, have a small ego and don’t be afraid to reach out to your CoSIDA colleagues when times are tough, both for you or for them. Also, be prepared to have frank discussions about your worth with supervisors — many of whom do not really understand SID work — and show them your value to the organization. Jenkins: Be so reliable that you’re taken for granted. SIDs are like refs and cops and nurses and athletic trainers and plenty of other underappreciated folks; we’re only noticed when we screw up. “Why didn’t my halftime stats get delivered to the locker room?!” Sorry about that (I had to fix a missed assist and scold the camera guy and troubleshoot the video streaming and find the music cord and replace a cable and unjam the copier), here you go. the fight and get that last year of his life where I don’t have to look back and think, did I take care of him as much as I could, did I support my mom as best I could. My Georgetown family, my student workers, my adult volunteers and my conference SIDs had my back at every turn, and I will forever be grateful for that. Financially, while I certainly feel I should make more, at the end of the day God meets all my needs in so many ways. I’m blessed with a house of my own. I’ve never gone hungry. I travel to see my sister in California. I get to see my cousins in North Carolina and Virginia. If you focus on what makes the job tough, it’s easy to walk away. You have to focus on why you love it and how it blesses you or you just won’t make it and you might walk away from the best job you might ever have. Fisher: We’ve all been there when we see people climbing up the ranks, and wonder what we’re doing wrong. People always think our jobs are cool, but we in turn want the jobs with the money and the free weekends. I remember the days holding my breath and checking the bank account to see if we made it through to the next paycheck. This job is NEVER going to be about the glory or the paycheck. You have to be ok with that fact, or it will turn against you. Do you have any advice or strategies that helped you advance in the profession to the position you wanted? Cutler: Always be willing to help. I always enjoy learning new things so if there was an opportunity to learn something in a different department or with a different sport, I took it. I always like to be a sponge, soak up as much knowledge as I can. You never know when you might use a new skill. Don’t be afraid to try new things. We sometimes get stuck in our ways, but there could be better ways to do things if we are willing to try them. Meier: Never stop learning and take opportunities to gain experience. It doesn’t matter how new you are to the field or how long you’ve been in the field, there’s always room to grow and learn new tasks. Worley: Do the work. Meet the deadlines. Be proactive. Pick your battles. Kill them with kindness. Answer your email and voice mails as soon as you can, even if it’s to say, ‘I don’t know yet.’ Attack a big project or problem by chopping it up and doing the hard part first. Most importantly, learn to laugh at yourself. Lastly, don’t expect coaches to say thank you. A lot of them do, of Sarah Meier (right) with Stephen Hinkel of Colorado Christian (left) and her UCCS SID Eric Mason. Meier and Hinkel have both been in the business for two decades, while Mason is in his third year. Earl Zukerman is in his 42nd year at McGill, located in Montréal, Quebec. “It doesn’t matter how new you are to the field or how long you’ve been in the field, there’s always room to grow and learn new tasks.” Sarah Meier Staying Power14 | As communications professionals, our minds need to be wide open to this new vast universe we have at our disposal to reach our audiences. Our field has never been more dynamic in that regard. That said, even though we can communicate in so many different and new ways, we should never forget personal engagement. The best relationships are formed when you invest yourself personally in them. Not by an email, a tweet or text. The true foundation is built by true personal interactions. The pandemic certainly presents hurdles in that regard, but there really is no substitute for hearing someone else’s voice on the phone or looking someone in the eye, either across a desk or, if need be, via video conference. Be more than just a Twitter handle or email address. Elder: Relationships. It’s all about connecting with people. I got into this business because eight years in the newspaper sports world I had made a bond with the previous SID at Georgetown College. When she was ready to retire, she gave me a call and encouraged me to apply. God had planted a seed about being an SID four or five years previous when I was at a newspaper in Virginia. It’s a blessing to be able to watch how that unfolded and look back at the first time I thought about it, to where I had grown when I finally became a SID. Fisher: I’m not great at small talk, so networking isn’t always the easiest for me. But I will always be grateful for the opportunities afforded to me working in the SEC and at the WAC in my early days. I’d say volunteer for anything and everything. I had the chance to work NCAA Tournaments, bowl games and NCAA College Cups. Learning from peers, growing from not so pleasant encounters with coaches and the always fun experience of being a timeout coordinator at an NCAA Tournament taught me so much. Working an SEC Track Championship helped me get a full-time job, working a WAC Football Media Day got me a husband (kind of kidding), but seriously those experiences shaped me in so many ways. During the last few difficult months, I’ve loved getting to know more people via zoom with CoSIDA Happy Hours and the amazing folks at BCSIDA. We can always grow and build our community for bigger and better tomorrows. Borghetti: Never lose the student mentality. Never stop learning or craving new knowledge. Our profession is changing so dramatically. The “old way” is not the only way or the best way. “Be prepared to have frank discussions about your worth with your supervisors — many of whom do not really understand SID work — and show them your value to the organization.” Earl Zukerman Staying Power Chad Jenkins of Mid-America Nazarene with two of his children, Isaac and Chelsea. I love this job. If you don’t love it, then all the little things we deal with daily will weigh heavily. I also enjoy the variety. Yes, we do similar things for each sport, but seasons change rapidly and the position keeps evolving. I wasn’t a television producer when I started, but I’m pretty much one now. What interesting new skill will I have in the 2030s? Chad Jenkins The support of my family has helped tremendously. They’ve sacrificed so I could have my dream of working in athletics. When you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. I feel lucky to get to do something that I love. Tami CutlerCoSIDA 360 | NOVEMBER 2020 | 15 QUICK POLL As an SID, have you ever seriously considered leaving the profession? Top reasons: 26% Burned out 16% Changing life priorities (i.e. kids) 13% Pay 3% Needed a new challenge 42% Other reasons or a combination of all of these reasons SURVEY SAYS If you have considered leaving the profession before, what was it that helped you get through it, and what made you remain in the profession? David Heberger, Randolph College: “To work with student-athletes on a daily basis is something I treasure and I know I would miss it too much. Having the support of colleagues and talking about things has always helped me get through tough times.” Ryan Goff, Lewis & Clark: “What has helped me stay is I’m lucky to have a job I enjoy 95 percent of the time and (supervisors) open to helping me seek out modifications to make it even better.” Sammi Wellman, Cascade Collegiate Conference: “I found a job that let me balance being a mom and an SID.” Chas Dorman, Princeton: “When it came down to it, this job is something I’m passionate about and I’m willing to make it work. I’m fortunate to have a wife who works in college athletics, so while it can be busy we both understand what each other is going through and can support each other in our crazy times. I also have had great bosses who appreciated the changing priorities in my life.” Travis Jarome, Alabama State: “After getting back into the profession after serving in a role as a high school AD, my daughter is what made me stay in the profession. She has become a fan of the institution I work for, and when I asked her about changing my career she got upset and actually had tears in her eyes — so I was sold, and never thought about it again.” Ryan Gallant, Massachusetts: “The good people in our reach keep me going, be it student-athletes, coaches, alums or colleagues. One of the biggest reasons I do this job is to watch where the world takes student-athletes. A big thrill for me remains when people come back for an alumni weekend and hearing how they are doing. That makes me want to stick around the business for a while.” Justin Maskus, Missouri Southern State: “Having a spouse that understands and accepts the job.” Jenna Jorgensen, Colgate: “The flexibility of the workspace and CoSIDA’s tight-knit culture.” Jeff Weiss, Wayne State (Michigan): “I did leave the profession for 10 months (January 2001-November 2001) and worked for the American Heart Association. My passion for this work became very apparent and I was unhappy in my new role so luckily I got a second chance at Wayne State and have been there nearly 19 years.” Mike Robles, California Community College Athletic Association: “This profession is what I know. If I know the job, then I should know how to manage it to make things easier. Eventually, I found a more suitable job in sports information which allowed me to continue while helping me align with my priorities — my family.” Shelby Hild, Illinois State: “The people in this industry. I’ve made so many friends thanks to CoSIDA and the way it’s one big family has been my motivation to stick with it.” Chas Dorman (Princeton) and his wife Emily both work in college athletics and are the parents of twins.16 | Courage. Selfless. Blessing. Gift. Miracle. Love. Priceless. Rewarding. A Dream Come True. All words and phrases that have been used to describe the adoption of a child. It’s been said that adoption is one of the most selfless acts an adult can embrace. To pledge to care for a child, to help them grow, to encourage and discipline them — but most of all, to love them unconditionally. November is National Adoption Month — a time set aside to raise awareness about the urgent need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care. The lives of several CoSIDA members have been touched by adoption. We talked with four of them, including (pictured at left from top to bottom): Cassie Arner, University of Illinois A graduate of Southern Miss, Arner has spent her career in communications at Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Houston, Auburn and Illinois. She has one son, Cleve. Mike Robles, California Community College Athletic Association Robles, a member of the CoSIDA Executive Board of Directors, has been at the CCCAA since 2016. He attended Cal Poly, working there after graduation. He has also spent time at UC Davis prior to his current role. He has one son, Ivan. Ryan Davis, Missouri Valley Conference Davis graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington and is active on multiple CoSIDA committees. Prior to the MVC, he worked at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. He has two children, Nolan and Caroline. Chad Jenkins, MidAmerica Nazarene University A former baseball student-athlete and graduate at Bethel College, Jenkins has been at MNU since 2007 after serving full- time at Bethel for two years. He has four children – Isaac, Jalen, Micah and Chelsea. For any parent, caring for a child can be hard and easy at the same time. Parenting in the daily grind of working in sports communications can also present its own challenges. But, it also has its own special rewards. Read along to learn more about the experiences of four of our peers. Communications Love Outside the Lines All photos submitted. Four CoSIDA families share their stories of adoption. by Rob Carolla CoSIDA Past President | Arn er Fam ily Rob les Fam ily Dav is Family Jenk ins Fa mi lyCoSIDA 360 | NOVEMBER 2020 | 17 difficult after Ivan joined us because it was early in the 2015 football season. I got home from a game at Hawai’i on a Sunday night, we picked up Ivan the first thing on Monday morning and I started paternity leave. In reality, though, I worked from home, made most of the remaining football trips and carried on with a pretty regular daily schedule. I had a supportive boss, a great staff and understanding coaches that really helped me do everything I needed to do. After my leave was up, I had to do some more juggling, especially with weekly meetings with our social worker because I live about 30 minutes from campus. But again, everybody was supportive and that was the key. Did you have any preferences on who you would adopt? (gender, race, etc.) Arner: I did tell my case worker that I wanted to adopt African-American children. I thought I had the unique opportunity to expose children to African-American college athletes that would provide strong models for his or her future. Davis: When we first went through the adoption process, we were open to any race and any gender. After we adopted Nolan in 2012, we knew we wanted to adopt again to complete our family. With Nolan being biracial, we wanted to make sure his sibling was also. Knowing this would be our final adoption, we did consider only girls during the process so we’d have one boy and one girl. We welcomed Caroline into our family in 2015. How and when did you decide adoption was the right thing for you? Arner: All the signs seemed to come together around 2005 for me. During a 3-year period while I was working with the Illinois football team, we had quite a few players who had spent some time in either the foster care system or with individuals other than their biological families. After getting to know their stories, I felt that I had the room in my life and heart to foster. We also worked with a local children’s home for a big fundraiser and in doing so I learned a lot about the process. But it wasn’t until I went to Africa to work at an orphanage in 2008 that I realized it was time. I watched a woman much younger than myself adopt an HIV-positive little six-year old and that’s when I knew I didn’t want to put it off any longer. Davis: My wife and I were in the process of starting our family and were having difficulty. Rather than go through costly medical options, we decided adoption was the path we were led down. Adoption was something I never really thought about growing up but ended up being a pretty incredible and unexpected blessing. Jenkins: My wife and I both have adopted extended family members, so adoption as a concept was relatively normal. When we were dating, we both expressed a desire and a calling to adopt at some point. Robles: My wife and I were both in our late 40s, so adoption became the logical option. We had talked about it before but did so more seriously in 2014. We went to our first information session in April of that year and things proceeded from there. What unusual things occurred during the adoption process that having your job in athletics made even more challenging? Arner: Certainly, I knew that being a single parent working in a seven-day work week industry was going to be a challenge, but in hindsight it was a lot of fun. Cleve was 5 years-old when he came to me, so after his school day he would come up to the practice fields and play, while I was working football practice. One of our Illinois cornerbacks taught him how to tie his shoe, one of our track athletes would come braid his hair at night and when I was at Houston I found him sitting in the middle of the field with the entire offensive line talking about his behavior at school. There was a time when I felt I wasn’t doing either my work or my parenting very well and I was ready and willing to quit my athletics job, but I believe fate intervened and provided me an opportunity to stay in the business with a position that required less travel so I could be home with Cleve more. Jenkins: To be licensed in Kansas as a foster parent, you have to attend a class to learn about the process, expectations, etc. Our path was foster-to-adopt, so we had to attend once a week for three hours or so. One of those nights conflicted with a softball conference tournament doubleheader, so I had to plan accordingly. It turned out that I saw game 1, left for the class, and was back in time for plenty of the 17-inning game 2. Robles: I was an Assistant AD at UC Davis and was fortunate to have a lot of flexibility with my schedule. But it became more Ryan Davis says educating himself, his family and friends became very important to him as he wanted to make sure his children would be surrounded by people who would care for and embrace their differences.Next >