Phil Johnson and Ron Siliko brought me onto the customer service/operations team. I worked a lot of Friday morning opening shifts meeting all the staff and patrons throughout the building. Doug Curry and Ruchelle Dunwoody gave me opportunities to work in Intramurals and Club Sports. I officiated IM soccer games on Sundays. Some undergraduate student, Mike Arnos, supervised me, as did the great Lauren Martini Olson! I coached the Men’s Club Soccer Team one semester, (lost in conference tournament). Carrie Moore & Terri Shannon let me tag along and assist running the USA Synchronized Swimming Competition. Tim Moore advised me on sailing and outdoor recreation adventures.
My graduate assistantship was teaching undergraduate physical education courses (volleyball, basketball, soccer, weight training) so I was able to interact with multiple campus facilities/spaces and user groups.
Means everything as I’ve been blessed to be in good health and wellness partly because of staying active. It’s also my life’s work, so far. I received my degrees in sports and recreation. We (the people that work in sports/recreation) “work” while other people play.
Lots of walking, some hiking, some weight training, a little basketball, some golf, some pickleball. Go to concerts with my wife. Live vicariously through our children in their activities 🙂
Roy Inglis – Vincennes University – my soccer coach, he introduced me to facilities and event management as an undergraduate student. He also introduced me to the NIRSA Annual Conference.
John Lentz – Indiana State University – a Miami connection I found out after I left ISU
Ron Siliko – Miami U – we played and talked a lot about basketball. I helped him coach at Talawanda Middle School. He gave me opportunity and experience. He encouraged me to apply to opening at University of Texas San Antonio -Campus Recreation.
Bob King (Athletic Director) and Dr. Jacob Tingle – Trinity University – gave me opportunities at Trinity and have helped me grow.
I had variety at Miami as no two days were alike. Miami’s Rec Center was the first stand alone recreation center that I had experienced (my undergraduate experience was multi-use facilities). I was involved in facility management (opening/closing procedures; pro-shop; memberships; equipment work orders, etc) and event management (IM programming, swim meets, club sports practices, games, etc). I was teaching classes. The 9/11 tragedy also occurred while I was there. Oxford and Miami Rec was a safe place in those early days of that tragedy.
Fast forward to today – Trinity University is a small residential liberal arts institution with 2,500 students. We operate athletics facilities and provide programming for NCAA DIII athletics (18 varsity sports); intramural, club sports, outdoor recreation, physical education classes, staff wellness; general recreation; as well as outside user groups. We host 150 athletics events a year including post season championships. I get to be involved in our master planning and capital projects. We did a lot of work during the COVID shutdown & reopening (reminded me of those early 9/11 days). I also teach undergraduate sport management courses. Everyday is different. The past Miami experiences (and degree) helped me get here.
Take advantage of the opportunities that Miami provides. Not every university has programming, facilities, faculty/staff, and an alumni network that Miami does. Go to athletics events, music events, art events. Explore Oxford, wisely, of course. Make relationships. You may create lifelong friendships.
Too many….Hockey games at the old Goggin Arena…Miami Athletics events in general were fun times with my friends, good teams then… I enjoyed a couple of ORSA conferences; one at Bowling Green and the other in Oxford, Hueston Woods. Great way to see other facilities and people and learn from them.
We had a group of GAs that would play basketball together one morning a week in the Rec Center. That was fun.
Awards/Recognitions/Accomplishments
2018-2019 Certificate of Completion from The Sports Management Institute. SMI is an academic graduate-level business program for athletic administrators. The sponsoring institutions are University of Southern California, Notre Dame, University of North Carolina, Michigan, Texas, & University of Georgia. I was the only person from a NCAA DIII institution in my cohort.
