Welcome to Caver Sports Communications

I am just returning from the College Sports Information Directors (CoSIDA) Conference in Tampa, Fla., my first in many years.

Once again, I am in awe of these people who handle media relations for our college athletics programs across the United States and Canada. The media relations challenges that they face daily are unique and complex and would make some corporate media relations people squirm.

However, the communications challenges facing college athletics are not unlike those in corporations. The challenge to manage the message and protect the image is more complex than every before with social media outlets where everyone can be a reporter. And with this, the traditional sports information department is once again morphing with the times. More and more departments are hiring team members with public relations and communications experience, though I surmise that media relations experience is as important as ever, if not more so, as traditional media outlets also find their way among these changing times.

Ultimately, changing communications within college athletics will not fall to the sports information/media relations/communications director…whatever they are titled, but will be a culture change that takes external guidance and leadership from the athletic directors. But that is for another post.

Back to this year’s CoSIDA conference, I’d like to send a hat’s off to the annual award winners, who are leaders and innovators in the sports communciations profession:

Cindy Fotti, Columbia College, Rising Star Award

Mendy Nestor, Pittsburgh, Rising Star Award

Dan O’Connell, Towson, Lester Jordan Award

Debbie Copp, Oklahoma, Bob Kenworthy Award

Langston Rogers, Ole Miss, Trailblazer Award

Tom DiCamillo, Central Arizona/Pacific West Conference, Warren Berg Award

Debby Jennings, Tennessee, Arch Ward Award

Steve Roberts, Valdosta State, Hall of Fame/Lifetime Achievement Award

Kevin Ruple, Baldwin-Wallace, Hall of Fame

Jim Wright, NCAA, Hall of Fame

Nancy Justis, Northern Iowa, Lifetime Achievement Award

Tim Petermann, UW-Eau Claire, Lifetime Achievement Award

Mark Stillwell, Missouri State, Lifetime Achievement Award

Dick Vitale, ESPN, Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award

Billy Packer, CBS, Jake Wade Award