The Final Countdown (April 6, 2026)

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The countdown is on: We are just 60 days away from the College Sports Communicators annual convention. If you haven't signed up yet, now is the time!

Before we get to the main event, the CSC U committee is hosting a virtual workshop this week (April 8–9). It’s a fantastic resource for students, interns, and young professionals looking for mentorship and support in the industry.

Since this marks the unofficial start of "convention season," I’m dedicating the next few days to helping you prep. Stay tuned for tips on how to maximize your convention experience and build lasting professional connections.

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Pre-Convention Scouting — Building a Strategic Networking Game Plan

Convention season in athletic communications isn’t just about showing up—it’s about showing up with intent.

Early in my career, I treated conventions like a volume game. Shake as many hands as possible, collect business cards, and hope something sticks. The reality? Very little of it translated into meaningful professional growth.

That changed when I started treating networking like we approach game coverage: with preparation, structure, and defined outcomes.

Before stepping into a convention, I now build a scouting report:

• Who are the people I need to connect with?
• What gaps exist in my current network?
• Where can I add value—not just extract it?

For example, if I know our department is trying to elevate video storytelling or improve live stats integration, I prioritize conversations with peers and vendors in those areas. That shifts networking from passive to purposeful.

I also leverage attendee lists and LinkedIn ahead of time. A simple message—“Looking forward to connecting at the convention”—turns a cold introduction into a warm one before you even arrive.

Most importantly, I set measurable goals. Not vague ideas like “network more,” but tangible benchmarks:

• 8–10 meaningful conversations
• 3 follow-ups scheduled within a week
• 1 new idea I can implement immediately

In athletic communications, we’re constantly evaluated on output and impact. Networking should be no different. Treat preparation as your competitive edge—and your convention experience will reflect it.

GetSET2Connect Series - "T" - Teamwork; Part 4: The Veteran’s Pivot – Moving from Scorer to Coach (April 2, 2026)

When you first start in Athletic Communications, teamwork is about your output. You want to be the one who writes the best feature, catches the stat error, or saves the day during a power outage. You want to prove you belong on the "Varsity" roster.

But for those of us with 20+ years of experience, the goalpost shifts. If you are still trying to be the only "scorer" in the office, you aren’t being a great teammate—you’re becoming a bottleneck.

The Pivot: From "I" to "We"

The Veteran’s Pivot is the intentional move from being the primary producer to being the primary facilitator.

In basketball, even the greatest scorers eventually realize they can’t win a championship alone. They start looking for the open man. They start coaching on the floor. In our world, that looks like:

• Delegating with Purpose: Not just giving away the "boring" tasks, but giving away the "big" tasks to a young pro so they can build their own portfolio.

• Protecting the Culture: A veteran teammate is the one who sets the emotional tone in the office during a high-stress tournament. If you stay calm, the room stays calm.

• The "Institutional Memory" Assist: Using your 25 years of context to help a rookie avoid a political landmine or a historical error.

Teamwork as Mentorship

At this stage of my career, my value isn't just in how fast I can type a press release. It’s in my ability to mentor. As I’ve discussed throughout my blog posts, being Strategic means realizing that the strongest team is the one that doesn't fall apart when the leader isn't in the room.

If you are an experienced job seeker—perhaps looking for that AD or Associate AD role—this is what search committees are looking for. They don't just want a "doer"; they want a culture-builder. They want to know: Can you take a group of individuals and turn them into a cohesive unit?

The "SMC" Example

I think back to the jersey retirement last week for Coach Tim Wallace. That event wasn't a one-man show. It required the collaboartion between the PA announcer, the athletic director, myself as the SID to move in sync. As a veteran, my role wasn't to do every job; it was to ensure every piece of the puzzle fit perfectly to honor a man who gave so much to this institution.

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Final Thought:

• "What was the hardest 'task' you ever had to give up to a student-assistant so they could grow?" * 

GetSET2Connect Series - "T" - Teamwork; Part 3: The Power of the "Assist" – Teamwork for the Inexperienced Pro (April 1, 2026)

If you’re a student-assistant or a young professional just starting your journey in an athletic department, it’s easy to feel like you don’t have much to offer the "varsity" team yet. You look at the veterans with 20+ years of experience and think, "What can I possibly contribute?"

Here is a secret from 25 years in the chair: In SID work, the "assist" is just as vital as the goal.

In basketball, a great point guard doesn’t always need to score. They "set the screen" to get a teammate open or deliver the perfect pass that leads to the bucket. In the office, teamwork starts with being the person everyone can count on for the fundamentals.

1. Small-Task Excellence

Before you can write the award-winning season preview, you have to prove you can get the rosters right. Before you manage the social media strategy, you have to show you can handle the "grunt work" of updating a bio or checking a box score for typos.

To the inexperienced pro: There are no small tasks, only small attitudes. When you execute a minor task with 100% accuracy, you aren't just "doing a chore"—you are building trust.

2. "Setting the Screen" for Your Supervisor

A great teammate anticipates where the help is needed. If you see your boss is swamped with a post-game press conference, don’t wait for them to ask you to print the stat sheets. Just do it.

"Setting the screen" means removing obstacles for your teammates so they can succeed. When you make your supervisor’s job easier, you aren't just a "helper"—you are a strategic asset to the department.

3. Reliability is Your Greatest Stat

You might not have the "stats" on your resume yet—no major bowl games or national championships—but the most important stat you can track is your reliability.

• Do you show up on time?

• Do you stay until the job is done?

• Do you follow through on the "boring" details?

Teamwork isn’t always about being the loudest voice in the room; often, it’s about being the most consistent presence in the office.

The Career Builder's Tip:

When you are an inexperienced job seeker, your "teamwork" section on a resume shouldn't just say "Team Player." It should show it. Talk about the time you stepped up to cover a sport that wasn't yours, or how you managed the credential desk so your director could focus on the broadcast. Employers aren't looking for a superstar; they are looking for a teammate who understands the power of the assist.

GetSET2Connect Series - "T" - Teamwork; Part 2: The Diehard’s Heart – Why Passion is the Ultimate Teamwork Multiplier (March 31, 2026)

In our first post, we looked at the structure of teamwork through the lens of a massive family. Today, we shift from the "how" to the "why." We’re talking about the spirit of the team.

Growing up, my father wasn’t just a spectator; he was a diehard. Whether the score was a blowout or a nail-biter, he was in the stands, leaning forward in his favorite recliner, or glued to the radio until the final whistle. He taught me that being a fan isn't about the wins; it’s about the allegiance.

In the world of Sports Information, we pride ourselves on being "objective" and "professional"—and we should be. But there is a massive difference between being a "clock-puncher" and being a "diehard" for your institution.

The "All-In" Professional

When my father cheered, he wasn't just rooting for a jersey; he was supporting a community. In our profession, teamwork fails the moment we stop caring about the outcome for the student-athletes.

• The Clock-Puncher: Records the stat, sends the release, and hits the exit.

• The Diehard Teammate: Sees the senior linebacker’s tears after a heartbreaking loss and writes the story that honors his four-year journey. They stay late—not because they have to, but because the "team" deserves the best coverage possible.

Teamwork is "Emotional Labor"

Real teamwork requires a level of commitment to your colleagues that goes beyond a job description. When the Basketball SID is underwater with a double-header, the "Diehard" teammate doesn't ask, "Is that my responsibility?" They ask, "How can I help the home team win today?"

Teamwork is the byproduct of shared passion. If you don’t care about the "logo" on the shirt, you’ll never truly be a great teammate to the person sitting across the desk from you.

Leadership in Action: Honoring a Legend

I saw this "all-in" spirit in action this past Saturday, March 28. I had the privilege of being part of the team that retired the number of Tim Wallace, the former head baseball coach at Spartanburg Methodist College. My time as his coworker was short, but the impact was meaningful because of the culture he helped build. You can read my full reflections on that experience [Read more].

For the Experienced Job Seeker

When you’re interviewing for a leadership role—like an Assistant AD or a Director—the search committee isn't just looking at your 25 years of service. They are looking for your fire.

Can you inspire a staff of young professionals to be "diehards" for their school? Can you show them that you still have the same "front-row energy" my father had? At the executive level, teamwork is about contagious commitment.

Reflection on Tim Wallace (March 29, 2026)

Photo above by Tim Kimzey

Yesterday, we had the honor of retiring the number of my friend and former colleague, Coach Tim Wallace, at Spartanburg Methodist College.

Our time working together wasn’t long, but his impact on me was lasting—and that’s something I’ve come to understand more clearly in this profession. The longer you’re in college athletics, the more you realize the job is never just about the scoreboard, the stat sheet, or the final recap.

It’s about people.

It’s about the standards you uphold when no one is watching. It’s about how you represent a program, an institution, and the countless individuals who poured into it long before you arrived. It’s about telling stories the right way—honestly, respectfully, and with the understanding that what we do becomes part of someone else’s legacy.

Coach Wallace built something that went far beyond wins. He built relationships. He built expectations. He built a culture that people are still proud to be part of today.

As someone who had the privilege to work alongside him, even briefly, I carry that responsibility with me. My hope—every day—is that I’ve done right by him, by his family, by his former players, and by everyone connected to that program. 

Not just in what I produced, but in how I went about it.

Because in the end, our work isn’t measured solely by what’s said on the scoreboard—it’s measured by the trust we earn, the stories we tell, and the respect we leave behind.

That’s something worth striving for.

GetSET2Connect Series - "T" - Teamwork; Part 1: The Kitchen Table Huddle – Lessons from a Family of 13 (March 30, 2026)

The "T" in the GetSET2Connect model is arguably the most foundational. While "Strategic" and "Engagement" get you in the room, Teamwork is what keeps you there. It is the bridge between individual talent and institutional impact.

GetSET2Connect Series - "E" - Engagement – Conclusion (March 28, 2026)

As we wrap up the "E" in the GetSET2Connect series, it is clear that Engagement is the bridge between having a strategy and building a lasting legacy. Over the last five posts, we have deconstructed what it truly means to be an engaged professional in the ever-evolving landscape of athletic communications.

Here is a look back at the journey we’ve taken:

• The Foundation: We defined engagement not as mere activity, but as the active pursuit of growth and the intentionality behind every professional interaction.

• The Sprint: We looked at the short-term—mastering the daily gameday grind, from Adobe Creative Suite workflows to the immediate demands of NCAA and NAIA media relations.

• The Endurance: We shifted to the long-term, discussing how to maintain passion and avoid burnout over a 25-year career by staying anchored to your "why."

• The Pivot: We explored the necessity of flexibility—learning when to shift your focus, whether that’s toward PA announcing, new digital storytelling tools, or leadership roles.

• The Connection: Finally, we closed the loop. Your engagement acts as a magnet, drawing in mentors and peers who align with your specific goals and allowing you to pour back into the next generation of SIDs.

Engagement is the difference between working in sports and influencing the future of the profession. When you are engaged, you don't just report history; you help shape it.

Let’s Connect:

This series is just the beginning of the conversation. If the GetSET2Connect model resonates with your journey, or if you’re looking to navigate your own career pivots with more intentionality, I’d love to hear from you.

Let’s continue the dialogue and elevate this profession together. Connect with me on LinkedIn:

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-kambel/

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