Articles of Interest (March 20, 2026)

Before returning to the GetSET2Connect series, I want to briefly pause and share a few pieces of reading that have been on my mind this week.

In my 25 years in collegiate athletics, the “how” of our work has evolved repeatedly—from mailing typed game summaries and calling in statistics to local newspapers, to today’s world of AI-generated recaps. What hasn’t changed is the “why.” Athletic communications remains grounded in mentorship, visibility, and intentional connection.

Whether you’re a veteran administrator or a student assistant just beginning your journey, these recent insights offer a practical roadmap for navigating the demands of modern leadership and an increasingly dynamic technological landscape.

The Highlights:

• The AI Pivot: Inside Higher Ed reminds us that while machines can handle the rote tasks, they can't replace the human element. Our value in 2026 is found in critical thinking and student-athlete engagement.

• The Visibility Trap: Ever feel like your hard work is invisible? It might be the "Performance Paradox." We discuss why translating "effort" into "impact" is a professional necessity, not just bragging.

• Strategic Humility: Leadership feels harder because it is harder. We look at why "certainty theater" is failing and why radical honesty is the only way to rebuild trust with our teams.

• The Power of Small: Ever heard of the Ringelmann Effect? It explains why individual effort drops as teams grow too large. The "Two-Pizza Team" rule might be the secret to a more efficient gameday staff.

• Networking Pillars: A reminder from HERC Jobs that our careers are built on three specific legs: mentors, peers, and professional involvement (like our work with CSC).

As I prepare to share the next part of our series next week, I’d love to hear which of these hits home for you. Are you seeing "social loafing" on your gameday crews? Are you using AI to free up time for mentorship?

Drop a comment below and let’s connect.

GetSET2Connect Series, Part 4: Strategy in Athletic Communications and the Sports Industry (March 19, 2026)

Strategy takes on a different level of importance in athletic communications and the sports industry, where the pace is fast and the expectations are constant.

Success in this space requires more than execution — it requires perspective.

Operating Proactively in a Reactive Environment

Athletic communications is built around deadlines, events, and results. The work is naturally reactive.

But the most effective professionals find ways to operate proactively within that structure.

That means:

• Anticipating storylines before they happen

• Planning content around key moments in a season

• Aligning messaging with broader institutional goals

Strategy is what allows you to stay ahead, even when everything around you is moving quickly.

Moving Beyond Coverage

At its most basic level, athletic communications is about delivering information.

But strategic communicators understand that the role is much bigger than that.

The focus shifts from:

“Did we cover the event?”

To:

“Did we tell the story in a way that builds the program?”

That includes:

• Positioning student-athletes for recognition

• Enhancing recruiting visibility through content

• Creating a consistent voice and identity across platforms

Every piece of content becomes part of a larger narrative.

Creating a Competitive Advantage

In the sports industry, visibility and perception matter.

Programs that consistently tell their story well and engage their audience effectively create a measurable advantage — in recruiting, branding, and overall growth.

In practice, that can look like:

• Increased follower growth and engagement rates across social platforms

• Improved media coverage and external recognition

• Greater success in promoting student-athletes for postseason awards

That advantage doesn’t come from volume. It comes from intentionality.

Strategy is the difference between simply doing the job and elevating the entire program.

Final Thought

In athletic communications, strategy connects what you do every day to the long-term success of the program you represent.

It’s the difference between documenting moments and defining them.

And in a competitive industry, that distinction matters.

GetSET2Connect Series, Part 3: Turning Strategy Into Daily Practice (March 18, 2026)

In Part 1 of the GetSET2Connect Series, we defined what it means to be strategic — aligning your daily actions with long-term career goals.

In Part 2, we emphasized that strategy without execution has no value.

Now, in Part 3, the focus shifts to application — what it actually looks like to operate strategically in your day-to-day work.

Strategy Requires Honest Evaluation

At multiple points in my career, I’ve had to take a step back and evaluate whether my current role was positioning me for what was next.

At both the start of my career at Columbus State Community College and currently at Spartanburg Methodist College, that meant looking beyond my responsibilities and asking:

Am I growing, or am I just maintaining?

That question forced me to think beyond task completion and focus on development. It led me to pursue opportunities outside of my defined role — expanding into areas like storytelling, digital strategy, and content development.

In doing so, those efforts contributed to measurable outcomes, including:

• Increased social media engagement

• Expanded digital reach across platforms 

• Enhanced visibility for student-athletes through award recognition and coverage

Those decisions weren’t always required, but they were intentional. And over time, they created separation in both skill set and impact.

Focus on Impact, Not Activity

One of the biggest traps in any profession — especially in communications — is equating being busy with being effective.

Early on, it’s easy to say yes to everything. But strategic growth comes from identifying what actually moves the needle.

In my experience, that meant prioritizing:

• Storytelling that went beyond standard recaps

• Content that enhanced visibility for student-athletes and programs

• Initiatives that strengthened the overall brand, not just filled immediate needs

Those strategic shifts led to:

• Growth in audience engagement and interaction rates

• Improved performance across digital platforms

• Stronger positioning of programs within conference and regional recognition

The shift is subtle but important: from completing tasks to creating value.

Relationships as a Strategic Asset

No meaningful career progression happens in isolation.

Some of the most impactful opportunities I’ve had came through relationships — mentors, colleagues, and industry connections who provided guidance, perspective, and opportunity.

That includes being recognized nationally, including receiving the CoSIDA President’s Award in 2020, which reflects the impact of both professional work and engagement within the industry.

Being strategic with relationships means investing in them consistently, not just when you need something. It means showing up, adding value, and staying engaged over time.

That approach builds trust — and trust is what ultimately creates opportunity.

From Motion to Progress

Talent and work ethic matter. But without direction, they can only take you so far.

Strategy is what ensures your effort is aligned with where you want to go.

It turns daily work into long-term progress.

And it creates a career path that is intentional, not accidental.

GetSET2Connect Series, Part 2: Putting Strategy into Action (March 17, 2026)

In Part 1 of the GetSET2Connect Series, we explored what it means to be strategic — aligning your daily actions with your long-term career goals and using intentional decision-making as your guide.

But understanding strategy is only the foundation.

The real differentiator is execution.

Too often, professionals acknowledge the importance of strategy but fail to operationalize it in their day-to-day work. Being strategic is not about overanalyzing every move or waiting for the perfect opportunity — it is about consistently acting with clarity and purpose.

So how do you actually put strategy into action?

1. Audit Your Current Position

Strategy begins with awareness.

Take an honest evaluation of where you are in your career right now. Look beyond your job title and responsibilities and assess the true value of your current role.

• Are you building skills that align with your long-term goals?

• Are you gaining experiences that will translate to your next opportunity?

• Are you positioned in a way that allows for growth, or are you simply maintaining your current level?

Strategic professionals regularly assess whether their current situation is contributing to where they ultimately want to go. If the answer is no, that does not necessarily mean you need to leave immediately — but it does mean you need to identify gaps and begin addressing them intentionally.

2. Identify High-Impact Opportunities

Not all work carries the same weight.

One of the most important shifts in thinking strategically is moving from a mindset of activity to one of impact. Being busy is not the same as being effective.

High-impact opportunities are those that:

• Increase your visibility within your organization or industry

• Expand your skill set in meaningful, transferable ways

• Connect you with leadership or key decision-makers

These opportunities are often not assigned — they are identified and pursued.

This may mean volunteering for projects outside your defined role, taking initiative on new ideas, or stepping into responsibilities that stretch your current capabilities. Strategy requires you to recognize which efforts will move the needle and prioritize those over routine tasks that simply fill time.

3. Be Intentional with Relationships

No career grows in isolation.

Networking, when done strategically, is not about collecting contacts — it is about building meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships.

Consider:

• Who is already in your network, and how are you maintaining those relationships?

• Who do you need to connect with to reach your next level?

• How can you provide value to others, rather than only seeking it?

Strategic relationship-building means aligning yourself with individuals who challenge your thinking, support your development, and expose you to new opportunities. These relationships often become the catalysts for career advancement.

Moving from Motion to Progress

The difference between those who stay stagnant and those who advance is rarely talent alone. More often, it comes down to intentionality.

Being strategic ensures that your efforts are not just keeping you busy, but actively moving you forward.

It transforms your career from a series of reactions into a deliberate path.

As you continue through the GetSET2Connect Series, the focus will shift to additional components that build on this foundation. But without strategy, none of the other elements can reach their full potential.

Start where you are. Evaluate honestly. Act intentionally.

That is how strategy becomes progress.

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Missed Part 1? Start here:
https://sidassistant.blogspot.com/2026/03/getset2connect-series-part-1-why.html

GetSET2Connect Series, Part 1: Why Strategy is Your Career’s North Star (March 16, 2026)

After celebrating my birthday on March 13, I’m shifting gears back to the core principles of GetSET2Connect. In this upcoming series, we’ll deep-dive into the framework, paired with fresh job leads, industry news, and a few surprises. We’re kicking things off with the S in GetSET: Strategic. We will explore what being strategic looks like by definition, from the perspective of a job holder, and through the lens of a job seeker.

Half a Century of Life, Lessons, and Connection (March 14, 2026)

Half a Century of Life, Lessons, and Connection

To every single person who reached out, sent a text, left a comment, or whispered a prayer for my 50th birthday: Thank you. Reaching fifty isn't just about a change in the first digit of my age; it feels like standing on a peak and finally being able to see the entire landscape of where I’ve been. Reading your messages reminded me that while the journey is personal, it is never solitary.

Why This Birthday Feels Different

I chose to use this milestone not just for celebration, but to bring awareness to a "meaningful moment." Many of you have asked about the "depths" I mentioned. Life has a way of taking us through valleys we didn't choose, but those depths are exactly where the roots of our strength are formed.

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on how my story—the highs, the lows, and the messy middles—involves all of you. We are a tapestry of shared experiences, and I am so grateful you are part of my weave.

Looking Ahead: GetSET2Connect

I’m taking the weekend to soak in the last of these birthday reflections, but the real work (and the real sharing) begins shortly.

When I resume the blog this Monday, we are going deep. I’ll be introducing a concept that has become my North Star: GetSET. It’s more than just a catchy phrase; it’s a framework for how we bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be—with ourselves and with each other.

• S - (Stay tuned for the breakdown...)

• E - (...)

• T - (...)

I can’t wait to share this new chapter with you. See you back here on Monday.

50 Years: The Life I Almost Didn’t See (March 13, 2026)

March 13, 1994.

That was the day I began telling the people around me that I was going to end my life. I remember the weight of those words and the hollow certainty behind them. Nearly three months later, following a suicide attempt, I found myself in a psychiatric ward.

At the time, I thought that was the end of my story. In reality, it was the first day of the rest of my life.

The Radical Shift

I don’t share this to shock you or to lead with a tragedy. I share it because of the "radical change" that followed. For the last 32 years, my life has been a series of introductions—to people, places, and versions of myself—that were truly beyond my wildest imagination.

In that hospital bed in 1994, I couldn’t have envisioned the laughter I’d share decades later, the hands I would hold, or the wisdom I would gain from the people who have walked in and out of my life.

A History of Becoming

Recovery isn’t a straight line; it’s a long, winding road of evolution. Over the past three decades, I have learned that:

• Presence is a Victory: Just being here is an achievement worth celebrating.

• People are the Map: Every person I’ve met since that day has been a thread in the tapestry of my survival.

• The Story Continues: No matter how dark the chapter, it is rarely the final page.

Celebrating 50

Today, I am celebrating 50 years of life. Thirty-two of those years were "bonus years"—years I fought for, years I almost traded away, and years that have proven to be more beautiful and complex than I ever thought possible. This blog is a space to honor that history. It’s a place to talk about where I’ve been, but more importantly, to celebrate the fact that I am still here to tell the tale.

To anyone standing in their own "March 13, 1994" right now: Please stay. The versions of you that exist at 50 are waiting to meet you, and they are more incredible than you can imagine.