Reflection on "Don't ask me how much my salary is." (April 14, 2026)

1. The Core Theme: The "Hidden Cost" of the Box Score

The passage above suggests that while people see the final product (the paycheck or the successful event), they don't see the missed milestones. In your field, this is the "game day reality."

• The Resource Angle: I acknowledge that the "hustle" is often romanticized in sports, but as a veteran with 25 years of experience, I can provide a more nuanced perspective. Being a resource means teaching others how to manage these costs before they lead to burnout.

2. Reframing "Providing" vs. "Presence"

The text mentions "choosing responsibility over presence." You can use this to discuss the evolution of a career.

• The Resource Angle: My perspective on this balance has shifted from my first year to now. I am available to help professionals understand that "providing" isn't just about the financial or the technical output—it’s about building a career that eventually allows for more presence, not less.

3. Integrating my GetSET2Connect Model

Here is a possible solution:

• Strategic: How can we as professionals be strategic with their time so that when they are home, they are fully present?

• Engaged: How can we as professionals stay engaged with our families and personal lives even during the "busy season" (e.g., through a screen, but with intentionality)?

• Teamwork: Emphasize that a strong professional team allows for better personal balance. A leader who acts as a resource ensures their staff doesn't have to "miss every gathering" to be successful.

4. Takeaways 

Here is some actionable advice:

• Communication with Family: Just as we communicate stats and stories for our teams, we must over-communicate our schedules and "why" to our families.

• Quality over Quantity: If the "seat stays empty" at the celebration, how do we make the moments we are in that seat more impactful?

• Defining Success Beyond the Number: Define "success" by the health of their relationships, not just the title or the paycheck.

If You Feel Stuck, You’re in the Right Place (April 13, 2026)

As I sit here on a Monday, just one month after turning 50, I find myself reflecting again on the story I began sharing leading up to that milestone. I waited a bit before putting these thoughts together for my blog, giving myself time to process. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the current state of athletic communications, as well as the realities facing those approaching graduation, finishing internships or graduate assistantships, and navigating the broader job search.

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If You Feel Stuck, You’re in the Right Place

Most people don’t end up here because everything is going perfectly.

They end up here because something feels off.

Maybe you’re:

• Applying for jobs and not getting responses

• Working hard but not moving forward

• Unsure what your next step is supposed to be

• Or simply tired of feeling like you’re doing everything “right” with nothing to show for it

If that’s you—this space is for you.

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What This Blog Is (And What It Isn’t)

This isn’t a place for empty motivation or generic advice.

You won’t find:

• “Just follow your passion”

• “Everything happens for a reason”

• Or surface-level career tips that sound good but don’t actually help

What you will find here:

• Clear ways to think about where you are

• Honest conversations about what keeps people stuck

• Practical frameworks you can actually use

• And perspective that helps you move forward—not just feel better temporarily

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What I Focus On

Everything here centers around one idea:

Helping you move from stuck → clear → intentional

That shows up in a few key ways:

• Breaking down why effort isn’t always translating into results

• Identifying where you’re relying on “workarounds” instead of real progress

• Helping you build direction when you don’t have it yet

• Giving you tools to approach your job search and career with purpose

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Where to Start

If you’re new, start here:

• The Survivability of Glitch Building
  → Understanding how we adapt to systems—and where that can hold us back

• Ask: Is This Helping You Grow—Or Keeping You Stuck?
  → A simple question that exposes what’s really moving you forward

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A Quick Reality Check

You don’t need more information.

You need:

• Better clarity

• More intentional action

• And the willingness to confront what isn’t working

That’s what this space is built to help you do.

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Stay Connected

If something here resonates with you, don’t just move on.

• Reach out

• Share what you’re working through

• Or connect with me on LinkedIn

Because this isn’t just about content—it’s about helping people move forward.

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Start With This

Before you leave this page, ask yourself one question:

Where in my life am I busy—but not actually moving forward?

Sit with that.

Then go find your next step.

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Inspired by Solace in Solitude (April 12, 2026)

​The impact we have on others is rarely found in our loudest moments or our biggest professional wins. Instead, it is often built in the quiet, consistent ways we carry ourselves through the difficult seasons—the moments when we think no one is watching.

The following reflection serves as a reminder that your perseverance has a ripple effect far beyond your own life:

Your Faith Might Be the Reason Someone Else Finds Theirs

You may not even realize it, but the way you keep moving forward even after setbacks... the way you still show up with hope after a disappointment... the way you remain steady when everything feels uncertain, someone is watching. Not to judge you, but to find the strength to survive because of you.

Your quiet persistence, your decision to forgive, and your choice to believe when it would be easier to give up, all become proof to those around you that resilience is still possible.

Sometimes we think our battles are private and our struggles go unnoticed. But consistency speaks louder than we know. When you choose integrity over bitterness, peace over panic, and surrender over control, it plants seeds in hearts that are struggling. Your life becomes a living testimony that hope is real, present, and still working.

So, don’t underestimate your walk. Even on the days when your confidence feels small, or when you’re just holding on by a thread, that thread might be leading someone else back to their own path.

Keep going. Your journey might just be the miracle someone else has been looking for.

Where I’ve Been—and Where This Is Going (April 11, 2026)

It’s a fair question—and one I’ve asked myself more than a few times lately: why haven’t I been posting?

The honest answer is simple—life has been busy. Not just in one lane, but across the board. Professionally, the pace hasn’t slowed. The day-to-day responsibilities, the in-season demands, the constant need to be present and produce—it all adds up quickly. Personally, life doesn’t pause either. Time gets pulled in different directions, priorities shift, and before you know it, something you value—like writing—gets pushed to the side.

That’s not an excuse, but it is the reality.

Writing this blog has always been intentional for me. It’s not just about putting words on a page—it’s about sharing perspective, offering something useful, and hopefully helping someone else navigate their own path. And in seasons where time feels limited, that kind of intentional work can be the hardest to maintain.

But here’s the part that matters: I’m planning to be more consistent moving forward.

Because the more I’ve thought about it, the more I recognize there’s an audience out there—people at different stages of their journey—who are looking for direction, clarity, or even just reassurance that they’re on the right track. I’ve been in those spots before, and I know how valuable it can be to find something—anything—that helps you take the next step.

If that’s where you are right now, I want this blog to be part of that process for you.

Not just as a resource, but as a connection point. A place where experiences are shared honestly, where lessons—both successes and mistakes—are laid out, and where you can find something that resonates with where you are and where you’re trying to go.

So while there may have been a pause, this isn’t the end of the conversation. It’s a reset—and a commitment to show up with more purpose and consistency going forward.

The 30-Second Value Pitch — Communicating Your Brand in a Crowded Room (April 7, 2026)

Too often, introductions in our field sound like this:

“I’m an SID at [school], I handle a little bit of everything.”

That’s accurate—but it’s not memorable.

I’ve learned to frame my introduction around impact instead of responsibility. Not just what I do, but what I produce.

For example:
“I work in athletic communications at Spartanburg Methodist, focusing on elevating our brand through storytelling and real-time content. Over the past year, we’ve increased engagement and expanded coverage around our student-athletes’ national-level performances.”

That does three things:

1. Establishes role
2. Highlights outcomes
3. Opens the door for conversation

The key is tailoring that pitch depending on who you’re speaking to:

• Administrators (ADs, commissioners): Emphasize visibility, branding, and institutional impact
• Peers (SIDs): Talk process, workflow, and creative execution

Your value pitch isn’t static—it’s situational.

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?" *