I Arrived Knowing a Few People — I Left With a Second Family (June 5, 2026)

Back in 1999, I boarded a plane to Orlando to attend my first-ever College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) convention — an event now known through College Sports Communicators (CSC) as Unite. At the time, I had no idea that one trip would help shape not only my career, but many of the relationships that would define my professional life for decades to come.

At the time, I knew only a small handful of people in the profession. Like many first-time attendees, I was walking into something unknown. I understood the basics of the job, but I was still learning the industry, still learning the people and honestly, still learning where I fit within it all.

What I didn’t realize when I stepped onto that plane was that the convention would become far more than a professional development opportunity.

It became the beginning of a second family.

Over the years, CSC conventions have never simply been about panels, breakout sessions or networking receptions. They have been about people. They have been about reconnecting with those who understand the unique rhythm of this profession — the late nights, the missed holidays, the pressure, the pride and the constant pursuit of telling the stories of student-athletes the right way.

Some of the most valuable conversations I’ve ever had in this industry did not happen inside convention halls. They happened in hotel lobbies after midnight. They happened over Diet Coke (or for some, it is coffee) before sessions started. They happened while walking between meetings or sharing stories about challenges nobody outside athletic communications could fully understand.

That’s what makes this profession different.

The relationships built through CSC are rarely transactional. They become lasting friendships, mentorships and support systems that follow you throughout your career and, in many cases, throughout life.

This year, for the first time in a long time, I will not be in attendance.

And while I’ll certainly miss the conversations, the laughter, the familiar faces and the energy that convention week always brings, I’m still excited for everyone making the trip. I’m excited to follow the sessions, read the takeaways, see the photos and learn from afar through the perspectives of those attending.

Because convention season still matters — even when you are not physically there.

It remains a reminder that this profession continues to evolve. New voices emerge. Young professionals find confidence. Veterans rediscover purpose. Ideas are exchanged. Friendships are strengthened. Careers quietly change direction through one conversation in a hallway.

That was true in 1999.

And it is still true today.

For those attending this year’s convention, embrace all of it. The sessions matter. The networking matters. But the relationships matter most. Introduce yourself to someone new. Sit at a different table. Reconnect with people you have not spoken with in years. Listen more than you talk. Ask questions. Share experiences.

You may arrive knowing only a few people.

But you never know when a convention will become the start of your own second family.