| Since graduating from college in 1973, my entire professional career has been spent working behind the scenes, rather than in the public eye. I prefer it that way. I’ve never been one to search out the limelight for myself. I’ve never been comfortable on stage as a public speaker.
My roles as a newspaper journalist, university public relations specialist and as a college sports information director (SID) have allowed me to report on and promote other people. For the last 30 years prior to my retirement in January of 2006, I worked in athletics media relations at the University of Northern Iowa. That job entailed informing the public about the Panthers’ excellent athletics program, coaches and student-athletes.
Now I find myself on the other side of the camera, and am not particularly comfortable with the situation. I have been chosen as one of UNI’s athletics Hall of Fame recipients for 2009 and will receive the award at Homecoming the weekend of Oct. 17.
Don’t get me wrong. I am extremely thrilled and honored with my selection. Working anywhere for over 30 years, as I did at UNI, takes perseverance, no matter how much you love the job. It’s always nice to be recognized for the effort and a job well done. But with my selection comes the requirement of making a short speech at the induction ceremony. After all these years of writing about other people, I have to find a way of talking about myself, no matter how briefly.
Of course, I’ll need to thank certain people. I’ll need to thank my 91-year-old father who raised two daughters rather than a son. I was my father’s son since I was a tomboy growing up and spent 10 years as a competitive swimmer. It wasn’t football, but I think he got his fix anyway.
I’ll need to thank Mike Chapman, currently executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Museum and Institute. He was the sports editor at the Fort Collins Coloradoan where I began my professional career as a reporter. He allowed me to write and have published my first sports articles. I’ll need to thank former UNI SID Jim Schaeffer who showed me how to keep a softball scorebook when I first started writing about UNI’s women’s athletes.
I’ll need to thank former UNI women’s athletics director Elinor Crawford and the women’s sports coaches. They were patient with a rookie SID. I think they were just thankful for getting coverage for the first time in their history.
I’ll need to thank former UNI athletics director and head football coach Stan Sheriff. He promoted me from assistant SID to the office’s directorship way back in 1979, taking a chance on a female in a predominately male environment who at the time knew little about X’s and O’s.
I’ll need to thank the other SIDs in the Panthers’ conference. All men, they took me under their wing, showed me the ropes, treated me with respect, at times taking care of me as if I were their little sister. They became lifelong friends. I’ll need to thank a multitude of fulltime assistants and student assistants without whom I couldn’t have done my job.
Last but not least, I’ll have to thank my husband, Bob, and my daughter, Nicole. Bob was a bit leery back in 1979 about my entering that male world, but he bleeds purple and gold and got used to his wife traveling with men’s teams. Nicole grew up to be a beautiful, smart young lady and a great mom despite her own mother often being away from home a good eight months out of every year. She too, however, bleeds purple and gold and thought it was pretty cool when she got to travel with me on road trips.
Now that I’ve gotten this column down on paper, I realize that this could have been my induction speech. I was able to put the emphasis on where it should be—the family, friends and colleagues who helped make whatever successes I’ve had personally and professionally.
Now what do I say in my speech?
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