Even though Jeff Mitchell was the acting A.D. during the recent search process, I can assure you he's wasn't "acting." He's real.
He's wasn't there to make big changes, but the "little" things he changed, maybe helped start something big...
The first is, communication. I'll call it "fresh air." It's not Febreze. It's a willingness to engage and talk about the opportunities and magnitude of the challenges the new A.D. and University Exec team will confront.
Let me be upfront - Jeff Mitchell was not a candidate for the full time position. Although he'd like to be an A.D. at some point in his career, he recognizes that an "external" candidate was the right choice for SCU.
Some of you may be saying, "Who's Jeff Mitchell?"
Jeff is in his 10th year at SCU, rising from volunteer to Senior Associate A.D. and the sports supervisor responsible for Men's Basketball, Baseball, Tennis and Women's Volleyball; Big programs. He's a lawyer, has an MBA, has media relations experience and was, prior to the above, responsible for NCAA compliance.
Many of the MBB season ticket holders know him as the "voice" of the Broncos at Leavey - "Jared Brownridge for t-h-r-e-e!!!"
During my interview, I found his "voice" inside the department compelling and ready to tackle his role in the "makeover."
To be fair, he also wears the results from the past 10 years of mediocrity in his sports. Exception - Women's Volleyball. Coach Jon Wallace has taken the ladies to 12 NCAA tourneys! Now that's a model we'd LOVE for MBB.
Now that Dr. Renee Baumgartner is on board, she inherits a staff that, for the first time in many of their careers, will be included in the strategy and at the same time tasked and measured to get SCU to national level performance in major sports.
And that's where Jeff Mitchell will be squarely positioned and have his chance to elevate his "voice" and SCU's reputation in MBB.
I felt that's exactly where he wants to be. A "go to" catalyst to get things done.
For example, he was already pushing for funding to relieve coaches of the extra hours spent fundraising just to try to make their budgets work. When Fr. Engh announced $500,000 to alleviate much of those extra hours, Jeff was a key driver. He had hands in the Nike all sports apparel deal and the locker room upgrades happening now.
He also believes in communication. I'm hopeful that the "cone of silence" around athletics and MBB will be lifted. In the past regime, it was like you needed a Government "SCI" (Top Secret) clearance just to say hello to a coach.
Press the link to read my prior Blog on "What we have here is a Failure to Communicate." Pretty interesting.
SCU Failure to Communicate Blog - March 2014
Maybe the new S.I.D. (Sports Information Director) to be hired will actually want to listen to season ticket holders and fans and not press the "mute" button on our coaches.
Coaches will get clearer expectations from Dr. Baumgartner. Over time, they'll be given proper resources and expected to perform per Fr. Engh's announced standard to "deliver extraordinary results."
We'll be watching...
Expecting national level results is novel for SCU, but old hat for serious NCAA programs.
The work to be done to get us "National" in Men's Basketball is a huge task from where we are now. That's a subject for my next column.
Short term to "National" in MBB is pretty straightforward, but not easy. Either earn an At-Large NCAA bid OR win the WCC Tourney. IMHO the second option might be the easiest.
In either case, Jeff Mitchell will be a co-architect of our progression in MBB. With Men's Basketball being the centerpiece of SCU becoming "National", the "spotlight" will shine bright on everyone to perform.
And the Jeff Mitchell I met isn't "camera shy"...
Follow The Bucking Bronco on Twitter @Fcrary.
He's wasn't there to make big changes, but the "little" things he changed, maybe helped start something big...
The first is, communication. I'll call it "fresh air." It's not Febreze. It's a willingness to engage and talk about the opportunities and magnitude of the challenges the new A.D. and University Exec team will confront.
Let me be upfront - Jeff Mitchell was not a candidate for the full time position. Although he'd like to be an A.D. at some point in his career, he recognizes that an "external" candidate was the right choice for SCU.
Some of you may be saying, "Who's Jeff Mitchell?"
Jeff is in his 10th year at SCU, rising from volunteer to Senior Associate A.D. and the sports supervisor responsible for Men's Basketball, Baseball, Tennis and Women's Volleyball; Big programs. He's a lawyer, has an MBA, has media relations experience and was, prior to the above, responsible for NCAA compliance.
Many of the MBB season ticket holders know him as the "voice" of the Broncos at Leavey - "Jared Brownridge for t-h-r-e-e!!!"
During my interview, I found his "voice" inside the department compelling and ready to tackle his role in the "makeover."
To be fair, he also wears the results from the past 10 years of mediocrity in his sports. Exception - Women's Volleyball. Coach Jon Wallace has taken the ladies to 12 NCAA tourneys! Now that's a model we'd LOVE for MBB.
Now that Dr. Renee Baumgartner is on board, she inherits a staff that, for the first time in many of their careers, will be included in the strategy and at the same time tasked and measured to get SCU to national level performance in major sports.
And that's where Jeff Mitchell will be squarely positioned and have his chance to elevate his "voice" and SCU's reputation in MBB.
I felt that's exactly where he wants to be. A "go to" catalyst to get things done.
For example, he was already pushing for funding to relieve coaches of the extra hours spent fundraising just to try to make their budgets work. When Fr. Engh announced $500,000 to alleviate much of those extra hours, Jeff was a key driver. He had hands in the Nike all sports apparel deal and the locker room upgrades happening now.
He also believes in communication. I'm hopeful that the "cone of silence" around athletics and MBB will be lifted. In the past regime, it was like you needed a Government "SCI" (Top Secret) clearance just to say hello to a coach.
Press the link to read my prior Blog on "What we have here is a Failure to Communicate." Pretty interesting.
SCU Failure to Communicate Blog - March 2014
Maybe the new S.I.D. (Sports Information Director) to be hired will actually want to listen to season ticket holders and fans and not press the "mute" button on our coaches.
Coaches will get clearer expectations from Dr. Baumgartner. Over time, they'll be given proper resources and expected to perform per Fr. Engh's announced standard to "deliver extraordinary results."
We'll be watching...
Expecting national level results is novel for SCU, but old hat for serious NCAA programs.
The work to be done to get us "National" in Men's Basketball is a huge task from where we are now. That's a subject for my next column.
Short term to "National" in MBB is pretty straightforward, but not easy. Either earn an At-Large NCAA bid OR win the WCC Tourney. IMHO the second option might be the easiest.
In either case, Jeff Mitchell will be a co-architect of our progression in MBB. With Men's Basketball being the centerpiece of SCU becoming "National", the "spotlight" will shine bright on everyone to perform.
And the Jeff Mitchell I met isn't "camera shy"...
Follow The Bucking Bronco on Twitter @Fcrary.
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