Doug Aiken, SID at Division III Chapman University in Orange, Calif. was the subject of the CoSIDA October Digest's "Five Questions" feature.
At 21, he was one of the youngest SIDs in the nation when he was hired in 1999. Doug's responsibilities include the public and media relations for Chapman's 18 intercollegiate athletic teams and three club sports and he also teaches public relations classes in the College of Film and Media Arts. Aiken also has worked for the Anaheim Bullfrogs (roller hockey), the High Desert Mavericks (minor league baseball) and the NBA's Summer Pro League in Long Beach during his tenure at Chapman.
1. Talk about your career path. Where have you been and who are the people who have influenced you?
DA: I was a fortunate soul who was in the right place at the right time. Having worked as a student assistant for three years in the sports information office at Chapman, it so happened that I was graduating as the SID (Jim Moore) was leaving to start his own marketing company. I had done internships in minor league baseball, TV and radio (I was a broadcast journalism major), but I really liked sports information. I got the job and all of a sudden, I was 21 years old and in charge of 17 sports so I had a lot of learning and maturing to do.
It’s been 11 years and the profession has evolved so much in just that short time. I can’t pinpoint being influenced by any one person, but I try to pay attention to what everyone else has done and take things I really like from them - SIDs at schools we compete against and also those at Division I and II schools.
2. For many SIDs, September is the most hectic month of the year. What have you learned over the years to help you get through it?
DA: I’ve learned that I love it when our first home football isn’t until late September! The fall is a whirlwind. I feel bad for the coaches and players because they show up a week before school, have their first games and then two short months later it’s over. Other sports have the luxury of getting settled and having a full preseason.
It’s the same for SIDs. The teams show up, you hustle to get rosters, media guides, etc. and then it’s over. I also teach three classes in the fall. But then you enjoy your November!
3. You are part of a unique situation with your involvement as director of the Sun West Classic softball games in March. How did that evolve?
DA: The Sun West Tournament was started by my predecessor. So many softball teams go to Florida during spring break for the sun, sand and Disney. Well, we have all those same things here in Orange County, so why not host our own tournament?
Since it’s a round-robin format we have teams in and out of the tournament throughout the entire month of March – as many as 55 teams one year. It certainly makes for some long days and, in true Division III fashion, I’m dragging fields, selling tshirts, keeping stats, etc. every day of it.
Our administration and coaches are very supportive and I always recruit a tremendous student work study staff to help take care of other spring sports while I’m on the softball field. I always say, there are worse ways to spend a month of work than on the softball diamonds.
4. The Chapman athletics Web site has a content management system (CMS) supported by an outside provider. Many small colleges face pressure from the PR and admission offices for the athletics site to have a similar look to the rest of the college’s Web site, for branding purposes. Is that an issue and how have things worked out with the new CMS?
DA: We actually just went through this transition last school year and launched the new site in March (http://www.chapmanathletics.com). We did get quite a bit of resistance from some of the administration on campus but we tried to show them that we were just keeping up with the Joneses. We were able to show what many of our competitors (both athletically and academically) are doing and that this has been the trend. We’ve made a few concessions and worked with the administration on some things to appease them. In the end, having the new site only benefits the university as a whole.
Personally, I needed this. SIDs have to be jacks of all trades, but one thing I am not is a graphic designer. And so our Web site suffered for many years while everyone else around us got better, fancier and more dynamic.
We have received so many compliments and it certainly helps our coaches with recruiting, as well. Plus, this new site is so easy to maintain. I had the football roster, with numbers and mugshots online on the second day of camp this year. It usually takes me weeks to do all that.
5. Aside from team titles and victories, what have been your favorite moments as an SID?
The first thing that comes to mind is all of the student-athletes that have come and gone over the past 10 years and developing varying degrees of relationships with all of them; but especially the student workers and interns that I’ve had in my office.
I’ve been fortunate to work with some pretty special students – the typical Division III overachievers – and have seen a handful go into the SID or sports PR profession. I’m very proud of them all.