Perspective: The relationship between coaches and the vast media of today (by Dick Tomey, AFCA President, in Extra Point magazine)
by Dick Tomey, Head Coach, San Jose State University, 2009 AFCA President
(for the AFCA Extra Point magazine)
Dick Tomey, San Jose State University head football coach and President of the American Football Coaches Association, wrote this Presidential Column for the most recent AFCA Extra Point magazine.
The topic of coach/SID/media relationships was discussed in an April 2009 conference call that Coach Tomey had with CoSIDA leadership and the PR directors for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, formerly NCAA Division 1-A) conferences.
Below, Coach Tomey addresses the importance of relationship-building between football coaches, SID's/communication directors and the media and how to avoid the trend of eroding relationships between coaches and the media. Tomey notes that these relationships can become complicated - with a lot of room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation - yet there are ways to address this and build better communications.
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One of the most disturbing peripheral issues in college football today is, in my opinion, the eroding relationship between the coaching community and the ever expanding media.
The landscape has changed so much and will change more with the print media experiencing major cuts. Each school and each situation has its own unique challenges. My last year before I came to San Jose State in 2005, I was an assistant at the University of Texas. The difference was night and day! I say that because at San Jose State we welcome media coverage and even solicit it. At many high profile schools, it is almost stifling.
The relationship between coaches and the vast media of today can be very complicated with a lot of room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. With that in mind, I would like to make several observations:
1. We should all use our Sports Information Directors or Communications Directors as problem solvers on matters involving the football community and the media. The Communications Director can provide coaches important perspectives as they relate to decisions that are made involving the media.
2. The greatest asset we all have is our student-athletes. We must create more ways for the many compelling stories of our athletes and their lives to be known. All of our athletes have their own story and providing the right access to them gives the world a chance to better know the amazing young people that represent our schools.
3. We should all strive to have a two-way relationship with media. By that I mean that in the proper environment (preferably one on one), we will take media people to task if we think they have taken a cheap shot or made comments that are out of bounds and we would encourage them to do the same if they feel we have acted inappropriately.
4. I believe that as coaches we should realize that if there is a major theme about us or our program that continues over time through many different outlets, that as painful as that might be, there is probably a grain of truth to it.
At the very least this subject deserves thoughtful considerations from all coaches, Sports Information Directors and media so that a better relationship among all parties can be fostered.