It's been a busy, active and successful year for Union College (Ky.) sports information director Jay Stancil - in and outside his athletic PR responsibilities.
In this Q&A, Stancil addresses the advent of the SIDChat and its topics and rise in popularity; his Ike Pearson Award and work in athletic communications; and his outside interests, including his family, teaching, and - ! - his training for an upcoming half-marathon.
Stancil has served as Union College's (Ky) primary media relations contact since August of 1999. Stancil currently serves as NAIA-SIDA First Vice President. Over the past several months, he has initiated a popular blog - aptly named The Master Juggler - and is the creator and coordinator of the weekly
SIDChat. The SIDChat now takes place on
CoverItLive.com - a web-based Live Blogging tool that allows you to broadcast live commentary to your readers and participants, and is
held each Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern (11 a.m. Pacific).
The Chat, growing in popularity and praise each week, lasts 30-45 minutes and has an open discussion over 6-7 questions about the athletic communications profession. The topics are wide-ranging, as are the participants who participate from across the country, representing all divisions of college athletics and all levels of experience.
On July 3 in San Francisco, Stancil was honored with the 2010 Ike Pearson Award as Outstanding NAIA Sports Information Director (
see release here) during the NAIA's national convention day. The Clarence "Ike" Pearson Award is the association's highest honor and recognizes its honoree for accomplishments and service performed over a career.
Prior to his Union position, Jay was the Sports Editor at the
London-Laurel (Ky.) News Journal from 1997-99 and the Sports Editor at the
Corbin Times-Tribune (Ky.) from 1994-97. He is a 1994 graduate from Carson-Newman College (Tenn.) and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communication arts.
How and why did you come up with the SIDChat concept?
JS: I had followed and participated in the now defunct #sportsPRchat on Twitter. After a couple weeks, I thought, “Wonder if something like this would work for SIDs?” I bounced the idea off a couple of other SIDs and received positive feedback. Soon thereafter, SIDChat was born - first on Twitter, then I moved to the CoverItLive blogging site.
Talk about the growth and interest in the SIDChat - how many started off participating, and what the are numbers now? I understand that media relations folks from all divisions are participating as well.
JS: Starting out, we had 10-12 people participating but it has steadily grown and blossomed to approximately to 30-35 people per week now. What is really encouraging is that it’s not always the same people. Because of schedule conflicts and whatnot, we get a lot of different people involved.
There are few regulars every week, but with each new SIDChat comes a new group to participate.
It’s been neat to see the interaction and demographics of the participants. There are athletic PR folks from NCAA DI, DII and DIII participating as well as several from the NAIA. Some are directors, others are assistants and/or interns/student workers. Some are in one-person shops, while some are in
large offices. Each brings a different, unique perspective to the SIDChat and it helps everyone involved to see the issue being discussed from a variety of angles.
What is contributing to the rise of interest and popularity in the SIDChat? As well, talk about forming relationships with others in the athletic media relations business - particularly how this SIDChat is bringing you into contact with people from across the country and from all divisions and what that means to you.
JS: I firmly believe we SIDs by and large enjoy ‘talking shop’ and need an outlet to discuss the day-in and day-out struggles and successes we go through. For me, the best part of the CoSIDA Convention is getting to chat with other media relations folks and this is just an extension of that. This is a learning/sharing time. But unlike webinars where one or two people or talking, anyone and everyone throws in their two cents.
This is something I really wish existed when I first began my athletic communications career. When I got into the profession, I felt like I was on an island by myself, not knowing where to turn for help. And most if not all young SIDs feel that way in some form or fashion. Through SIDChat, I want to convey that you’re not alone, we all know what you’re going through and we’re here to help.
Please list 5-7 of the topics discussed recently (serious or non-serious) which have generated the most response and interest amongst the participants.
JS: 1. How to get back into the groove after being away from the office
2. How to engage fans and inspire interaction on Facebook
3. What would your walk-out song be
4. Is cheerleading a sport and how do you/your school treat it?
5. What makes a good press release
6. Being your own media
Do you see the concept of SIDChat expanding? How is it working via CoverItLIve? What would be the next logical step for this weekly discussion?
JS: SIDChat really exploded when I moved to Cover-It-Live. By doing so, it has allowed quicker, more instantaneous interaction. When it was on Twitter, you would have to wait a few seconds to a minute for it to refresh. But being on Cover-It-Live has been wonderful, especially since those who missed participating can easily replay the SIDChat.
I foresee the concept of SIDChat expanding. With technology advancing all the time, I have no doubt that this will go to another level. At the NAIA-SIDA Workshop in San Francisco, we discussed having a NAIA only SIDChat, and I could see that happening for other divisions as well since each group have some different issues and challenges that the rest do not deal with.
Please give the readers the exact time and address for this week's chat (August 18) and what topics will be discussed.
JS: SIDChat takes place on Wednesdays at 2 pm ET and can be found at:
http://themasterjuggler.blogspot.com/p/sidchat.html
Some of the topics for this week’s chat include selling ads for printed items and for the web, dealing with constant schedule changes from coaches and how to deal with media adding student-athletes as friends on Facebook.
You also author a well-read and interesting blog entitled "The Master Juggler." In a recent entry, you discuss training for a half marathon (good luck!). It seems like Dave Parsons (Mount Vernon Nazarene) issued the challenge to train and run this event.
JS: I do talk a lot on my blog about trying to find balance between life as a SID and life in general. That’s a big reason why I entitled it “The Master Juggler.” In one of the more recent blog entries, I discussed how important it is to get rest, which is something that was really driven home recently as I train to run a half marathon.
It is easy to think that we can accomplish more and do it faster if we just go all out and pour everything we’ve got into a project, or should I say projects because we in athletic media relations rarely have just one project going on at a time. However, we need to allow our minds and bodies in order to perform better and more efficiently. In my training for the half marathon, I went in thinking that it would be best to run every day. Yet, I soon learned that I need to take days off regularly to allow my body to recover from the stress of running so many miles. By resting, my body gets stronger as well.
I firmly believe SIDs would benefit greatly from regular rest either by taking an evening off, leaving the laptop at home and/or turning off the cell phone. Otherwise, it is easy to see why so many in our profession burn out and want to leave the field.
Dave Parsons, the SID at Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio), and I are good friends. We met through work and became fast friends. One day on Twitter, he threw out a blanket challenge for anyone to join him to run a half marathon in Columbus, Ohio, on October 17. I practically jumped at the chance. It’s been something I’ve been thinking about doing, and I thought what better opportunity could there be than to run with one of my best friends in the profession. But after throwing out the challenge, Dave became a little gun shy about committing to run. I started tweeting about my training and progress and everything, and Dave became convinced he could do it too. Through the miracle of social media, Dave and I have become running buddies!
Can you sum up what this past year has meant to you: the rapid growth of social media and your own investment in it; winning the NAIA honor as the nation's top media relations professional; expanding your role as a leader in the field; and taking up serious running.
JS: I am truly blessed. I am blessed to work at such a wonderful and supportive school such as Union, but above all, I am blessed to have such a loving, caring and supportive family who allow me to work in the profession I love. Athletic communications is a fun profession, but it is also very demanding. It’s demanding on the individual and their family.
It’s been fun to watch social media bloom like it has, especially seeing its growth within the athletic media relations ranks. Social media has not only allowed us to connect with fans and the media but with each other as well. I’ve been able to become friends with people in the profession I don’t think I would’ve otherwise had the opportunity to meet.
The past year has been a whirlwind. So much has gone on with me working on my masters degrees, becoming our conference SID, teaching adjunct and winning the 2010 NAIA Ike Pearson Award. Winning the Pearson Award feels a little odd in a sense because it’s a lifetime achievement type of honor, and I’m not finished yet. There is so much more I want to do and accomplish in collegiate athletics and communications.