Below, see the schedule of the 2012 Special Award recipient feature stories which will be written by CoSIDA members throughout the spring. The full slate of 2012 Special Awards was announced March 2. All awards will be presented during the 2012 CoSIDA Convention in St. Louis (June 23-26).
• Individual feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
• CoSIDA St. Louis Convention awards presentation schedule
Mike Mahon, former Drake & South Dakota SID, to receive 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award
by Jack Neumann, University of Calgary
Former Drake University Sports Information Director Mike Mahon will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual College of Sports of Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Convention that will be in held in St. Louis, Mo. from June 22-26, 2012.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to members of CoSIDA who have served at least 25 years in the profession and have retired as of July 1, 2012. Mahon will receive his honor during the June 25 CoSIDA Hall of Fame Luncheon.
Mahon spent 22 years at Drake beginning in October 1988 before retiring in December 2010. He joined the staff at Drake after spending 11 years as SID at his alma matter, the University of South Dakota, graduating in 1976 with Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications.
Mahon has been involved in numerous amateur, international and Olympic events. He served as United States Olympic Committee (USOC) press officer for track and field at the 1992, 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics and was assistant venue press chief for team handball at Los Angeles in 1984. He also was a press officer for Team USA at the 2011 World Outdoor Track Championships in Dageu, South Korea.
Regarded as one of the foremost track and field media relations professionals, Mahon served as USOC press officer for the 1991, 1999, 2003, and 2011 Pan American Games as well as USOC press officer at four U.S. Olympic Festivals in track and field.
"Mike Mahon is one of those SIDs who have helped define the excellence of this profession. His contribution to collegiate athletics and to the Olympics set a standard that all of us try to measure up to," stated former USOC Media Services director Bob Condron.
Mahon worked at a myriad of NCAA Championships having served at numerous Midwest Regional Tournaments in basketball, three NCAA Final Fours and numerous NCAA Track and Field and NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Mike had extensive involvement in the Drake Relays, serving as media coordinator and chairman of the 1996 men's Drake Relays executive committee.
In 2011 Mahon was inducted into the Drake Relays Wall of Honor. He was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 1995, and in 2003 received the 25-year CoSIDA Distinguished Service Award. In 2009 he was inducted into the University of South Dakota Coyote Sports Hall of Fame, and three year prior, he received the 2006 Sam Skinner Award from the Track & Field Writers of America - becoming the first SID to receive this honor.
He has been active in CoSIDA, serving as Chairman of the CoSIDA Olympic Liaison Committee from 2002-10 and on the CoSIDA Membership Services Committee from 1990-93. In addition he has served on numerous table topics and panels while attending numerous CoSIDA conventions.
Mahon currently resides in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Individual recipient feature story schedule for 2012 Special Awards
General 2012 Special Awards release
March
Mon., 5: Kim Wenger (Centennial Conference): Rising Star Award (College Division) – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed, 7: Malcolm Moran: Jake Wade Award: by Joe Hornstein, CoSIDA 2nd Vice President
Fri., 9: Maurice Williams (Hampton University): Rising Star Award (University Division) – by Ed Hill, Jr. (Howard University)
Mon. 12: Bernie Cafarelli (Notre Dame): 25-Year Award - by Debbie White (Old Dominion)
Wed. 14: Peter Schlehr (Towson University): Lifetime Achievement Award – by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Fri. 16: Debbie Copp (University of Oklahoma): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Mon. 19: Chuck Sadowski (University of Bridgeport): 25-Year Award - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Wed. 21: Bob Condron (USOC): Lifetime Achievement Award and Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award - by Mike Mahon, former Drake & South Dakota SID
Fri. 23: Jack Neumann (University of Calgary): Warren Berg Award - by Paul Carson, former University of Toronto SID
Mon. 26: John Lewandowki (Michigan State): 25-Year Award - by Jamie Weir-Baldwin (Michigan State)
Wed. 28: Kennan Timm (Wisconsin-Oshkosh): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Tim Peterman (UW-Eau Claire)
April
Mon., 2: Tom Di Camillo (Pac West Conference, Central Arizona College): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Dan Drutz (Saint Peter's College)
Wed., 4: Dave Wohlhueter (CoSIDA treasurer, Cornell-retired): Lester Jordan Award - by Dan O'Connell (Towson University)
Fri., 6: B.L. Efring (Southern Maine): 25-Year Award - by Sheila Stevenson (Rowan University)
Mon., 9: Lawrence Fan (San Jose State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame and Arch Ward Award - by Jack Neumann (University of Calgary)
Wed., 11: Sue Edson (Syracuse): CoSIDA Hall of Fame - by Larry Dougherty (Temple University)
Fri., 13: Mark Bankert (Malone University): 25-Year Award - by Mike Leggert (Malone University)
Mon., 16: Rich Herman (Clarion): Bob Kenworthy Award - by Bob McComas (Slippery Rock)
Fri. 20: Michael MacEachern (Young Harris College)- 25-Year Award - by Tam Flarup (Wisconsin)
Mon., 23: Shelly Poe (Ohio State): Trailblazer Award - by Jeff Hodges (North Alabama)
Tue., 24: Shirley Jones-Hill (Southern Mississippi): 25-Year Award - by Debbie Davis (Conference USA)
Wed., 25: Joe Dier (Mississippi State): 25-Year Award - by Tammy Boclair (Special Awards Committee; former CoSIDA President)
Fri. 27: Roy Pickerill (Kentucky Wesleyan): 25-Year Award - by Ann King (The Sage Colleges)
Mon., 30: Bob Noss (Wright State): 25-Year Award - by Matt Zircher (Wright State)
May
Wed., 2: Wallace Dooley (formerly of Tennessee State): Lifetime Achievement Award - by Bill Hamilton (South Carolina State)
Fri., 4: Jeff Nelson (Penn State): Bill Esposito Backbone Award - by Bill Little (University of Texas)
Mon., 7: Bill Turnage (Florida Southern): Lifetime Achievement Award - by Tam Flarup (Wisconsin)
Wed., 9: Herb Vincent (LSU): 25-Year Award - by Tammy Boclair (Special Awards Committee; former CoSIDA President)
Fri., 11: Mike Mahon (formerly of Drake & South Dakota): Lifetime Achievement Award - by Jack Neumann, University of Calgary
Mon., 14: Bill Wagner (DePauw): 25-Year Award
Wed., 16: Fred Huff (formerly of Southern Illinois-Carbondale): CoSIDA Hall of Fame [Veteran Award Committee recipient]
Fri., 18: Phil Haddy (University of Iowa): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 21: Dave Geringer (University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth): 25-Year Award
Wed., 23: Charles "Chuck" Prophet (deceased; formerly of Mississippi Valley State): CoSIDA Hall of Fame
Fri., 25: Robert Wilson (Florida State): 25-Year Award
Tue., 29: Dave Fischer (USA Hockey): 25-Year Award
June
Fri., 1: Bud Ford (Tennessee): Lifetime Achievement Award
Mon., 4: Robert McKinney (Willamette University): 25-Year Award
Awards to be presented during CoSIDA St. Louis Convention, St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, June 24: Kickoff Luncheon
Awards presented: 25-Year Awards; Trailblazer, Kenworthy Community Service, Rising Star (University and College Divisions), Keith Jackson honors
Monday, June 25: (two award presentations)
CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon
Awards presented: Esposito, Lifetime Achievement, CoSIDA Hall of Fame awards
Capital One Special Awards Gala (dinner/ceremony)
Awards presented: Arch Ward, Warren Berg, Jake Wade, Lester Jordan, Enberg awards; Capital One Academic All-America® Hall of Fame induction