photos courtesy of Oneonta State Athletics
ONEONTA, New York - Oneonta State Assistant Athletics Director and Sports Information Director
Geoff Hassard will serve as the President of the
Eastern College Athletic Conference Sports Information Directors Association (ECAC-SIDA) for the 2012-13 year. Hassard assumed the leadership role at the conclusion of the recent professional development workshop in Pittsburgh, PA.
Hassard is entering his 19th year as an athletics communications professional and has been involved on a regional and national level within his profession during that time. He is also entering his 14th year as the Sports Information Director at Oneonta, the last eight years in the dual role of Assistant Athletics Director and SID.
“It is an honor and privilege to serve in this capacity for an incredible organization that has played such an important role in my growth as an athletics communications professional,” says Hassard. “The men and women who have served in this role prior to myself have set the standard. My goal for the next year is to continue to engage our membership in the activities that have made ECAC-SIDA an advocate for furthering the athletics communications field regionally and nationally.”
Hassard will become the 57th individual to serve as President of ECAC-SIDA, an organization that was established in 1950’s at the Royal Manhattan Hotel in New York City. The organization held its first workshop in 1956 and the organization’s first president was William Crowley of Holy Cross. Hassard will also have the distinction of being the first SUNYAC SID to serve as President of ECAC-SIDA.
Hassard began his tenure on the Executive Board of ECAC-SIDA in August of 2006 as the College Division Representative. He spent three years in this role before being voted into the Presidential rotation in 2010. Hassard spent last year as the First Vice-President where he was the liaison to the Pittsburgh workshop committee.
Hassard has served ECAC-SIDA in various capacities over the years including being on the Rookie Committee and Membership Committee. He has been part of the local organizing committee for two professional development workshops and, in 2006; he was the host for the ECAC-SIDA professional development workshop held in Oneonta at the Holiday Inn.
Hassard handles all publicity for Oneonta’s 21 varsity athletic programs, maintains the Athletics Department web site, produces all of the Department's publications, researches historical records of the varsity athletics program and maintains records and statistics for all teams and individual athletes. He also serves as the Chair for the College’s Hall of Fame Committee. He is part of the senior staff of the athletics department and oversees the department’s discipline policy.
“Geoff is the consummate professional and we are proud that he will serve as President of ECAC-SIDA in the upcoming year,” said SUNY Oneonta Director of Athletics Tracey Ranieri. “His passion and communication skills and attention to detail will serve the organization well. He has been instrumental in our athletics program growth and success.”
Prior to his arrival to Upstate New York Hassard spent five years at WPI in Worcester, Mass. as its SID where he was responsible for promoting 19 varsity teams. He was involved in the University's athletic booster club, Hall of Fame, alumni events and was responsible for promoting athletes for the Academic All-America program.
Hassard is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and served on its Board of Directors as the College Division Representative from the Northeast Region from 2008-11. He serves on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Committee, which he has done for 16 years as a District Coordinator for various sports. In 2008, he added additional duties as Director of Publicity for the Academic All-America® program, a position he held until the spring of the 2010 academic year. He has been a presenter on panels and table topics at the national convention.
During his tenure at Oneonta, 21 athletes have received Academic All-District 1 honors 36 times including 20 on the first team. Eleven of the student athletes have earned Academic All-America® honors including three first team selections.
A native of Stoneham, Mass., Hassard is a 1989 magna cum laude graduate of Bridgewater (MA) State College where he received a bachelor's degree in physical education and teacher's certification for grades 5-12. In 1990, he completed a master of education degree from Springfield College concentrating in the area of athletic administration.
Hassard has been an adjunct professor at Bridgewater State, and has coached at both the college and high school level in the sports of football, basketball, track & field and softball.