CoSIDA member profile: Henderson State's Troy Mitchell - Overcoming adversity

CoSIDA member profile: Henderson State's Troy Mitchell - Overcoming adversity

Henderson State University Sports Information Director Troy Mitchell is in his 27th year in the athletic communications field, with the last 11-plus years as SID at the Division II school. Prior to his service at Henderson, he served as assistant sports information director at the University of Louisiana at Monroe for a decade. He also worked at Northwestern State and Tulane. He has earned numerous national and regional CoSIDA Publications Contest awards. Working Olympic Trials, New Orleans Saints football games, he also has served the past 20-plus years as statistics crew coordinator at the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (Shreveport, La.).

Since 2000, Mitchell has accomplished all this while battling lower extremity lymphedema, a disease which causes fluid build up in his lower legs which severly hampers his mobility. Here is his story, as told by Hunter Lively, sports Information assistant at Henderson State.

by Hunter Lively, Henderson State sports information assistant

From his early days at John Glenn High School in New Concord, Ohio, to his current position at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Troy Mitchell has faced constant adversity.

Battling lymphedema, a disease that has caused fluid to build up in the lower part of his legs since 2000, Mitchell has held the sports information director position at Henderson for the last 11 years. His passion for sports since his childhood days and immaculate attention to detail propelled him into sports information, where he has worked for 27 years.

Mitchell knew he wanted to pursue his career in sports information before he even reached college. In high school, he was the lone sports writer for the school newspaper, covering middle school and high school sports, while also playing football, basketball, baseball, and wrestling. Not only did he write for the school newspaper, but he also would send stats and notes to the local town newspapers after each game. Mitchell graduated high school in the spring of 1985.

He enrolled at Ohio University during the fall of 1985, and immediately got involved with the sports information department. All four years he worked as a volunteer, covering baseball, volleyball, and wrestling, while also helping out at football and basketball games.

“Glenn Coble was the person at Ohio that gave me my first opportunity,” Mitchell said. “He was very outgoing, and I learned a ton from just being around him.”

Coble is a former athletic/sports information director at Ohio and now works as a business development specialist for the Marion Community Credit Union in Columbus.

Mitchell graduated from Ohio in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in health and human services, and continued his schooling as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

This new opportunity was like a full-time job for Mitchell, who spent most of his time there working for and with the baseball team. Mitchell credits Doug Ireland, assistant athletic director/sports information director at NSU for giving him helpful tips on marketing, fundraising and promotions.

“Troy always has a passion for the school he represents, for the people involved, and for his profession,” Ireland said. “He always keeps an open mind, and is able to see the big picture. He does a tremendous job of promoting teams and athletes to the media and attracting national attention.”

After his two years at NSU, he was hired as a sports information assistant at Tulane University in New Orleans. He spent the next two years there, and then took over as an assistant at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He arrived in 1993, spending the next three years there, learning the duties of higher positions.

In 1996, an opportunity arose, as Monroe was hiring for an assistant sports information director position. Mitchell met the requirements and was hired immediately. His responsibilities elevated, as he was required to cover and oversee 15 sports. The next four years were not easy for Mitchell, but he was able to successfully fulfill his duties because of his advanced training and time spent in the field.

In 2000, Mitchell’s life was changed forever.

He had begun to notice that his pant legs would always have a dampness to them at the end of the day, and he couldn’t figure out why. His doctor confirmed that he had developed a disease called lower extremity lymphedema. As time progressed, the symptoms worsened, and it was getting harder for Mitchell to walk. It was almost as if he was constantly struggling through quick sand.

During the summer of 2014, Mitchell hopes to undergo a lymphatic exchange surgery, where doctors would take lymphs out of his neck and use them to replace the weaker lymphs in his legs, which would increase the flow of fluid. Mitchell’s specialist informed him that he is much further ahead than most people with lymphedema.

He knows he’s going to have to deal with lymphedema for the rest of his life, but that it is definitely controllable with the right treatment and mindset.

Emotions running high, Mitchell explained that his wife, Veronica (pictured with Mitchell, right), has been the one that constantly raises his spirits when times are rough. They got married in February of 2002.

“Veronica is phenomenal. I wouldn’t be anywhere without her. She’s been my backbone since we met in 2000.”

Mitchell’s wife has also had to rely on him in tough times, as well. When they met, she was battling a double-hiatal hernia. Shortly after, one night she was having trouble breathing, and Mitchell knew he had to get her to the hospital. When they arrived, the doctors performed an emergency surgery that took three times longer than a normal procedure to repair it, as it was piercing her heart. The doctors told Mitchell he was lucky to get her in when he did, because she could have dropped at any moment. The two have been through various trials, but their determination and reliance on each other has strengthened their relationship and faith.

In their free time, the Mitchell’s love taking their boat out on local Lake Degray, near their home in Bismarck, Ark. They enjoy the serenity and peacefulness that it brings, and it gives Mitchell a release from a stressful work environment. Another hobby they have is cooking. Mitchell was introduced to Cajun food during his time at Monroe and Tulane, and immediately was hooked. He takes pride in his “Sunday afternoon specials.”

Whenever he can find free time, which isn’t often, Mitchell and his wife will travel to his Ohio hometown, Zanesville to visit family. These times are the ones he will cherish forever, simply because it’s where he began his journey. A journey that hasn’t always been easy, but in Mitchell’s eyes, worth every bit of struggle. From Ohio University to Henderson State University, he has experienced and seen what it takes to excel in sports information.

“Troy is always looking for a way to go above and beyond,” Kevin Rodgers, Henderson State’s junior quarterback, said. “He’s always a positive influence on those around him.”

Rodgers also mentioned the fact that Mitchell always puts others before himself, despite his battle with lymphedema, and how inspiring that is.

“I think we’ve made great strides from when I arrived at HSU until now,” Mitchell said. “What these athletes do in their free time is phenomenal, as well as the way they act. I have seen several kids given a second opportunity in life and they taken advantage of that opportunity, it’s amazing to see.”

It’s evident that Mitchell is well-liked around the Henderson State campus, and after 11 years there, he believes he’s found a home in the small town of Arkadelphia. He also knows everyone at Henderson will gladly assist with any help needed, because they know how hard he works through his adversity.

“A lot of people are on disability and don’t want to help themselves,” Mitchell said. “There’s no way I could do that. I’m gonna fight this thing as long as I live.”