This is the next profile Q and A in a series entitled
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community produced by the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee.
HAVE IDEAS OR MEMBERS TO NOMINATE FOR THIS SERIES?
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Chris Mitchell, Washington University in St. Louis Assistant AD for Communications, at (618) 560-9280 or
mitchell@wustl.edu.
Q&A with Denise Thompson
Assistant Director for Communications, Northern Arizona University
By Sam Atkinson, Gallaudet University Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee member
Denise Thompson is Assistant Athletics Director for Communications at Northern Arizona University and one of the few females to serve as the primary contact for football and men’s basketball at the Division I level. Thompson enters her fourth season in Flagstaff, Ariz., overseeing the athletic communications staff at NAU. She also serves as the graphic design and publications coordinator for the Lumberjacks.
Thompson, a former student-athlete, has gone through a transformation the past two years losing weight and keeping the weight off. She hit her goal and exceeded her expectations and wanted to share her journey with the CoSIDA membership to show others that you, too, can change your ways for the better.
Q. It's easy for us to lose focus of ourselves during the school year while in our respective positions. When did you realize things were spiraling out of control and you needed to change and do something to improve your health?
THOMPSON: I had known for about a year prior (early 2014) that I had been gaining weight, so I would periodically try to work out or eat right. Every time I stepped on the scale, I was in denial. I would blame it on my clothes being too heavy or some other excuse. It wasn't until I was on vacation in Europe (end of May 2015) that I would look at the pictures I had taken earlier in the day and I would be disappointed in myself at the person that I saw. I knew that enough was enough and I couldn't remain in denial any longer. When I stepped on the scale that first day of weigh in and it read 196 lbs., I almost cried. I’m only 5-foot-3. It definitely was not a good sign.
Q. It is said the hardest part about losing weight and changing your diet is starting. How did you create a plan and was it tough for you to stick with it?
THOMPSON: I started to form a plan my last three days in Europe. I was determined to make a change and the photos I had taken were all the motivation I needed to put it into action. I'm not sure why I chose SlimFast as my diet plan. It was most likely because I liked shakes and I knew that I would be able to have up to three shakes in a day, in addition to my meal. The first day was really hard. I was "hangry!" (hungry and angry). That was truly the only day that was a struggle for me. After that I just kept motivating myself to push on.
Q. As someone who has seen a transformation in yourself, when did you start to see and know what you were doing to lose weight was making a difference? (i.e. seeing an old photo, hearing comments from co-workers, just feeling better, etc.)
THOMPSON: The first sign was my clothes becoming a little loser. I refrained from taking any kind of photos, because of the cloud hanging over me of how I looked before. Once my clothes started to loosen up, my co-workers would comment on me always working out and telling me that I was looking good and to keep up the good work. My workouts also became easier. I was able to run longer and harder as time went on, kind of feeling like my old college days. I would only weigh myself once a week, on Monday mornings, so I knew from the scale that it wasn't my imagination; I was losing weight and not once did I ever gain weight during the process. I set out to lose 30 lbs. To me that would’ve been a comfortable amount to lose and it would’ve put me where I wanted to be. Somewhere along the way I upped it to 36 lbs. I made it all the way to 35 lbs. I’m proud to say that 15 months later, I’ve been able to maintain where I set out to be and that was my biggest worry. I didn’t want to gain it all back after all of the hard work I put in.
Q. What are your goals for yourself this coming school year both personally (health) and professionally (NAU athletics)?
THOMPSON: I would love to compete in a Spartan Race. As a former collegiate track & field athlete, I have the stamina and background to run, but competing in a Spartan Race would challenge me like no other. To me it would show that anything is possible and the sky is the limit. I've pushed myself every day since I started, and this is just another plan that needs to be put in motion in order to achieve my goal.
My goal at NAU this school year is to continue to tell the "untold story." There are so many student-athlete stories that fall at the waistline, and it's my job to bring as many as I can to light. To be able to promote the students that pour their heart out into community service or study so hard to get good grades is what I like. Even more touching to me is the student-athletes that worked so hard to go from walk-on to scholarship athlete. Those are the ones that make me proud as a former student-athlete and SID.
Q. You are one of few women to serve as the main contact for football and men's basketball at a NCAA Division I school. How have you been able to break through and how do you hope your success can lead to more women and more diversity in these positions at this level and at the other divisions (Division II, III, NAIA)?
THOMPSON: My first-two bosses were females. Maybe that's why I never felt like I couldn't do it. I remember my boss at Memphis (Jennifer Rodrigues, currently at LSU) mentioning that she was one of a small number of women that served as a football contact at the D1 level. I was only a postgrad intern at the time, but that always stuck with me. I wanted to lead my own office. There was never a time where leading my own office one day wasn't a goal. As an assistant, I made sure to get as much valuable experience as I could. My hard work allowed me to pick up men's basketball within three years of being in the business, and being a secondary football contact for five years was crucial. I had to put myself out there and take on more tasks then necessary, if I wanted to have a well-rounded resume to pursue a head position.
I hope that my experience and my story inspires women to always go for their goal. I know that as a minority female in the business, I am few and far between, but I want women to know that if you let your work speak for itself, in time you will get the chance to show it. Stay focused and believe in your work. I enjoy seeing more and more women advance in the athletics field, and any advice or stories I can share I am more than willing to do so.
I started my own website blog
www.OnceFitStayFit.com. It's my way of sharing my thoughts, tips, and stories of living a fit life with everyone.
Q. What health tips or motivational messages do you want to share with our membership?
THOMPSON: The best advice that I can give is to "do it for yourself." You are the only motivator that can get you to accomplish your goals. No matter how much your friends and loved ones would like for you to get in shape and be healthy, if you're not doing it for you it won't happen. With determination and self-motivation you can achieve your goals and much more.