College Sports Information Directors of America

This feature is one of the many profiles we are doing to showcase our diverse CoSIDA membership during 2016 CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week. To see all the feature stories leading up to - and during - CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week, please click HERE.

OUR STORIES

Lindsey Williams
Great Lakes Valley Conference Director of Communications

by Barb Kowal, CoSIDA Director of Professional Development and External Relations
CoSIDA Week Committee member

In her young career, Lindsey Williams already has gained experienced in a variety of athletic roles at the NCAA Division I and II levels. A former All-America soccer goalkeeper at Division II Virginia Wesleyan (2004-07), she served at Division I University of Evansville (as graduate assistant soccer coach and manager of the soccer social media accounts), Division I's Northeast Conference (media relations intern) and Longwood University (media relations assistant). She also gained experience for a year (2014-15) working at Turner Sports on the NCAA.com digital website operations team. Currently, Williams is in her second year as Director of Communications for Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), joining the league on Feb. 19, 2015.

What originally sparked your interest in working in collegiate athletics?

Williams: I have played sports my whole life and couldn't really picture my life without them in it, but I didn't really know specifically about the college athletics profession until the last semester of my senior year when I interned with the sports information department on campus. I was a journalism major. Even then, there were concepts still foreign to me but within the first year after graduation I realized all the opportunities and paths that were available to me in the college athletics realm. That's when I began to look for internship opportunities within the NCAA and once I secured that first position and began working, I knew I would always want to stay in this arena in some capacity.

People might not know of your college soccer student-athlete successes at Virginia Wesleyan. You were the starting goalkeeper on the 2006 NCAA Division II national semifinalist team, that you received All-America and All-Region/All-Conference honors and were recognized as a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree. How did your student-athlete experiences help you in your personal - and professional life?

Williams: Both in a group and individual setting, on and off the field, socially, academically, etc. I grew as a leader, as a person. Professionally it has helped tremendously, not only in that I gained valuable leaderships skills, which serve me well in my job, but also because I am able to draw on that experience and use it to succeed in what I do as a communicator, during league meetings and at championship events. I can relate and empathize with what the student-athletes are doing and feeling, and I think that makes me better equipped for success in my current role.

Congratulations on your induction into Virginia Wesleyan's Athletic Hall of Fame! You were part of the seventh class of inductees, a short two years ago and just seven years removed from your graduation. What does that recognition mean to you, and what was that experience like?

Williams: Thank you! It was very humbling to get the news that I was selected for my alma mater's hall of fame. I knew I had had a great career and all the records and awards I received as a player, but I never thought consideration for the hall of fame would come so soon after I graduated. I felt extremely blessed to have been part of such a great program and school because I might not have had the chance to earn such high distinction had I been anywhere else.

The actual induction ceremony was really fun. I had family, friends, teammates coaches and administrators there who had been with me during whole or part of my career, and it was so meaningful to have them supporting me for the induction just as they had at my games and outside of the sport. Not only that, but to see the other inductees in my class of honorees was really cool, as it included the retiring President of the college. He was very active with athletics throughout his tenure, including when I was a student-athlete, so to share that day and be in the same company as him in that induction was just a huge honor.

And, that Hall of Fame induction ceremony happened the same week you were named to your GLVC position- talk about some life highlights and stressors all within a span of one week!

Williams: The Hall of Fame ceremony occurred the Saturday before I started at the GLVC on the following Thursday. It was a whirlwind of 5 days, as I drove from Atlanta to Virginia Beach for the induction Friday, then back to Atlanta to finish packing Sunday into Monday - and before the drive from Atlanta to Indianapolis on Tuesday. I then had one day to get everything off the truck (Wednesday ) before heading into the office for my first day of GLVC work on Thursday. It's also worth noting that

there was a winter storm Wednesday-Thursday, so I was driving into my first day on the job in the snow! And on my first weekend as a GLVC staffer, we hosted our indoor track & field championships. So, to say the least, I hit the ground running that first week!

Prior to joining the GLVC in 2015 as Director of Communications, you held a variety of roles inside and out of college athletics. You worked on the digital team for Turner Sports' NCAA.com; was a University of Evansville graduate assistant soccer coach; performed athletic media relations work at Longwood University and the Northeast Conference. How have all these experiences contributed to your athletic communications role and what did you learn from all your steps along the way?

Williams: If someone had told me I'd have three internships and spend another two years as a graduate assistant before I took my first benefits-eligible, full-time job I might have laughed in their face. I took the most zig-zagged route to get where I am today, which was quite difficult during different points along the way both financially and personally.

Yet looking back on all the positions I've held and places I've been, I am certain that the combination of everything brought me exactly where I was meant to be in my current role. The location, the work I'm doing and the people I work with have been more than I could have ever imagined would be able to come together in one position.

I'm a big believer in things happening for a reason, and although I didn't take the most direct path, easiest path or my previously-imagined route, I wouldn't be where I am now if each of those internships and jobs hadn't come my way at the time they did.

 

How do you measure success in your conference office job? What is the most gratifying part of your public relations position?

Williams: It can be hard to measure success throughout the year, or during certain times of the year, as it relates to my specific job. I don't really see the budget work or office work helpful to quantify success, so it's helpful to be at championships and see the student-athletes enjoying the experience, because ultimately that's why we do what we do - even though that is not a job responsibility specific to communications.

Seeing certain stories we share spread is a good indicator of success and when there is engagement on social media posts, that helps us know we are doing something right.

Again, the most gratifying is watching the student-athlete experiences and being able to interact with student-athletes. Whether we hit a cord with something shared on social where they are reacting to it and engaged, or whether it's in person at a championship event or even the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum I just attended, when we can tell they are enjoying themselves and learning new things, that's what really matters and makes you feel like what you're doing is worthwhile and important. I've also been fortunate to join our SAAC students on community services projects a few times and it's great to see their enthusiasm for service and servant leadership.

Can you identity some of the top experiences you've had during your time at the GLVC?

Williams: It's hard to pick one or two specific moments or experiences yet - since I've not been with the league very long - but I can say that whenever we get together with our administrators and spend social time together outside of the business meetings I always have an enjoyable time. I think we have some of the best administrators in the business that make it easy to go to work every day. And then, as I mentioned in an earlier answer, the time we get to spend with our student-athletes is quite rewarding.

What are some of your future professional goals?

Williams: I am still trying to figure out exactly where I want to take my career. I enjoy what I'm doing now as a communications professional, but I don't know if that's the path I want to stay on or if I might want to venture out. Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoy what I do, but I also have a passion for being on campus which goes back to the interaction with student-athletes that I enjoy, as well as events, operations, facilities, social media - and the list goes on.

I am happy where I am now because I am able to learn, grow, try new things and become a better college athletics administrator, and my main goal when in my job search before landing at the GLVC was to be able to find something that would allow me to plant my feet and grow some roots. I've definitely been able to do that here and am glad for the relationships I've made that will hopefully be beneficial when I finally do decide what my next step will be down the road.