Related
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CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
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Communicators Outside the Lines Feature Series
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CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
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. Read past profiles at
CoSIDA.com/CommunicatorsOTL.
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.
Schaack with his wife Allie and daughters Cami, Sophie and Gracie.
Q&A with Steve Schaack
Idaho State
by Denise Thompson – Big Sky Conference, Assistant Commissioner of Communications and External Affairs
CoSIDA Board of Directors / Goodwill and Wellness Committee member
Steve Schaack is in his seventh year at Idaho State and has established a work environment where communications, marketing and ticketing departments have worked together to increase fan engagement, publicity and ticket sales. He previously spent three years in athletic communications at Fresno State and at Utah Valley University prior to that. A 2004 graduate from the University of Utah, he also has nearly a decade of experience as a sports writer, making contributions at the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning News and with the Associated Press. Schaack and his Allie have three daughters: Cami, Sophie and Gracie.
Q: How do you balance your work life with your personal life, when it comes to time management?
Schaack: I will start off saying it is hard. One of the things that I do is if we don't have an event I never stay later than 6 p.m. Having dinner with my family is important and I always want to make sure I can support my wife and kids in their activities as well. When I have work to do after hours, which I sometimes do, I will do it after my family goes to bed or I get up early the next morning to work on it.
It is also important to find time to exercise. My goal is to run 3-4 times a week. If I can't get out during the lunch hour I will usually go at 4:30 a.m. This time is important for me. It allows me to reflect on the day a head and things I need to worry about in all areas of my life. It is also important to make time for a daily spiritual worship where I will spend some time reading different materials. This is important because it brings proper perpective to life. I find when I do these two things well I am able to handle everything else at work better too.
I also involve my kids in my job. They love coming with me to games and they love coming early. Last year my oldest daughter, who is almost 10, started writing her own stories after the games she attended. My eight-year old daughter comes to the games and she reads the programs and analyzes what number each player is. My youngest, who is four, has been embraced by several of our volleyball and softball players. At softball games the team will bring her into the locker room to have snacks in between double headers and two of the players even brought her a birthday present at the end of August. So, this has become a lifestyle for my kids and I think to make the most of family time it has to be a lifestyle.
Q: Being active and living a healthy lifestyle is important, especially when our job involves a lot of sitting down. What are some of the things you do to stay active?
Schaack: I run and exercise at least four times a week for at least an hour. In the last eight years I have run three marathons, two half marathons, a 10K and a Ragnar Relay. If the weather is too cold to go outside I will use our weight room during lunch to ride the stationary bike or get some sort of good cardio in for 50-60 minutes.
Q: Our job involves working long days, what are some of the things you do to keep yourself on track?
Schaack: I prioritize what is important, but I am always ready for change at the drop of a dime.
Q: What are some of the healthy items that you eat during the day to keep from eating junk food?
Schaack: Well I have a horrible sweet tooth. Ask anybody that works with me. I say I run so I can eat and not feel guilty. My meals are pretty simple and the same nearly every day. I will eat a bowl of cereal and maybe some toast for breakfast around 6 a.m. I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a granola bar or two and some pretzels with peanut butter in the middle for lunch and then eat dinner when I get home. My goal is not to eat after 8 p.m.Since I started running eight years ago I have gotten myself to my lowest weight since I was probably 19-20.
Q: When you’re not at work, how do you spend your down time to clear your mind?
Schaack: When I am home I am on the time schedule of my family or fulfilling church responsibilities I have.
Q: What advice do you have for anyone looking to find ways to live a healthier life?
Schaack: You just have to make time. We are always going to be busy no matter what we do for a living. Sometimes you have to sacrifice something that is good for something better. Giving up an hour of sleep in the morning is something I choose to sacrifice so I can feel better about myself with early morning exercise. Having that time to myself is important in the morning.
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