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CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID
This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CoSIDA membership during the celebration of CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week for 2019. See more features at CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID.
Michael Smoose – Johnson & Wales University (Denver), Interim Athletics Director
by Tommy Chasanoff – University of the Cumberlands, Sports Information Director
Michael Smoose is currently serving as the Interim Director of Athletics at Johnson & Wales University (in Denver) as the Wildcats continue their NCAA Division III provisional membership process. Smoose has spent nearly two decades working in the athletic communications at all levels of the NCAA. He previous served as the Assistant Athletic Director at the JWU Providence (R.I.) campus and also spent time at Florida State, Armstrong State, Fresno State, Ohio University and Northern Illinois. In addition to his role at Johnson & Wales, Smoose is active in CoSIDA serving as a member of the Goodwill and Wellness Committee.
This summer you transition from Associate AD at the Providence campus to the Interim Director of Athletics at JWU Denver campus. What has that transition been like?
It’s been a whirlwind, but fortunately it’s my second go-around as Interim AD. I held the position for six months at Armstrong State so I was better prepared this time, but it is still a lot to go from overseeing a few people to an entire staff. Fortunately, I had a lot of institutional knowledge so the learning curve was not as steep, but the first three weeks I felt like I was just going from one meeting to the next. The Denver campus is transitioning from NAIA to Division III so I have been fortunate to learn more about compliance and become more familiar with the NCAA manual.
Smoose with student assistants (l to r):Mikayla Arimura, Edward Mejia and Galina Gruder.
Is there an achievement or contribution that you are most proud of either work related or personal?
During my time at Armstrong and JWU I’ve been able to help implement new programming that has enriched the student-athlete experiences so that is very rewarding. Also, any time a student-athlete or student worker invites me to their wedding is a special moment. It’s one of the most important days of their lives and the fact that they’ve thought to include me in that means so much.
What is one professional development tip that you’d like to share with the CoSIDA membership?
Never stop learning. I come from a long line of teachers so learning and education is in my DNA. Every summer I try to spend a few hours a week learning new software or how to be a better photographer. Two summers ago, I taught myself PremierePro and the following year we won first place nationally for one of our wrestling promotional videos. I can also pass on these new skills to my student workers, which helps us tell more stories about our student-athletes and coaches.
Last year at JWU Providence, the game ops staff dressed up for the last home basketball game before the holiday break.
What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
Don’t limit yourself. Learn as much as you can about the different aspects of sports information. The odds of you going through your career and being singularly focused are slim. Yes, you may have someone to type volleyball stats, but what happens if that person gets sick Saturday morning? The greater your skill set the more marketable you’ll be when it comes time for that next job.
Learn about the other departments so you can have an appreciation for what they do, especially if you’re at the Division I level. Hopefully you have an idea of what game ops or compliance does on a daily basis, but if you knew everything it took to put on a home game you might see things differently.
Consider taking a job in a different part of the country or at a different level. Prior to taking an internship at Fresno State I had never been west of Chicago, but I got on the plane. I had no idea I’d have to tell basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian there’s not much daylight in Alaska before a basketball trip or break up a locker room fight, but it was a great learning experience.
In my associate AD role at JWU in Providence, I oversee communications, game ops, facilities, campus rec, intramurals, club sports and two sports. That type of opportunity doesn’t happen at most places and I’m extremely fortunate to be in that role.
What about career and family integration?
Make sure your significant other understands what you do and the hours we put in. Most people spend nights and weekends with their family, but this is when a good deal of our time is spent at games. When I first started in athletics I didn’t think I’d want to date someone in the department, but being married to a coach is actually better. My wife, Melissa Batie-Smoose, became the associate head volleyball coach at Fairfield University in Connecticut this season. She knows what being an SID entails so she’s not upset when I spend every Saturday on campus or come home later after a basketball doubleheader. Conversely, I know the importance of recruiting and don’t get upset when she’s on the road every other weekend February through April on the road.
Who is the most important person at work that you talk to during your day?
It varies from day-to-day, but for the most part it would be the operations staff. With 23 sports and some great facilities, we host a lot of games so it’s not uncommon for us to host six-to-eight games a week during the busy time of the year. I’m fortunate that I have two people that handle game ops & facilities, which allows me to focus more on communications. They also pitch in with webcasts and stats so they are invaluable.
Smoose and former JWU All-America wrestler Khamri Tomas who also interned for Smoose.
Do you have any favorite quotes?
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett. You can’t better at anything if you don’t try and odds are there going to be setbacks. To me it’s only a failure if you don’t learn from what went wrong and try again.
From an Athletic Directors perspective, what is one piece of advice that you would give to SID to help foster the AD-athletic communicator relationship?
Try to be a problem solver as much as possible. SIDs need to bring their issues/problems to the AD, but if you can also come in with two or three solutions that will greatly help the AD make a decision, it shows you’re actively thinking about the problem and not just running it up the chain. That strategic thinking can be important with it comes time for promotions or expanding roles.
Smoose and sports information intern Tom Garrick after the basketball team won the GNAC Championship.