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CoSIDA.com/CoSIDA360 Magazine Archive
Note: This story appeared in the Summer 2020 September edition of CoSIDA 360 Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Spring Will Have Sprung Before You Know It
by Eric McDowell – CoSIDA Past President
It’s now September, and yet here I am writing about the spring.
As the immortal CoSIDA Hall of Famer Roy Pickerill would say, “what are you thinking???”
Here’s why you need to think about the spring as well.
Now, as the fall sports get postponed, and in many cases will head to the spring...don’t panic and don’t wait to address what will be the busiest season in our profession’s history!
NOW is the time for you to look over all of your events and think about how you will cover them...multiple home on top of multiple home, and those away events that still must be addressed just as quickly and timely as ever.
Consider:
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Get the most up-to-date spring schedules you can get, now. There will be changes but at least get your hands on what is available to put your master calendar together. This includes winter sports since some “spring” sports open in February, when, last I checked, is still winter weather-wise.
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See what traditional fall sports are going to bring to the spring. The good news is that with shared facilities, you can have things set up at one site for the day. You may be looking at what the NBA and NHL is currently doing...games at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Plan on getting that fridge stocked, and a salad or sandwich can do a better job than the same ol’ pizza heated up three times. (Not that any of us ever had to do that...). Can anyone say, “trade for an ad?”
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Find the people. You may be a one-person shop, you may have a staff, you may have interns. Remember, interns have required limited hours and you do not want to use those hours all up in one or two days. Students should not do more than two events in a day. You still have work for people to do and hours to consume during the non-event days. So, where do you find people...
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Retired sports communications professionals and people in your area who may have left the profession still know the basics about statistical software. These people will be life savers. They can do stats at your home events and update your away event stories from their home. It may seem far off, but do not wait until January when events may be returning to try to find these people. SID time flies, and before you know it, late February will creep up behind you, and then, LOOK OUT!
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For those of you at NCAA institutions, keep in mind that some retired professionals, or others who have left the profession, may not have had experience with the NCAA LiveStats. But our friend and NCAA LiveStats guru and savior, David Petroff, makes it easy to learn. NCAAmanager.com/home provides a resource to get familiar with the software, and now is the time to learn and practice. NCAA LiveStats for soccer and volleyball are available after making their debut last fall. Ice hockey debuts and will now join basketball. Football is in development with select schools participating. Veterans and others who can be valuable resources for stats coverage in the spring can take the time now to gain experience in the NCAA LiveStats offerings.
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Finances. Now that you have your schedules, put together payment plans for outside people so you can alert your supervisor now of the funds you HAVE TO HAVE to serve your students, coaches, media, fans, and institution. Your supervisor will be impressed and pleased that you are on top of this, instead of coming in trying to find loose change in the couch on March 15.
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And what if…you do not have accurate statistics kept for the numerous events that will come at you next spring? It is imperative that you stress the importance of this coverage. Compliance is a key issue. The statistics that are provided to the national organization determine eligibility. Inaccurate statistics could cost eligibility, for example when a player wearing “9” was entered as “8” and 8 did not dress or did not appear. As is the case with officials, experienced professional statisticians must be compensated.
So...major points...schedules…long days at venues…do not bury your students with events…get those funds to find experienced people to come in and keep you afloat through these rough waters.
Keep these things in mind and start on them now, and believe it or not, those waters will be much calmer and you will be much calmer as well!
Set aside time to take care of yourself when you can. After all, before you know it, it will be spring!