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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 2021. See more features at CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID.
Eric Trainer – University of Tennessee, Associate Director of Athletics Media Relations
by Rob Knox – UNC Greensboro, Associate AD for Strategic Communications
Associate Director of Media Relations
Eric Trainer is in his 23th consecutive year and 26th season overall with the University of Tennessee Athletics Media Relations Department. Trainer enters his eighth year as the primary contact for the Lady Vol basketball team - and is in his 26th year of working with the vaulted program in some capacity. He is enjoying his 33rd year in the sports information profession, including his 29th as a full-timer. Prior to joining UT, he spent six years as the director of media relations and marketing at Carson-Newman University (Tenn.) from 1991 to 1997.
In his tenure, Trainer has received numerous CoSIDA publications awards, including nine “Best In The Nation” citations and seven “Best Cover” accolades. Sports connections run deep in his family, as he wife, Laura, a former Lady Vol basketball manager are parents to two sons, Griffin (15), and Cameron (21), a senior tight end on the football team at Centre College.
Eric Trainer approaching the arena, set for game day as the Lady Vols prepared to face Mississippi State in a SEC Tournament game.
What is your proudest achievement during your career? It can be personal or professional.
ET: There are lots of enjoyable moments, but adjusting to the changing times, expectations, responsibilities, technology and landscape of college athletics, media relations and society in general has been challenging and rewarding at the same time. As a creature of habit, I had to learn to embrace change, expect it to happen and then thrive when it did. Time stands still for no one, and I’m glad I continue to have the opportunity to embrace everything that comes my way.
That challenge keeps this job constantly fresh and invigorating. Despite how I may look (haha), I think it keeps me young too.
What’s a key professional development tip that’s worked for you during your career that you’d be willing to share?
ET: Learning that it’s not about me. INAM is the acronym for that, and our men’s basketball program has been using that phrase for several years. All of us work extremely hard and have a lot of pride in what we do, whether it’s media relations, graphics, video, photo or social media. Sometimes, no matter how good of a job we think we’ve done, someone is not going to be happy with the product or idea presented. Sometimes someone is not going to listen to our advice.
Earlier in my career, that really bothered me. To be totally honest, it may affect me now, but it won’t affect me nearly as much since I came to the realization that the end game is to support others, and it’s not about me. My vision and theirs may not mesh.
I see my job as being in support and as an advisor. I may not always have the final say, and I learned that’s OK. Just do your job and know you did all you could. You can deal with the result.
Eric Trainer postgame after a Tennessee-Arkansas women’s basketball game with Jasmine Jones who played from 2012-16.
Who are some of the people who have helped you along the way during your career journey?
ET: My long journey starts with my parents, who gave me a love for sports and encouraged me as a business major and later stood behind me when I changed to a journalism major and transferred to a new school – Arkansas - after three years of college.
Rick Schaeffer, Billy Rogers, Steve Wright and Bridget Bauer at Arkansas allowed me to get my foot in the door and get experience in many areas. (CoSIDA Hall of Famer) Debby Jennings at Tennessee hired me as a graduate assistant and shaped and sharpened me for a career in this field. Bud Ford, Haywood Harris and David Grim provided opportunities while I was at UT and served as veteran examples for me.
Then, Stan Cotten and A.D. David Barger hired me to run their media relations office at Carson-Newman and gave me my first full-time job. My wonderful student/intern staff and wife Laura, who was on our stat crews, were there by my side every step of the way. Debby then brought me back to Rocky Top full-time, and I have continued to grow under the tutelage of her, Tom Satkowiak, Ryan Robinson, Jimmy Stanton and Jason Yellin.
What’s your favorite quote and how has that inspired/motivated you?
ET: Sportswriter Grantland Rice wrote, ‘For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes -- not that you won or lost -- but how you played the Game.’ Like many, I love to win and hate to lose, but Rice provides a great reminder that what we do is more than just about games. It’s about life, the impact you make, trying to help others, striving to be a good representative of your department or school, and trying to leave things a little better than you found them. Like many, I may come up short, but it gives me something to aim for on a daily basis.
Eric Trainer approaching the Tennessee basketball postgame huddle to conduct postgame interviews after a win over Liberty.
What’s one idea that you’ve found useful as our profession has evolved from when you started?
ET: I became aware at some point of a passage from writer/futurist Alvin Toffler and I’ve embraced it. He wrote, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Being in this field throughout a lot of technological changes, I have found that mindset to be very important for those in a profession such as ours.
Change is a constant and having an open mind and willingness to change is critical to those desiring to stay in media relations/athletic communications or remain with the same school or in the same job.