"The SID Life" is a series surveying CoSIDA members for their thoughts on topics and issues in the athletic communications industry, plus personal insights into not-so-serious issues, too.
Amy Barry is in her seventh academic year as the primary media relations contact for Suffolk and the Rams’ 19 varsity sports. She was the 2017-18 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Sports Information Director of the Year.
Byron Devers joined two-year institution Antelope Valley College as the Sports Information Director in 2019. His professional career includes a background in television production, where he worked for Warner Bros. Studios, Fox Studios, and several Academy Award shows with ABC.
With more than 20 years of athletic administration experience,
Kevin Gilmore has been at California State University, Monterey Bay since 2011 and previously served at Cal State Bakersfield for 15 years where he has served as sports information director/assistant athletic director.
Karra Logan has been a member of Georgia’s sports communications department since 2016 and now serves as the gymnastics and equestrian media relations contact and also is the Vice Chair of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association's Selection Committee
The traits or skills I need the most during crossover seasons are …
Barry: Communication. With proper communication, from coaches, student-athletes, conference offices, etc., plans can be made and prep work can be done.
Devers: Time management, prioritizing, and follow-through skills are critical for me. With so much going on, it's easy for things to fall through the cracks if you don't follow through.
Gilmore: Patience, prioritization and the ability to grind. Crossover, especially at the small school level where SIDs may be juggling 10+ sports at one time, is about understanding what's most important then putting your head down and doing the work. The patience part is giving yourself the time to breathe and to understand that you won't get everything done on the schedule you would like.
Logan: Patience and grace. And time management. Crossover seasons are hectic for everyone. Having patience and grace with not only myself, but others, during those times is key to getting through it. I’m also a big planner. I have to write everything down — from meetings, to deadlines, to to-do lists. I then prioritize everything so that my day/week is all planned out and it all gets done.
You are an early #CoSIDA22 Convention registrant – looking forward to seeing you in June! What are you most looking forward to at the convention?
Barry: It’ll be my first CoSIDA Convention. I’m eager to get my feet wet and help put on a divisional day, as I’m working on the DIII Divisional Day committee.
Devers: Meeting fellow SIDs who share in understanding the demands of what we do. I'm looking forward to gaining insight from those who have more experience and expertise in being successful in our field.
Gilmore: Reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. It's exciting to pick up some knowledge or learn a new skill, but I believe strengthening old friendships and building new ones are the most valuable things you can take away from a trip to CoSIDA. I'll offer a piece of convention-related advice: take at least one lunch/dinner at the convention to sit at a table with — and talk to — people you don't know. In fact, doing that is exactly how I ended up on the CoSIDA board many years ago.
Logan: Finally being back in person with friends and colleagues from all over.
If you COULD go … what would be your top college spring break locale?
Barry: Cancun. Warm weather and hopefully no access to the internet so it’s a real vacation.
Devers: Jamaica... or just about anywhere with white sand and clear waters!
Gilmore: Ensenada. It's not crowded. It's relatively inexpensive. It's a reasonable drive from Southern/Central California. Rent a condo on the beach, drink some beverages, play some bocce in the sand and eat fresh seafood everyday. I'm a few years past the over-hyped, hyper-crowded spring break days lol!
Logan: Definitely somewhere tropical and relaxing.
My favorite road trip taken representing my athletic department …
Barry: The 2017 NCAA Division III Baseball Regionals at Whitehouse Field in Harwich, Mass., home of the home to the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Although it was close, and I’ve been to Cape Cod a bunch, the group of student-athletes were special and it was one of the first times that I’ve been a part of team at Suffolk that had a real chance winning in the post-season.
Devers: Hopefully CoSIDA 2022!
Gilmore: My Ferris Bueller day! I was a grad assistant at Cal Poly Pomona and we were at the 1989 Softball World Series, which Cal was hosting at Twin Creeks in Sunnyvale. We beat Oregon on Day 1 and so were off on Day 2. Our AD, Karen Miller, took my boss, Ron Fremont, and me on a roadtrip that wound all the way down to Pebble Beach (little did I know driving through the U.S. Army Base, Fort Ord in Monterey on the way that 22 years later it would become a university and I would be its SID). The day finished with Ron, Barry Smith (Fresno State at the time) and I crashing the Big West Conference grad assistant's credit card with the most expensive meal I ever ate that night. "You want the baked Alaska, Kevin?" "No, I couldn't eat another bite." "Bring him the baked Alaska!"
Logan: I’ve had the opportunity to travel many places and have wonderful experiences with my teams — from trips to the beach, snow storms in South Dakota, feeding giraffes at the zoo in California, and numerous championship games/events — but my favorite experience was attending the NCAA Woman of the Year banquet. One of my student-athletes was selected as a Top 30 Finalist and I was invited on the trip to the banquet. It was a really fun and unique experience. She was also the first nominee in the Top 30 to be from the sport of equestrian, so that was really cool and I was very proud of her.
What’s something – big or small – that you’re really good at?
Barry: I play in a Skeeball league so I’m probably better than most at the local arcade.
Devers: Attention to detail. I seem to notice the little things that most people don't realize need attention. It can be a blessing and a curse.
Gilmore: My dogs do not give me enough credit for the ability I have to throw their toys with my feet while lying on the couch.
Logan: I’m really good at getting out of the grocery store in less than 30 minutes — never go in without a list!
If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Barry: did not offer a comment
Devers: I would remove all forms of discrimination.
Gilmore: I would make free health care an inalienable right for everybody, everywhere.
Logan: Off the top of my head it would be that you can be friends with anyone no matter their differences of opinions.
This or that: Would you rather … hang out with little kids or older folks?
Barry: Little kids.
Devers: I'd rather hang out with the older folks... they have the wisdom I might need to deal with the little kids.
Gilmore: Define kids lol! There are certain occasions where children are what make the day magical (like Christmas), but in general it's adults over children for me.
Logan: I like to hang out with adults, mostly. But I love that my family ranges from infants to my 89-year-old grandfather. It makes it that much more fun!
This or that: Are you the type of person to test the waters or dive in the deep end?
Barry: Dive right in.
Devers: Definitely test the waters... I gotta know what I'm getting into.
Gilmore: Dive in! Whenever I get timid about trying something, that's a sure bet it will never happen.
Logan: It definitely depends on the situation, but I’m afraid to dive in the deep end.
Do you prefer … reality shows or documentaries?
Barry: Reality shows.
Devers: Documentaries... reality shows aren't really reality.
Gilmore: Documentaries. Once I learned how scripted reality shows really are, they lost all of their appeal to me.
Logan: Reality shows.
Do you prefer … Emails or conversations?
Barry: Emails if you’re asking me to do something so I don’t forget, but in-person communication out weighs the rest.
Devers: Conversations... let's talk about it!
Gilmore: Conversations without question. In fact, I'm still one of those people who will pick up the phone and make a call for a simple request that could be handled easily with just an email for the opportunity to chat with a colleague.
Logan: Definitely conversations.