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Three Up, Three Down is a Q&A series aimed at highlighting young members of the College Sports Communicators membership, their career paths and what they enjoy in their roles on a day-to-day basis.
Young professionals spotlight: Three up, three down with Scott Manze —Assistant AD / Athletic Communications
by Joe Mixie – Siena College, Athletic Communications Assistant @JoeMixie
CSC Young Professionals Committee
In the world of athletic communications, there can be many different paths that lead up the chain of command in an athletic department. The trajectory for Jacksonville University Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
Scott Manze began as a part-time broadcast gig in his hometown institution and has grown into a flourishing career as a dual threat sports communication specialist.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Manze is currently in his 10th year as the “Voice of the Dolphins” and spent five years in a primarily digital media and broadcast role before taking on sport assignment duties. He currently serves as the radio play-by-play voice for the men’s basketball and baseball teams, as well as the primary contact for both sports, men’s & women’s golf, men’s soccer, and men’s & women’s cross country.
As a result of opportunities and needs created by swift staff departures, he found himself as the head of the department just three years after, while continuing to hold the role of the department’s play-by-play voice.
What is something that you feel is unique to your current position?
SM: I don’t think that there are a whole lot of examples of people that have such a heavy hand in broadcasting plus overseeing a communications department, plus doing actual on-air broadcasting in-game. There’s the element of traditional SID duties and communications, traveling, and pregame prep, as well as prepping my own broadcasting material, and then being on the air before, during, and after games. I love doing it to this day, and don’t want to give it up, but sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a little less to prep. It comes with the territory and is a unique challenge.
How was the transition from having minimum experience as an SID to being assigned sports to cover mid-season to being the head of your athletic communications department?
SM: The transition for me has been largely smooth. One of the assets for me has been the time that we’re in in the industry where there is so much transition from ‘old school’ practices to updates in stat programs and more of an emphasis on social media and creative content, among other things. I came in with more knowledge of the way that the industry was going than knowledge of the way that the industry had been. As it continues to evolve, I think that helps me continue to grow in this realm. I feel like coming in when I did has allowed me to be someone who can handle a variety of jobs and take the evolution and apply it.
How do you handle being at the mid-major level with an increasing turnover rate in staff?
SM: It’s been a unique challenge, although we’re not unique as a department in having to deal with turnover recently. I’ve hired ten people for six positions over the last 18 months. That feels like it’s a lot, but it could honestly be on-par with other, similar places. I’ve moved into a role of being the SID liaison to our league, partially just by having been around the longest. That just goes to show some of the turnover not only with the institutions and the league, but at the highest positions of some departments.
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