CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week Media Kit

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Related Content
• Download CoSIDA Week logos
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• Share Images, Videos and Stories – Submit links, photos or videos to CoSIDA
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    Use hashtags #ThankYourSID, #SIDsMakeItHappen, #CoSIDA, #MerciLesComs 

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Here's how you can help. Skip to: Athletic Directors / Departments  |  University Relations  |  Conference Offices / Coaches Organizations  |  Media & External Stakeholders  |  Student-Athletes
 

What is CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week?
CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week is an opportunity for those who interact with collegiate athletics communications professionals to observe and celebrate the impact that athletics communications staff members have on intercollegiate athletics.

What is CoSIDA?
CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) was founded in 1957 and is a 3,200+ member national organization of the sports public relations, media relations and communications/creative professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. CoSIDA is the second-oldest management association in all of intercollegiate athletics. CoSIDA became an affiliated partner with NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) in 2008. CoSIDA seeks to ADVOCATE FOR, CONNECT, EDUCATE, HONOR, and SUPPORT its members through a variety of outreach methods.

Who are athletics communications professionals?
Athletics communicators and creatives are those staff members who coordinate communications and public relations for their college, conference or collegiate athletics governing body. They may serve a variety of functions:

  • Strategic communicator
  • Writer & editor
  • Broadcaster
  • Media coordinator
  • Crisis communicator
  • Photographer
  • Graphic designer
  • Videographer/editor
  • Historian
  • Statistician
  • Social Media manager
  • and many more


CoSIDA is the proud provider of the Academic All-America® Program and Hall of Fame
CoSIDA has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across the U.S. and Canada as the provider of the prestigious Academic All-America® program, which began in 1952. The program comprises five divisional teams, with student-athletes being honored separately in NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and a College Division (all other institutions). The Academic All-America® Hall of Fame, established in 1988, has inducted 158 members to date. The Academic All-America® core program and Hall of Fame are administered, nominated and voted upon entirely by CoSIDA members and volunteers.

Why celebrate CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week?
CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week was created to show appreciation for athletic communicators and creatives, to showcase their efforts and accomplishments, and to bring positive recognition to them and to their work in promoting student-athletes and their institutions/conferences throughout all levels of intercollegiate athletics.

When is CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week?
This year, the event will be celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 3, through Tuesday, Nov. 9.

Participate in CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
Athletic departments, campus communications offices, media, current and former student-athletes, coaches organizations and other groups are encouraged to recognize their athletics communications staff members during this special week. Recommendations and ideas on how to do so are included in this communications kit.

CoSIDA’s promotion of Membership Recognition Week
This year’s celebration will feature the following:

  • Q&As and video vignettes of CoSIDA members on CoSIDA.com
  • Outreach to athletic departments, campus communications offices, conferences offices, related professional organizations and student-athletes
  • National media integrations
  • A social media campaign again centered on the hashtag #ThankYourSID, with a highlighted blitz on Monday, Nov. 8 at 3 PM (ET).


Promoting CoSIDA Week
There are many different constituent groups on campus, in your region and nationally that can help to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week. The following pages will break down how these different groups can contribute to a successful CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week.

  • Athletic Departments
  • Athletic Directors
  • Coaches’ Organizations
  • Conference Offices
  • Media (print, radio, TV, web, podcast)
  • Current Student-Athletes
  • University Public Relations
  • Athletics Alumni
Athletic Directors / Athletic Departments
Athletic communications professionals are the people behind the scenes that help to promote and market collegiate athletics departments across the country. No matter the size of the school or the level of the competition the role is the same. An SID’s desire and loyalty to an institution is unwavering. It is appreciated when recognition for CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week can come from the athletic director, the athletic department or even the student-athletes.

We ask Athletic Directors/Athletic Departments to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week by the following:
  • Publicly recognize your Communications Director/Office at a home sporting event or other event on campus
  • A social media post (tweet, blog, picture, etc.) to thank and recognize your Communications Director/Office, don’t forget the official hashtag #ThankYourSID
  • Share this CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week Media Kit with your University Media/Public Relations staff and President’s/Chancellor’s office
  • Inform your coaches and staff about CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
  • Work with your Student-Athlete Advisory Committee so student-athletes can publicly thank their Communications Director/Office
  • Spend time and get to know your Communications Director/Office
University External Relations, Communications & Public Relations
It is appreciated when recognition for CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week can come from outside the athletics department. Most Communications Directors/Offices have to produce any materials that come out of the Athletics Department thus when promoting a recognition week about themselves, office, profession can place one in a difficult situation.

We ask University External Relations/Communications/Public Relations Offices to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week by the following:
  • Distribute information announcing CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
  • Create an online video profile about your Communications Director/Office to bring attention to CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
  • Work with local media to place an article in your local/state newspaper(s) or secure television features with your local stations about your Communications Director/Office
  • Plan a recognition event, along with your Athletic Department, at an event on campus to thank your Communications Director/Office
Conference Offices/Coaches’ Organizations
When it comes to promoting your conference or coaches’ organization on an institutional level it is normally the Communications Director/Office that serves as the conduit to sharing that information. You lean on Communications Directors/Offices to help you get what you need throughout the year. It is appreciated when recognition for CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week can come from the conference level and from coaches’ organizations.

We ask conference offices and coaches’ organizations to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week by the following:
  • Create special features on your Communications Directors/Offices in your conference or sport and post on your website, social media, etc.
  • Design a special graphic that is used every day during CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week to promote your Communications Directors/Offices in your conference or sport
  • Share and promote facts and figures about how Communications Directors/Offices have impacted your Conference Office or Coaches Organization
  • Distribute information announcing CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
Media/External Stakeholders
One of the main roles for Athletics Communication Directors is to be a liaison to the media covering their teams. The media relies on the SID/office for access to teams and obtaining credentials to games while the SID/office looks to the media to help promote their teams locally and nationally. The relationships built between media and external stakeholders are crucial for SIDs and their schools. It is appreciated when recognition for CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week can come from the media and shared more broadly to viewers/readers.

We ask media members/external stakeholders to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week by the following:
  • A social media post (tweet, blog, picture, etc.) to thank and recognize SIDs that have helped you with securing interviews, story ideas, game notes, media guides, media credentials, etc. Don’t forget the official hashtag #ThankYourSID.
  • A shoutout on air. For those media members who are on air (TV/webstreams/radio/podcasts) it would be appreciated if you can explain and share CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week with your audience and, if possible, give a shoutout to an SID/office during your broadcast.
  • A shoutout in print. For those media members who write for newspapers/websites/blogs, it would be appreciated if you can explain and share CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week with your readers and give a shoutout to an SID/office in the story.
  • Feature piece on an SID. Readers/viewers would be intrigued to see what takes place on a game day behind the scenes in the press box or what a typical day/week is like in a college sports information office. Profile an SID/office or the profession as a whole to give your readers/viewers a behind the scenes look of collegiate athletics.
  • Send an email or note in the mail to your local SID/office to thank them for their hard work over the year while working with you on stories. If you have a strong relationship with your local SID/office a note to their boss (AD, VP, President) would also be appreciated to show the importance that person/office has on you to help your organization do its job.
Current & Former Student-Athletes
Student-athletes are at the heart of every athletics program, and SIDs play an integral role in promoting student-athletes’ successes on and off the field of play. SIDs have a heart for service and they always appreciate recognition and thank-yous from the student-athletes they serve.

We ask Student-Athletes to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week by the following:
  • Post on social media a note of appreciation to your SID
  • Write a personal thank you note to your SID contact
  • Coordinate a thank you from your Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
  • For former student-athletes, post about the role your SID played in your college career
  • As opportunities exist, get to know your Communications Director/Office
  


Communications / Promotion Checklist

  • Share CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week Media Kit with Athletic Director and University PR Office
  • Draft a press release for the University to use
  • Develop a social media plan to promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week during the week and what graphics to use
  • Promote CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week through local and student media outlets
  • Find out what your conference(s) will do for CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week
  • Share information with University ally groups like Student Affairs, Alumni Office, Development Office, etc.
  • If doing an event for CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week, coordinate with the different constituent groups on campus for maximum exposure
  • Use the hashtag #ThankYourSID to share your stories


Contact

Doug Vance, Executive Director, dougvance@cosida.com
Will Roleson, Associate Executive Director, willroleson@cosida.com
Barb Kowal, Director of Professional Development & External Affairs, barbkowal@cosida.com
Laurie Bollig, Director of Membership Engagement, lauriebollig@cosida.com
Beau White, Director of Creative Services, beauwhite@cosida.com
Brandon Jones, Intern, brandonjones@cosida.com
Amy Yakola, Membership Recognition Committee Chair, ayakola@theacc.org
Tommy Chasanoff, Membership Recognition Committee Vice Chair, thomas.chasanoff@ucumberlands.edu