• 2015 CoSIDA Special Awards general announcement/release
• Special Awards feature story schedule
by Dave Kellogg, Air Force Sports Information Director emiritus
“Integrity First Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do” is the tenet of the United States Air Force Academy. It is also the standard which Troy Garnhart has lived by in over 25 years working for this military school in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
As the Associate Athletic Director for Communications, Garnhart has always done what is best for the institution, student-athletes and the coaches. His professionalism has earned the respect of national and local media and his peers in the sports information business.
Garnhart will be honored for his 25 years of service at the College Sports Information Directors of America’s (CoSIDA) annual workshop June
15 in Orlando, Florida.
Garnhart began his career as a student intern in 1987 to earn journalism credits at Colorado State University-Pueblo. He would make the 60-mile drive at least twice a week, but more often than not four or five times each week, to cover any one of the Academy’s 27 intercollegiate sporting events. The internship lasted two years before being hired as a full-time sports information assistant in 1989 following his graduation.
Garnhart served as an assistant SID for 12 years. That title should have been changed to “Deputy Communication Director” by 1995 as he was directly responsible for football and men’s basketball coverage and was the office supervisor in the absence of the director.
He assumed his current position in 2001 and became a part of the senior athletic department leadership while handling all facets required of today’s athletic communication directors. This of course included such extra-curricular dutie
s like working at 13 bowl games, serving on numerous CoSIDA and Mountain West Conference committees over the years, and hosting a NCAA National Fencing Championship.
His tireless efforts in promoting student-athletes over the years are remarkable.
The numbers are impressive. Thanks to his efforts, Air Force has five athletes inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame since 1991; nine athletes inducted in Colorado Springs Hall of Fame since 2000; seven athletes inducted into CoSIDA Captial One Academic
All-America© Hall of Fame since 1992; 12 football athletes awarded CoSIDA Academic All-America© honors; 48 football athletes have received Mountain West All-Conference honors. In addition, he has secured over $300,000 in post-graduate scholarships for student-athletes.
The Air Force recognized Garnhart’s management skills by giving him a superior rating for his job performance in 2008. He was just one of 50
employees of 5,000 at the Academy to be so honored during a base inspection.
His commitment and accomplishments have not gone unnoticed by those who he has worked with for over the years. Here are what just a few have to say about his career:
“If someone in athletics was asked to build the perfect director of communications, Troy Garnhart would have to be the perfect model for that position. It is a Herculean task to keep the frenzy of sports reporters at bay, giving them what they want while always focusing them on the positive, being open and honest, and holding them accountable when they push their own definitions of the truth. That job is even tougher at the Air Force Academy because sports is our front porch, and what happens in the sports arena reflects directly on the whole Academy. Troy Garnhart has developed respect among an amazingly large group of very influential sports writers, athletics administrators, and very powerful people throughout the NCAA landscape. His personal values, strong family values, and dedication to this great institution have played a huge role in the respect the USAFA Athletic Department enjoys throughout the sports world. The Academy is lucky to have had Troy’s strong commitment for all of these 25 years.”
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Dr. Hans Mueh, USAFA Director of Athletics, 2004 to 2014
"Troy is the standard by which sports information directors should be measured. Personable, professional, and understands the needs of announcers and journalists. He makes me sound smarter than I am. His game notes are the best I've ever seen hands down. I recently talked to a TV producer who told me she loves working Air Force games because she gets to work with Troy. That says it all."
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Jim Arthur, Air Force football and basketball play-by-play announcer
"Behind every successful program or coach there is a great SID. For 25 years Troy Garnhart has been the driving force behind the success the USAF Academy has enjoyed. Nobody in the sports media business is more professional and does his job better than Troy Garnhart. The prestige and respect that Troy enjoys is so well deserved."
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Fisher DeBerry, former Academy football coach and member of College Football Hall of Fame
“Troy is a true professional. He understands the Academy and the rigors athletes have to endure to become leaders in our military. He constantly strives to uphold the Academy’s standards.”
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Reggie Minton, Deputy Executive Director, National Association of Basketball Coaches (former USAFA Head Basketball Coach)
“Troy Garnhart answers his phone and almost always finds a way to help you immediately. The best sports information directors work as advocates for their teams and for the writers and broadcasters covering their teams. Sure, there are conflicts, but Troy understands his role in promoting the Falcons while also giving aid to those covering the Falcons. I've been doing this a long time. He's one of the very best SIDs I've ever worked with.”
– Dave Ramsey, Colorado Springs Gazette Columnist
"Troy and his staff were a delight to work when the Academy participated in four Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl games. Troy was also a step or two ahead in norm in handling bowl needs. His attention to detail was amazing as he always had his staff available to handle any request without any hesitation. I have worked with sports information directors at the Air Force Academy for six decades and Troy has continued the office's tradition in providing quality service."
-- Tim Simmons, Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Media Operations Coordinator
The Air Force Academy is a special place to go to work each day and be surrounded by motivated cadets and staff. No one knows that better than Garnhart.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to work at the Academy. I never dreamed I would be here for 25 years,” Garnhart said. “When I started here and worked with names like Jim Conboy, Fisher DeBerry, Reggie Minton, Jim Bowman, Dave Kellogg, Dr. Hans Mueh and John Clune, along with current people like Dave Pilipovich, Troy Calhoun, Frank Serratore and Dave Toller and my incredible staff past and present, I learned quickly how fortunate one is to work in collegiate athletics, especially at the place like the Academy. The mission here and the people make it a special place and I’m humbled to play a small role in the development of officers for our Air Force and the nation.”