Related Content
CSCommunicators.com/CelebrateCSC
This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CSC membership during the celebration of College Sports Communicators Membership Appreciation Week for 2022-23. See more features at CSCommunicators.com/CelebrateCSC.
Sam Porter – Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, Director of Athletic Communications
by Barb Kowal – CSC Director of Professional Development and External Affairs
Sam Porter was hired in December 2015 as NCAA Division III Pomona-Pitzer sports information director and now holds the title of Director of Athletic Communications. He handles handle all facets of media relations, publications, marketing and public relations for 21 teams in the combined athletic program of Pomona College and Pitzer College, two of The Claremont Colleges located in Southern California.
Porter is a graduate of the University of Mount Union in Ohio where he majored in sports business and was mentored as a student assistant and then as assistant SID by the late CSC Hall of Famer Lenny Reich. Prior to serving as assistant SID at his alma mater, Porter was SID at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Porter getting set up to cover an event.
How do you balance the responsibilities of coordinating all communications and marketing facets for the athletic department as a small office?
SP: Thankfully I have added another full-time position to my department for the past three years with the addition of my assistant director of athletic communications Aaron Gray; however, it’s always time-consuming to juggle all the responsibilities that come with the athletic communications position at the Division III level. I think what has been most effective for me is having a communications plan in place for the beginning of the year and sticking to that. The most important part of executing that plan is being organized and having a system in place that makes sure every team is getting enough coverage as well as equal coverage across the board.
Can you tell us about the importance of developing a student staff?
SP: Luckily at Pomona and Pitzer, I have exceptional students to work with and created a staff that I can rely on for bigger tasks and know that they will keep the standard set by the department.
One other thing I want to mention is the importance of developing a strong student staff. One thing When I first started out as a SID, I was (incorrectly) trying to do everything myself and not delegate enough tasks to my student staff. Getting burnt out is a very real thing that happens to a lot of professionals in this industry. Keeping a strong student staff that you can trust keeps a lot of that weight off of your shoulders and allows you to focus your efforts on the bigger ticket items without worrying about everything going on in your to-do list.
For those who are the sole athletic communications professionals at their respective campuses, or for those with a small staff, what advice can you give them about prioritization and work balance?
SP: I think it’s important to know what you can handle across all sports and not over-promise something that you know is not sustainable for the long haul. I like to sit down with every coach during the preseason and go over how we plan to cover the season and what they can expect from my department and what information we will need from them in order to meet our deadlines and do the things we want to do in a timely fashion. Organization and communication are critical in this industry so having an open flow of communication between the coaches and your department will help you stay on track and keep everyone in the loop.
At a Pomona-Pitzer basketball game.
Without mentors and networking, professional careers would not flourish. You had the fortune to be mentored, as an undergraduate and then as a young assistant SID, with one of the most honored and beloved athletic communicators, the late CSC Hall of Famer Lenny Reich who passed away a few months ago after battling cancer. Can you tell us what you learned working with Lenny, and some of the lessons you take with you from your days at Mount Union?
SP: I can’t even begin to describe the impact that Lenny Reich made on me as a young professional. I could write a book about what Lenny meant to me and what he meant to this industry, especially at the Division III level, but I will try to keep it shorter for the interest of this piece. I started working with Lenny as an undergrad at the University of Mount Union where I was just a student worker in my work-study position. Lenny could immediately tell that I was quickly enamored with this profession and wanted to learn more about it and take on more responsibility. He challenged me as a student and looking back on it, probably gave me more responsibility than he should have, but he knew I could handle it. Knowing that he gave me that opportunity and had that trust in me made me want to do good work for him.
Lenny just had this insane ability to bring the most out of you. He knew what you were capable of even if you didn’t think so yourself. He was a consummate professional and taught me how to conduct myself in this industry. How to interview athletes and coaches effectively, how to teach student workers and assistants, how to run a press box, how to organize effectively, how to deal with reporters, and the list goes on and on. I know how I felt as a student learning under Lenny and how he sparked my interest to pursue this as a career and I try to be that to my student workers.
There will never be another Lenny Reich. He was a larger-than-life figure in sports information that gave so much back to this industry and not enough people know because he was as modest and humble as they come. I know for a fact that I would not be working in athletics had I not met Lenny at Mount Union. My story is not unique - there are a ton of Lenny disciples out there passing on the knowledge that he once gave them. He was a legend, a mentor, and a great friend to me, and I miss him a lot.
What do you love the most about this profession?
SP: At the end of the day, my job revolves around sports and working with incredible student-athletes on a daily basis. I am incredibly passionate about sports and thankful that I found a career that involves sports in some way. Waking up every day and getting to work on a college campus and covering sports teams for a living is a dream job.
We are appproaching the very challenging winter-spring sports crossover season ... How do you best deal with these crossover times?
SP: Well…. It’s never an easy time of the year, but getting ahead of the spring is really important to avoid some of the craziness that comes with the crossover season. Being in southern California, the spring starts a little earlier than most parts of the country in terms of hosting events. The first week of February we are hosting baseball, softball, tennis, and water polo is starting up as well so it's important that once the first of the year hits that you have rosters, bios, headshots, and preseason info done and starting to plan out your events for the spring with student workers and coverage. At the end of the day, it all comes down to organization and making sure you have enough workers in place to effectively handle all of the events and get your coverage out on time.
What are some of your proudest accomplishments to date? Do you have any particular content or storytelling "wins" for Pomona-Pitzer athletics to share?
SP: During my seven years at Pomona-Pitzer, I have experienced some very memorable moments for the Sagehens including National Championship moments for men’s cross country and men’s and women’s water polo that were very special moments to be a part of and creating those championship experiences for the athletes and coaches. Outside of those moments, I would say that leading the branding team for the designs of our new athletic center was a really cool project to be a part of; seeing all of the work that went into that and watching the building come to life was a very cool moment in my career.
Quick Hitter Questions:
I can't start my morning without ...
SP: Coffee… I need my morning coffee to start the day out strong.
If you could trade jobs with someone you know, who would you trade with and why?
SP: I don’t think there is anyone who I would swap jobs with. I love my job and can’t see myself doing most of the jobs that my friends are doing but I would love to be in the front office of a professional sports team.
The top destination on your must-visit list?
SP: Naturally, I love to visit sports venues when I visit different cities so my dream destination is to see a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea.
What do you enjoy reading about? Or listening to a podcast about, or both?
SP: I like to listen to podcasts during workouts and even in the office when working on website stuff or updating bios for the website. I mostly enjoy listening to sports podcasts like Bill Simmons or Zach Lowe during the NBA season.