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Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented to individuals who have served at least 25 years
in the athletics communications profession (as of July 2023) who are retiring or leaving the profession.
Years of service vetted by the Special Awards Committee.
Larry Dougherty – Temple University Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Communications (retired)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Larry Dougherty, a CSC Hall of Famer and former president (2020-11) of the organization, retired after a 38-year career in college athletics in late 2023, a tenure which included the last 20 years at Temple.
Dougherty joined the Owls' staff after serving 15 years in the media relations office at Saint Joseph's, the last eight as the school's assistant athletic director for media relations. Prior to SJU, he served as the SID at Nicholls State for one year and as the information director of the East Coast Conference for two years.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is his fifth major recognition or award from the College Sports Communicators. Dougherty served as the president of CSC during 2010-11. A year prior, he had received a 25-Year Award for his quarter century of service to the profession. Dougherty was inducted into the CSC Hall of Fame in 2015 and in 2017, he received the organization's Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award. Last year, he earned the 2023 Arch Ward Award from CSC.
Dougherty was the recipient of the ECAC-SIDA's (now EAST-COMM's) 2011 Irving T. Marsh Award, its highest honor for outstanding service and contributions to college sports communications. In 2017 he was named the recipient of the ECAC-SIDA Pete Nevins Award for Distinguished Service. Dougherty served as chair of the organizing committee for the 2009 ECAC-SIDA Workshop held in Avalon, N.J., and the 2005 CSC Workshop held in Philadelphia.
For the last several years, Dougherty has started most of his days by posting an inspirational quote on his LinkedIn profile, posting thoughts and quote like “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy” and “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” After he announced his retirement, he appropriately shared, “Time is the coin of life. Only you can determine how it will be spent.”
Gallery: (4-9-2024) Larry Dougherty, Lifetime Achievement
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT LARRY DOUGHERTY:
Fran Dunphy, retired Temple University men’s basketball head coach: "When I think of Larry Dougherty I immediately think of his dad Andy Dougherty. Andy was one of my mentors as I tried to be a college student/athlete. Andy was the consummate sports information director. I watched Larry grow up in that world and he became as good as it gets in doing his job and understanding how to relate to others.
Larry is kind and considerate and generous and warm, and someone who knew what to say and when to say it. I watched him be a husband, father, friend and confidant and he performed admirably in those roles. When people speak to Larry, they get the straight, honest well-thought-out version, and it makes people want to be around him. I’m a better man for being around Larry Doc during my time at Temple. I’m sure there are many more that would say the same."
Dougherty’s impressions and reflections on his career:
When asked what he was most proud of when looking back over his long award-winning career….
Telling the positive human interest stories of the student-athletes and staff that I have had the pleasure of working with for the past five decades. It is easy to report on wins and losses, but finding stories that inspire others is what is truly meaningful about what we do in our profession.
You watch the student-athletes grow throughout their careers and then you might see them five or six years later, and you’re just as close to them then as you were when they were athletes. It’s not about an event, it’s more about the people.
Explaining which two things changed the most in his career and how they impacted his daily workload and/or job description…
“First it was the internet. Now we not only shared our stories with reporters, but as reporters for our own websites. It was a great addition, but with it came more work for communication professionals. Then there was social media. It has emerged as the most useful tool in reaching our audience and telling our story, but it added more work and more challenges.”
Advice he would offer to someone just entering the collegiate sports communication business today…
“Know going in that the profession demands much, but the rewards are many. There are not many jobs in life where you feel such a part of a team as you do in college athletics and sports communications. There may at times be more losses than wins, but it is our job to find the silver linings and tell the story behind the games themselves. If you can keep that perspective then there is no greater profession that ours.”
