The panelists and moderator all personally were affected by either facing a furlough or layoff during the COVID pandemic and they talk about strategies used and lessons learned - and how they are applying those experiences and challenges to their jobs today and advocating for themselves and their staffs.

These four CoSIDA members either jumped into new athletic communications leadership roles during the pandemic or dealt with being furloughed, and what challenges they faced during the furlough and then returning to their positions.

Panelists:
Brian Morales, Director of Media Relations, Wagner College
Katie Mucci, Assistant Commissioner for New Media and Technology, Missouri Valley Conference
Nate Smith, Director of Athletic Communications, Alfred University

Moderator:
Miles McQuiggan, Director of Athletic Communications, Saint Francis University

How Furloughs & Layoffs Have Impacted Our Profession

Podcast with Dave Sanderson (International speaker, author and noted authority on personal leadership)
with host Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC

One moment in recent history – 12 years ago - which captured international attention was when US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency landing in the Hudson River, outside of New York City. This bravery and life-saving techniques of flight captain Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III were chronicled as the Miracle on the Hudson, when a bird strike hit Flight 1549, leaving no choice but for the crew but to ditch and land the plane into the Hudson River.

One passenger on that January 15, 2009 flight was today’s podcast guest – Dave Sanderson, a businessman who was flying from LaGuardia International to Charlotte, NC. Sanderson was one of the last off the plane after assisting other passengers to exit on the wings of that plane. Sanderson had to jump into the frigid waters of the Hudson as there was no more room on the wing.

Sanderson joins June Stewart Leadership Series podcast host Trip Durham to discuss that day, his unique story, and the leadership and personal growth experiences that came about after the incident.

Now a motivational speaker, noted authority on personal leadership, TEDx speaker and author, Sanderson’s book Moment's Matter details his close encounter with death and how one defining moment can create a lifetime of purpose.

Sanderson directs his comments to our athletic communications professionals and how we all can best move through the challenges brought on by the pandemic, build consensus and rapport in their work environment, and much more.

As he states, “Right now it’s about employing your personal leadership to show people how to give certainty to those who may have uncertainty.”

Dave Sanderson - June Stewart Leadership Series Ep 09

ON-DEMAND Teachable Tuesday Webinar presented by Capital One
Checking in On Your Wellness
Your emotional, mental and physical health.

Panelists:
Dr. Kaye Cole – University of Iowa Athletics, Mental Health Therapist and Consultant
Scott Day – Sean's House SL24: Unlocke The Light, Director of Communications and Operations / Former CoSIDA member and SID
Moderator: Mike Kern – Missouri Valley Conference, Associate Commissioner 

As we turn the page from the crossover fall and winter seasons and into the new year, we held this webinar to discuss issues facing SIDs around your emotional, mental and physical health. The panelists gave guidance on self-care strategies and ways to help you ask for help if you are struggling with anxiety, depression, frustration, anger, failure to prioritize, and more.

These topics were covered and insights were offered for:
• helping you recognize warning signs of anxiety, burnout, frustration and depression ... what constitutes burnout?
• stop grinding and wearing "the grind mentality and massive hours of work" as a badge of honor
• sharing advice and strategies on empowering you to address these issues with colleagues, superiors, family and friends
• the danger of viewing yourself through the prism of your job and the dangers of defining yourself primarily through your job
• how to do "radical self-care" and truly take charge of your life, not allowing the job to dominate your actions and thinking; the importance of being agressive and radical about taking care of yourself - all the time  
• taking inventory of your coping strategies, whether they be healthy and unhealthy coping strategies, and how to examine them, set your own personal goals, and push forward in a positive direction ... silencing your inner critic,
• setting priorities
• how to break through the difficulties of talking to a supervisor about your mental/physical health concerns, and ways to open up a conversation about it
• how to help others if you sense they are struggling, or, how to talk to them if they reach out to you and tell you that they are concerned about their mental health
• how do you calm yourself/decompress during the holiday season?
• the importance of having a "safe space, a corner of safe people" to trust and open up to
• how to stop comparing yourself to others and looking to others for validation; presenter Scott Day attributed this quote to college men's basketball coach Shaka Smart, who he worked with at VCU: "Comparison is the thief of joy.
 
Dr. Cole is on the University of Iowa athletics staff as its mental health therapist and consultant and works closely with student-athletes and staff on issues of mental health (depression, performance anxiety, panic disorders, other mental and emotional conditions.)
 
Day previously was a CoSIDA member and athletic communications administrator, serving at the University of Delaware, University of Richmond, VCU and Monmouth. Day speaks openly and honestly about his riveting and personal struggles with depression, weight gain and suicidal thoughts. He currently serves as communications and operations director for the Unlocke The Light Foundation which is dedicated to unlocking the students' light by providing resources for those struggling with depression, self-injury and suicide.

Checking in On Your Wellness, with Dr. Kaye Cole and former member Scott Day

Tommy Chasanoff, Assistant Athletics Director of Sports Information at University of the Cumberlands, is in his fifth year at the university. The four-time Paralympic Medalist was elevated to his current position as Assistant Athletics Director in July of 2020.
 
In September of 2020, Chasanoff became the first Patriot to be named NAIA Sports Information Director of the Year in addition to being voted as the Mid-South Conference’s SID of the Year in 2018 and 2020.
 
Prior to joining the Cumberlands athletics staff, Chasanoff worked as an assistant sports information director at University of Tampa for two years.

He joins CoSIDA intern Brandon Jones for a podcast conversation as part of the Through My Lens series.

Through My Lens W Tommy Chasanoff 81379730442

Tommy Chasanoff | Through My Lens

Cindy Potter is CoSIDA President and Senior Deputy Director of Athletics at Columbia College (Mo.). She discusses her favorite parts of working in collegiate athletics communications as well as the importance of work-life balance in the industry. She joins 2021-22 CoSIDA intern Brandon Jones for the finale of the Executive Session podcast series with the 2021-22 executive board.

Potter is the first CoSIDA President from an NAIA institution and the fifth woman from any division to serve in the role. When she received the presidential gavel in June 2021 from Sam Atkinson, is was the first time in CoSIDA history that one College Division president passed the gavel to another. In June 2022, she will again make history when the gavel is passed to Jessica Poole — the first time two women have served as President in consecutive years. She first served on the CoSIDA Board of Directors as a College Division Representative from 2011-2014.

Potter was a 2008 CoSIDA Rising Star Award winner and also received the 2020 Warren Berg Award. At #CoSIDA22 she will receive the Bud Nangle Award, which is presented to a CoSIDA member or an individual outside of CoSIDA who embodies the ideals of intercollegiate athletics by showing ethics, integrity, compassion and/or bravery in a singular act or under an unusual or stressful personal or professional situation.

Executive Session W Cindy Potter 85676299725

Cindy Potter | Executive Session, with Brandon Jones

In this challenging time of shortened staffs and resources, our four presenters have a frank discussion on how to bolster your office staff and office content production with techniques and strategies to successfully find, teach, engage and mentor your student assistants.

As students split their time between school, work, friends and sports, they want to see or understand the ways they make a difference. By engaging and mentoring your student employees, you provide vital real-life work experiences that can be beneficial to your department - and to them for the rest of their lives. 
 
Presenters:
JD Campbell – Indiana University, Senior Assistant AD For Men's Basketball and Special Projects/CoSIDA Executive Board member
 
Pearllan Cipriano – Shippensburg University, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
 
Ken Sweeten – Southern Connecticut State University Associate Director of Athletics/Athletic Communications

Presenter/Moderator: Adam Ledyard – East Texas Baptist University, Assistant AD for Communications

Empowering Student Employees With Meaningful Workplace Experience

Hosted by the CSC U Committee

Headlining this webinar for young professionals, emerging professionals (graduate assistants, graduate and undergraduate student interns and assistants, and those interested in the college athletic communications career path) were four young professionals, all leaders in their early years as athletic communicators.

These young CSC members — including two who just earned CSC 30-Under-30 awards, Baylor’s Shelby Hild and Davidson’s Dani Gariglio —lead the discussion on helping elevate yourself; offering advice and takeaways on how to prepare for interviews, enhance your resume, highlight your work, and build connections. They also answered numerous questions from the attendees as it concerned their “next career steps,” making an impression, improving their personal brand.

The CSC U Committee provides educational resources for new college athletic communications and creative professionals (those with 0-3 years of experience) and graduate assistants, graduate and undergraduate interns and students - and those from other industries. They also work on recruiting young professionals and students to our industry. The CSC U professional development series is focused on issues and education for young and aspiring sports communicators.

Presenters
Dani Gariglio, Davidson College
Shelby Hild, Baylor University
Jordan Sarnoff, Fairleigh Dickinson
Moderator Josh Lively, University of Tennessee

How To Advocate For Yourself

Provided by the College Sports Communicators Diversity & Inclusion Committee
---
If you’re looking for dictionary definitions and a lecture on how to be perfect when it comes to navigating the LGBTQ+ discussion, then you’ve come to the wrong place!

If candid, raw, and real discussions are more your vibe, then you are encouraged to click the link and grow your heart, mind, and soul for the next 50 minutes.

In this conversation, Alex Jewell, Katie Gonzales, and Chad Cooper, three members of the CSC Diversity and Inclusion committee — all with very different backgrounds and day-to-day lives — have an open and honest discussion about microaggressions within the LGBTQ+ context and far beyond.

They aren’t college professors or behavioral scientists – they’re three individuals who experience the topic in their everyday lives and in different parts of the country. Now, they’ve come together to share their thoughts, discuss their imperfections, and help you navigate your own growth in the space.

Listen in, think hard, and grow with Alex, Katie, and Chad.

Ask me anything about inclusion: LGBTQ+ and microagressions

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Working with football stats & stat rules
Learning about the sport of football and producing accurate statistics.

Generating consistent statistics and consistent stat reporting are essential duties of each athletic communications department. This webinar, with five leading pro and college football statisticians, featured a discussion and insights on:
• new college football rules
• best practices for pregame preparation for statistics, setting up stat personnel, and post-game reporting; working with your opponents’ athletic communications football contact(s)
• the use of proper in-game football scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, including: entering starters; duplicate uniform numbers; what sources to use if unsure about a play; recording basic statistics (spotting the ball, jersey number changes, intended targets, RPO vs. rushing, lateral vs. pitch 
• discussion of difficult/unusual plays, ways to troubleshoot them and the way to accurate stat them during the game
• best practices and communications in editing game files

Panelists 
• Scott Fishman – Genius Sports, Business Analyst / Indianapolis Colts Gameday Stat Crew Director
• Stan Granch – USC and UCLA Head Statistician
• John Painter – Maryville College, Assistant AD for Communications
• Jeff Williams – NCAA, Associate Director Media Coordination and Statistics
• Moderator: Ira Thor – New Jersey City University, Associate Vice President for University Communications / New York Jets Crew Chief/Head Statistician

Other resources and statistical training materials:
• From CSC 360 September issue: Accurate statistics are important; resources are available: https://collegesportscommunicators.com/news/2023/9/5/general-accurate-statistics-are-important-resources-are-available.aspx

• For sports that utilize NCAA LiveStats (football, soccer, volleyball and ice hockey), the NCAA Manager is a terrific resource filled with training videos and a FAQ page for each sport. https://ncaamanager.com/ncaa/home

• Live training webinars for fall sports have passed, but recordings of the sessions remain available online. https://ncaamanager.com/ncaa/know-more

• Be sure to sign up for the NCAA LiveStats newsletter to receive product updates and register for upcoming webinars. https://geniussports.com/sportstech/livestats-email-sign-up/

• On game day, if you incur any issues, contact NCAA LiveStats help desk at (877) 542-7282 or email NCAASupport@geniussports.com. We encourage you to CC the corresponding NCAA staff member (more on that below!) so that we are aware of the issue.

For those in the NAIA utilizing Presto Sports statistics software:
YouTube Presto Training Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYMnW1ercBdVoP-jCxuQSMMi3JC5tO6HO

• Presto Stats Help Center — Find resources with cheat sheets, webinars, live scoring and more! https://help.prestosports.com/PrestoStats/v1/

Webinar: Working with football stats & stat rules

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Working with soccer stats & stat rules
Learning about the sport of soccer, its rules, and and producing accurate statistics.

Generating consistent statistics and consistent stat reporting are essential duties of each athletic communications department. From our 2023-24 CSC Statistics and Stat Rules Webinar Series, this webinar featured leading college soccer statisticians discussing pre-game best practices setups, in-game scoring, and giving an understanding of the rules of the game as they pertain to producing accurate statistics.

The discussion and insights focused on:

• college soccer rules and how to score them correctly
• best practices for pregame preparation for statistics, setting up stat personnel and job duties of that personnel, and how to effectively work with your opponent SID; setting up rosters, uniform number issues, etc; in-game statistical how-to's; post-game reporting; working with your opponents’ athletic communications sport contact(s)
• the needs of the NCAA as it pertains to soccer roster and schedule accuracy, statistical reporting, and changes which might need to be made
• the use of proper in-game scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, including: entering starters; what sources to use if unsure about a play; recording basic statistics
• a review of the "own goals" definition, what is a shot versus a shot on goal versus a cross/pass attempt, how to define an assist
• discussion of difficult/unusual plays, ways to troubleshoot them and the way to accurate stat them during the game
• best practices and communications in editing game files and working with your fellow SIDs post-match

Panelists
• Matt Holmes – NCAA Assistant Director of Media Coordination and Statistics
• Chris Shoals –  University of Kentucky Associate Director, Athletic Communications and Public Relations
• Chad Twaro – CSC member and freelance statistician
• Moderator: Robert McKinney, Willamette University Assistant AD, Communications / CSC Professional Development and Continuing Education Committee member

Webinar: Working with soccer stats & stat rules

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Using web and social media analytics to make data-driven decisions

The presenters discussed the importance for athletic communicators and creatives to gather data and insights in real time as it pertains to your web and social media content. They discussed how social media data mining gives you key insights into your audience so you can learn what kind of content they like, when they want to see it, and where they spend their time online.

Panelists
• Sam Knehans –  Sun Belt Conference Senior Associate Commissioner, Chief Communications and Branding Officer 
• Chris Jones –  New York Red Bulls Manager, Digital and Social Content
• Phylicia Short –Queens University (Charlotte) Assistant Athletic Director for Communications / Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Designee
• Moderator: Eliza Kravitz, Georgetown University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

While many platforms have their own built-in insights, using a social media analytics tool or tools can help you collect all of that data in a single, easy-to-use dashboard; those tools were discussed. Also:

Collecting the Data
What social media data you should be tracking, with tips for smart social media data collection
How to collaborate with on-campus colleagues to deliver data/analytics to support your brand messaging and brand content
Phylicia Short (Queens): Led athletic department effort to partner with the Queens business school as they moved to NCAA Division I to create their analytics strategies; suggested schools work with their campus constituents (business school, analytics, masters programs) to assist in collection of data, and to use tools like Sprout Social to collect the data.
 
Analyzing the Data and Making the Case
How to use analytics to inform and build your social media strategies to help your brand(s) gauge key metrics like reach, followers, engagement, clicks and conversations
Sam Knehans: Ask: To establish your social analytics strategy, ask: What are we using our time on? What content moves the needle? Review of tools the Sun Belt Conference uses. Review your analytics each semester.

Chris Jones - Making decisions based on the data, always asking: Why do we think it worked/didn’t work? How can we learn and improve? Review and refine your strategy often.


Other Resources 

August 2023 - Rival IQ's Higher Education Social Media Engagement Report for all NCAA Division I and Division I Universities and Colleges: https://www.rivaliq.com/blog/higher-ed-social-media-engagement-report/

March 2023 - MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference Session: Social Media and Sports: How Consumption and Fanhood is Changing via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOw5vJ_vy6s

Webinar: Using web and social media analytics to make data-driven decisions

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Working with basketball stats & stat rules
Learning about the sport of soccer, its rules, and and producing accurate statistics.


Slides from the webinar (on team rebound, dead-ball rebound, flopping rules): https://collegesportscommunicators.com/documents/2023/11/14//Bball_webinar_slides_Nov_14_2023.pdf?id=11278

This webinar on men's and women's basketball stats and stat rules was the fourth in our CSC statistics/stat rules series this fall.

Generating consistent statistics and consistent stat reporting are essential duties of each athletic communications department. The presenters held a review of basketball rules as they apply to basketball statistics for 2023-24 and discussed how to utilize proper basketball scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, taking attendee questions throughout.

The discussion focused on:

• college basketball rules and how to score them correctly
• best practices for pregame preparation for statistics, setting up stat personnel and job duties of that personnel, and how to effectively work with your opponent SID; setting up rosters, uniform number issues, etc; in-game statistical how-to's; post-game reporting; working with your opponents’ athletic communications sport contact(s)
• the use of proper in-game scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, including: entering starters; what sources to use if unsure about a play; recording basic statistics
• a review of rebound definitions (deadball rebound, team rebound), and how to ensure that the stats between rebounds and missed shots balance
• discussion of difficult/unusual plays, ways to troubleshoot them and the way to accurate stat them during the game
• best practices and communications in editing game files and working with your fellow SIDs post-match

Panelists
• Sarah Boissonneault – Northeast Conference, Assistant Commissioner for Communications & Digital Media / Statistician for WNBA's Connecticut Sun
• Kevin Smith – The College of Wooster, Director of Athletic Communication
• Terie Smith – Freelance Statistician, USC, NBA's Clippers and Lakers
• Moderator: Courtney Day, DePaul University, Associate Athletics Director for Communications and Digital Strategy / CSC Professional Development and Continuing Education Committee member

Webinar: Working with basketball stats & stat rules

CAN CSC Webinar (Canadian College Sports Communicators)
Communications for Social Justice Topics and EDI Initiatives
Original air date: Nov. 29
 
This webinar touches on how athletic departments have approached social justice topics and EDI initiatives within their own departments and on their respective campuses.

The panel brings knowledge and experience both from communications and home game integration perspectives.

Panelists
Heather Bury – University of Saskatchewan, Sports Information & Marketing Specialist
Megan Muir – University of Waterloo, Communications & Game Day Coordinator
Amanda Stefanile – Lakehead University, Achievement Program Coordinator
Jaimie Mintenko – Lakehead University, Assistant Athletic Director
Moderator: Chris Cameron – Acadia University, Sports Information & Communications Coordinator

Communications for Social Justice Topics and EDI Initiatives, presented by CAN CSC

On-Demand Webinar - Presented by CSC and corporate partner Gipper

Social Media in College Sports: Expert Insights to Ensure a Relevant Strategy in 2024
Original webinar took place Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024

Click here to access the webinar's slide deck (PDF): https://collegesportscommunicators.com/documents/2024/1/16//CSC_Webinar_Social_Media_in_College_Sports_Expert_Insights_to_Ensure_a_Relevant_Strategy_in_2024_2_.pdf?id=11279
 
This discussion, in partnership with CSC corporate partner Gipper, focused on the top 2024 trends and strategies in sports social media. The discussion evolved around innovative techniques and tools to use to better engage your audience and amplify your program's brand. 
 
Discussion points:
• 2024 Trends in Social (social as a search engine; user-generated content (UGC); what is unhinged vs. planned content?; visual branding; AI
• Best practices and examples, from college sports and beyond
• Tools and tips to help you work smarter, not harder and longer
• UGC's using Gipper's content requests
• How to leverage your MVP's (your student-athletes)
• Personalized video content and examples
• Automate time-intensive taskes vis AI (photo background removals, caption creations, video highlights)

Panelists:
• Matthew Glick – CEO and Founder, Gipper Media, Inc.
• Kristen Keller – University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) Associate Athletic Director for Communications and Digital Strategy/ 2023-24 CSC 30-Under-30 Award recipient
• Robert Rosa – Creative Director, Gipper Media, Inc.
• Moderator: Lydia Thompson – Partner Marketing Manager, Gipper Media, Inc.

https://collegesportscommunicators.com/
https://www.gipper.com/

Webinar: Social media in college sports, co-hosted by Gipper

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Working with men's lacrosse statistics & state rules
Learning more about the sport of men's lacrosse and producing accurate statistics. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 30, we held our sixth in the 2023-2024 CSC statistics/stat rules webinar series.

Generating consistent statistics and consistent stat reporting are essential duties of each athletic communications department. This live men's lacrosse webinar familiarized CSC members with a review of rules as they apply to statistics for 2023-24 and discussed how to utilize proper men's lacrosse scoring techniques to register accurate statistics.

Please note: This was NOT a training session on "how-to" work with Genius/NCAA Live Stats or Presto stats; rather, it was held to give athletic communicators and statisticians a basic understanding of the rules of the games and an understanding on how to score plays.

The discussion focused on:

• college men's lacrosse rules and how to score them correctly
• best practices for pregame preparation for statistics, setting up stat personnel and job duties of that personnel, and how to effectively work with your opponent SID; setting up rosters, uniform number issues, etc; in-game statistical how-to's; post-game reporting; working with your opponents’ athletic communications sport contact(s)
• the use of proper in-game scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, including: entering starters; what sources to use if unsure about a play; recording basic statistics
• discussion of difficult/unusual plays, ways to troubleshoot them and the way to accurate stat them during the game; discussion of groundball definitions and scoring
• best practices and communications in editing game files and working with your fellow SIDs post-match

Webinar: Working with men's lacrosse stats & rules

CSC U Webinar
(presented by the CSC U Committee and geared toward young professionals)

Getting Creative
Original air date: Feb. 6, 2024

This webinar focused on how athletic communications staff - particularly new professionals, interns, undergraduate and graduate student assistants - can tackle the ever demanding world of creative media and design by using modern day tools to accomplish tasks of graphic design, video production, and social media content while also building relationships and harnessing the power of collaboration with others across campus. We also looked at where the creative media realm has been, what the trends are now, and what might be coming on the horizon in order to highlight your school, department, and teams effectively.

Note: This webinar, although geared toward the audience of the CSC U Committee — new full-time and part-time athletic communications professionals and emerging professionals (undergraduate and graduate student assistants, graduate assistants, interns) — covered a myriad of ideas and strategies for all college sports communicators, regardless of level of experience.

Panelists:
Joe Mixie – Siena College Athletic Communications Assistant 
Amanda Phillips – Oberlin College Associate Director of Athletics for Communications & Digital Media Strategist 
Jasmine Washington – University of New Orleans Director of Creative Services and Marketing

Moderator
Alivia Dieterlen – College Sports Communicators (CSC) Assistant Director of Communications and Creative Content

Getting Creative, presented by CSC U

In this February edition of our NAIA-SIDA Spotlight series, Rachel Moore visited with Jeff Braun, Assistant AD/Sports Information Director of Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. The duo visited about Jeff's time in high school athletics early in his career and how he oversees one of the largest athletic departments in the country.

This content is produced/provided by NAIA-SIDA.

Jeff Braun | NAIA-SIDA Spotlight

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Working with women's lacrosse statistics & state rules
Learning more about the sport of women's lacrosse and producing accurate statistics.

On Monday, Feb. 26, we held our seventh in the 2023-2024 CSC statistics/stat rules webinar series.

Generating consistent statistics and consistent stat reporting are essential duties of each athletic communications department. The presenters reviewed the rules for women's lacrosse as they apply to statistics for 2024 and covered how to utilize proper scoring techniques to register accurate statistics. They also answered numerous questions from the audience.

This was a webinar for all divisional levels and levels of women's lacrosse statistics expertise. 

Please note: This was NOT a training session on "how-to" work with Genius/NCAA Live Stats or Presto stats; rather, topics covered were to provide  SIDs with a basic understanding of the rules of the games and an understanding on how to score plays.

The discussion focused on:

• college women's lacrosse rules and how to score stats and plays correctly (vs. men's lacrosse rules)
• best practices for pregame preparation for statistics, setting up stat personnel and job duties of that personnel, and how to effectively work with your opponent SID; setting up rosters, etc.); in-game statistical how-to's; post-game reporting; working with your opponents' athletic communications sport contact(s)
• the use of proper in-game scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, including: entering starters; what sources to use if unsure about a play; recording basic statistics
• a review of stat definitions
• discussion of difficult/unusual plays, ways to troubleshoot them and the way to accurate stat them during the game
• how to work effectively with your coaches if you are challenged to change/edit statistics in-match and post-match
• best practices and communications in editing game files and working with your fellow SIDs post-match

Webinar: Working with women's lacrosse stats & rules

On-Demand College Sports Communicators Webinar

Working with baseball and softball statistics & stat rules
Learning more about the sports of baseball and softball and producing accurate statistics.

The eight and final session in the eight-part CSC statistics/stat rules webinar series focused on baseball and softball statistics, with the on-demand video and podcast links found here.

The series was produced to help CSC membrers generate consistent statistics and consistent stat reporting, essential duties of each athletic communications department. This webinar familiarized CSC members with a review of rules for both baseball and softball as they apply to statistics for 2024 and how to utilize proper scoring techniques to register accurate statistics.

Questions from the audience were answered throughout.

Please note: This was NOT a training session on "how-to" work with Genius/NCAA Live Stats or Presto stats; rather, attendees gained a basic understanding of the rules of the games and an understanding of how to score plays.

The discussion focused on:

• college women's softball and college baseball rules and how to score stats and plays correctly 
• best practices for pregame preparation for statistics, setting up stat personnel and job duties of that personnel, and how to effectively work with your opponent SID; setting up rosters; in-game statistical how-to's; post-game reporting; working with your opponents' athletic communications sport contact(s)
• tips and strategies for SIDs who handle official scoring duties when they are questioned about a scoring decision; how best to work with coaches, press box personnel and SID colleagues to review/rectify/edit or keep a stat ruling
• encouraging the audience to join the private Facebook group SID Scoring Assistance
• the use of proper in-game scoring techniques to register accurate statistics, including: entering starters; what sources to use if unsure about a play; recording basic statistics
• a review of stat definitions and scoring them (double plays, rundowns, batting out of order, illegal batter, softball Flex player, etc.)
• discussion of difficult/unusual plays, ways to troubleshoot them and the way to accurate stat them during the game
• best practices and communications in editing game files and working with your fellow SIDs post-match

Webinar: Working with baseball and softball statistics & stat rules

Keeping DEI at the forefront
presented by the CSC Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Keeping diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront in the ever-changing world of college athletics is challenging, but not impossible. In this webinar, the presenters discussed how athletics departments, conference offices and campuses as a whole can continue to experience success in their DEI pursuits by changing the culture and turning talk into actions. They shared ideas and initiatives that have led to DEI successes and how they are active advocates in championing inclusion to make their work environments more diverse.

Among the questions asked/topics discussed:
• How has DEI evolved over the last several years, and what are our challenges in bringing DEI initiatives and efforts into the workplace?
• A discussion of recent anti-DEI legislation and how to combat it.
• How are current college student-athletes diving into DEI issues and activism?
• What are some ideas to create content and storytelling to raise visibility around DEI issues and to spotlight the diverse student-athlete populations on our campuses?
• The importance of elevating and articulating DEI initiatives, particularly in this election year.
• How to go about having those difficult conversations when it comes to DEI issues and your colleagues' varying opinions, and the importance of creating space to talk about uncomfortable issues.
• How to be an advocate for DEI issues and initiatives and show support.
• Ways college sports communicators can encourage student-athletes to come forward with stories in this space. What information can SIDs collect in preseason questionnaires or on media days to enhance storytelling and collect information pertinent to student-athletes (use of preferred pronouns and names, ethnicity acknowledgments, asking DEI questions).

Webinar: Keeping DEI at the forefront, presented by the CSC Diversity & Inclusion Committee

CSC Diversity & Inclusion Committee’s Travis Jarome (Jackson State) and Scottie Rodgers (Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic) sit down with Dr. Jen Fry (she/her) to talk about discuss the state of diversity, equity and inclusion in our society today, especially as it relates to the world of college athletics.

Dr. Fry is one of the leading voices in the DEI space and owner of Jen Fry Talks, a social justice education firm that explores the intersection of conflict and DEI.

This critical conversation explores a myriad of topics from the decisions and rulings that are affecting DEI to evolving approaches to better address and manage DEI in the workplace.

Dr. Jen Fry: https://jenfrytalks.com/

The state of DEI in college athletics w/ Dr. Jen Fry, presented by the CSC D&I Committee

Join Alex Jewell, Katie Gonzales, and Chad Cooper as they dive into the topic of affinity/Heritage months. Together, the three will start an open discussion about these months and how they fit within an athletic department. The trio will discuss the importance of these months but will also dive into how to properly establish them at your respective institutions, and how to ensure the celebration of our diversity goes far beyond a standard 30-day calendar.

Hosts: 
Alex Jewell - Director of Athletic Development, University of Wyoming
Katie Gonzales - Assistant AD for Athletic Communications, Illinois Wesleyan University
Chad Cooper - Strategic Communications Director, Temple University

Creating a Conversation - Affinity Months...and the months after

Join A.J. O'Hagan, Alan Wiederhold-Sohn, Mike Pugliese, and Matt Nelson as they discuss what it's like to be autistic/neurodivergent in the collegiate athletic communications workplace. The podcast is in conjunction with Autism Acceptance Month and is divided into 2 parts.

Panelists: 
-A.J. O'Hagan - Sports Information Director at Monroe College - Bronx
-Alan Wiederhold-Sohn - Sports Information Director at Huston-Tillotson University
-Mike Pugliese - Former Sports Information Director and Current Freelancer in College Athletics
-Matt Nelson (moderator) - Public Address Announcer for a variety of College Athletics Teams in the Greater New York/New Jersey area.

Autistic/Neurodivergent Individuals In The Workplace - Part 1

Join Allison Hogue and Matt Nelson as they discuss what it's like to be autistic/neurodivergent in the collegiate athletic communications workplace. The podcast is in conjunction with Autism Acceptance Month and is divided into 2 parts.

Hosts:
-Allison Hogue - Assistant Director of Athletics Communications at University of the Pacific
-Matt Nelson - Public Address Announcer for a variety of College Athletics Teams in the Greater New York/New Jersey area.

Autistic/Neurodivergent Individuals In The Workplace - Part 2

In the final edition of the NAIA SIDA Spotlight Series for 2023-24, Rachel Moore visited with NAIA SIDA President and CSC College Division Representative, Donnie Smith, on his background and current work at Southeastern University and what attendees can expect at #CSCUnite24 this coming June in Las Vegas.

Donnie Smith | NAIA SIDA Spotlight

In the first NAIA-SIDA Spotlight of 2024-25, Assistant AD/SID Rachel Moore of Central Methodist University visited with Lindsey Branch of Montana Western. Lindsey discussed making the jump from high school coaching to Sports Information and her election to the NAIA SIDA Board as an at-large representative!

Lindsey Branch | NAIA SIDA Spotlight

This was the first in the CSC "Athletic Communications Building, Developing and Empowering Your Staff Live Webinar Series" presented during the 2024-25 academic year.
 
The presenters discussed how to go about identifying, hiring, developing and empowering a student staff, in this time of shortened staffs and the need to cover numerous game day events and office management duties.

They gave tips and strategies to bolster your office staff and office content production. This included: how to identify potential student workers on your campus; using Google docs, excels, calendars and GroupMe software to organize the students' schedules and organize their work flows; how to ID the best students for the diversity of assignments, and training for those assignments.
 
They also discussed the importance of mentoring student workers and giving them opportunities to network and enhance their skills sets. Each panelist emphasized talking to student assistants about the "why" of their jobs and to help them understand how their contributions are making a difference in your athletic organization, and how their student worker skills and experiences will benefit them career-wise. 

Presenters:
- Alex Gutierrez, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Assistant Sports Information Director @AGutierrez_WPI
- Bryant Gray, College of Coastal Georgia Director of Athletic Communications @BGray25WE
- Emilia Frizzi, The Ohio State University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications @emilia_frizzi
 
Moderator/Presenter:
- Adam Ledyard, East Texas Baptist University Assistant Athletic Director for Communications @adam_ledyard

Webinar: Building A Winning Student Staff

During this webinar, Adobe specialists Donna Caldwell and Eric Rowse held a discussion on all-things Adobe Express and some of the newest additions to the software and answered audience questions.

For those who attended CSCUNITE24 convention in Las Vegas, both Donna and Eric were popular presenters throughout the four-day event, holding numerous Adobe workshops and office hours where they worked directly with CSC attendees on projects and helped with specific questions.

This webinar focused on the tools within Adobe Express that will assist CSC members and our colleagues in creating brand-worthy content with production shortcuts and time-saving techniques. There are tips and advice for all, regardless of your level of experience with the cloud-based design and content creation platform. One main theme of the session was to help CSC members improve their productivity when creating graphics, web pages, videos and other digital assets.

Topics included: Using the Adobe Express tool of lockable template fields; setting up "bulk create" templates for asset creation; working with Firefly Gen AI styles in making brand-approved assets.

Presenters:
- Donna Caldwell, Adobe Principal Solutions Consultant
- Eric Rowse, Adobe Senior Solutions Consultant
 
Moderator:
- Patrick Murphy, Colorado School of Mines Athletic Communications Coordinator/CSC Creative and Digital Design Contest Committee chair

Webinar: Craft Dynamic, On-Brand Content By Leveraging the Power of Adobe Express

As athletic communicators and creatives at every divisional level are responsible for setting up team media days/photo days to capture a wide variety of content for their digital/social and broadcast campaigns, the webinar panelists discussed how best to create a sports media day with structure, organization and best practice suggestions to make media day planning and execution more efficient, fiscally responsible and productive.

These Media Days/Content Days/Photo Days events can include any or all of the following: headshots, video interviews, photography for promotional collateral, fun personable videos. long-form video interviews.

In addition to answering 14 questions from the attendees, the presenters gave insights and suggestions on:
- planning your budget and time and assessing the scale of the event to gauge appropriate resources needed
- how to hold a successful content day with limited budgets and resources/personnel
- types of equipment and setups to use, in terms of actual room space, backdrops, camera and video equipment and making stations for each student-athlete to go to
- how to make each teams' media day feel special and unique for them
- how to keep your collection of student-athletes engaged and energized as you work with them on content; how to ensure that they stay organized and
- types of content to collect on media days
- how to work with hesitant/shy student-athletes
- how to work with coaches and being clear on your strategies and the "why's" of setting up these sessions
- in the age of NIL, how to best distribute content from these special days to your student-athletes for their own personal branding and posting needs
- post event, best practices for the work involved to organize, catalog and disseminate the content you captured

Panelists:
- Temi Bajulaiye, America East Conference Associate Director, Creative Services & Digital Media 
- Emily Dorko, Adelphi University Associate Athletic Director for External Relations/SWA
- Imry Halevi, Harvard University Senior Associate Director of Athletics - Content & Strategic Communications
- Tyson Hutchins, BYU Associate Athletic Director for Creative Strategy

Moderator:
- Cobe Wastler, Air Force Academy Director of Digital Strategy

Webinar: Making the Most of Your Content Days/Media Days/Photo Days

In this October edition of our NAIA-SIDA Spotlight series, we visited with Mitchell Huppert of Marian University in Indiana. We talked about his time as an intern with the Indianapolis Colts before he the Assistant SID and now Head SID for the Knights in Indianapolis!

Mitch Huppert | NAIA SIDA Spotlight

The CSC U committee and panelists discuss our College Sports Communicators (CSC) organization, our members, the CSC U Committee and the benefits of being part of our ever-growing membership. CSC is the professional organization for all those who are athletic/media relations contacts and the creative/digital athletic department members - and those exploring the profession.

Bring your questions and see how we can help you navigate issues and questions AND how we provide lots of networking and mentorship opportunities and how these opportunities can open doors for your future successes.

Note: This webinar is geared toward the audience of the CSC U Committee - new full-time and part-time athletic communications professionals and emerging professionals (undergraduate and graduate student assistants, graduate assistants, interns)

Panelists
- Caleb Garner, Arkansas State Director for Media Relation
- Katie Gonzales, Illinois Wesleyan Assistant AD - Athletic Communications / CSC Executive Board Member
- Amanda Phillips, Oberlin College Associate Director of Athletics Communications & Digital Media Strategist/Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach
 
Moderator
- Brian Odgen, Mississippi State Associate Director/Communications

Webinar: Town Hall - What is CSC? What is CSC U?

During Global Diversity Awareness Month, the three panelists and moderator, all leaders in the DEI space, offered their thoughts and answered numerous questions from webinar attendees on today's environment for diversity, equity and inclusion in the ever-changing and somewhat volatile politically charged landscape that administrators, coaches and student-athletes are currently navigating in.

They spoke on the shift towards a more nuanced approach to DEI - moving away from only offering programming initiatives and training, to policy writing and carving out space for people to bring their authentic selves to work and to the competition fields and arenas. They discussed various ways to build an inclusive workplace when laws and policies are changing all around us.

Additionally, they addressed the following in DEI work, with recommendations for CSC members:
- Storytelling: How communicators can best show employee and student-athlete impact and how CSC members can help tell these stories and humanize and personalize student-athletes, coaches and staff members in this inclusion space
- Read and get educated on legislation and what DEIB (belonging) policies are in your community 
- Noting the danger of placing DEI work in a silo, as it needs to be woven into the fabric of your department and leadership team
- Managing DEI work when serving on a committee/in a department where everyone is not on the same page with the importance of this work - and how to approach people to bring them together
- What are the "blind spots" right now when it comes to inclusion work in athletic departments, and strategies and ideas in managing them
- Best methods to ask DEI questions to lead to healthy conversations when those conversations have not typically taken place in your workspace

Panelists:
- Derek Cowherd, University of Louisville Associate Athletics Director for Community and Culture
- DeeDee Merritt, NCAA Managing Director, Leadership Development 
- Ashleigh Clare-Kearney Thigpen, LSU Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Advancement

Moderator:
- Kendrell Watkins, Long Island University Senior Associate Athletics Director for Revenue Generation

Webinar: Navigating DEI in Today’s Landscape

As colleagues in the college sports areas of communications, creative work and marketing, this webinar is a collaboration between College Sports Communicators (CSC) and the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA). The presenters, from both CSC and NACMA, focused on sharing strategies and insights on how to maximize your promotion, publicity and storytelling content - and capturing fan and audience engagement – independent of team performances.

Topics discussed:
- Engaging fans from diverse groups, particularly in unique environments
- Within your local media market, the importance of creating positive relationships with reporters and broadcasters; emphasis on home-town storytelling via social media and Zoom; media day/photo day strategies when you are not located in a major media market
- Best practice in collaborating with your fellow athletic department colleagues to promote your programs, support marketing/ticketing/communications/event initiatives and engage fans
- Setting up local broadcasts of your games
- Keys to keeping fans and customers engaged in your programs
- Managing the push-and-pull between sports coverage and promotions during crossover seasons
- For special day celebrations: ideas for ticket sales and promotions
- Promoting your student-athlete alumni
- Capitalizing on new hires

Panelists:
- Alyshia Allison, Old Dominion University Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing
- Eric Bohannon, Old Dominion University Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications
- Calvin Larson, Michigan Tech Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations

Moderator:
- Michael Smoose, San Jose State University Associate Athletics Director for Marketing, Digital Media and Licensing

Webinar: Driving fan and media engagement independent of team performance

Cassie Kelley of Abilene Christian and Rob Cunningham of Thomas Jefferson join Katie Mucci and Katie Gwinn Hewitt as the group talks about the challenges of multitasking and delegating duties on game days.

CoSIDA Connection Podcast - Ep 10 - Multitasking on Game Day

Aaron Morse of Bates College and the CoSIDA New Media Committee hosted a conversation with SIDs to talk through reactions and courses of action in the time of COVID-19. He was joined by Emily McMillan, University of Evansville Assistant Director of Media Relations, Don Vieth, Northeastern State University Assistant Athletics Director, Strategic Communications, and Gregor Walz, University of Puget Sound Director of Athletic Communications. 

Some of the topics covered include:
1. Where were you when you learned that spring sports were finished for your school? Did you see it coming or was it a total blindside?
2. What was your immediate course of action? How did you handle it from a social media perspective?
3. So, now what? In an entirely unprecedented situation, what are your ideas on how athletics communications professionals can make themselves valuable in the coming months? 
4. We all live and breathe sports, from a personal perspective, how are you dealing with this?

So, now what? Athletics communications pros in the time of COVID-19: From the New Media Committee

Members of CoSIDA's Mentorship Committee - Shawn Medeiros, Hannah Bradley and Lindy Brown - give information on the upcoming 2020-21 mentorship program and share advice on important details to keep in mind when signing up for the program, including preferences for division, experience, gender or location of a mentor or mentee. Program participants Mex Carey and Taylor Garcia share their experiences of being paired together in 2019-20, including what worked for them with regard to communication and how each grew in their jobs and careers as a result of the relationship.

CoSIDA Mentorship Program: Get Ready, Get Set, Go! Prepare For The 2020-21 Program Sign-Ups

Teachable Tuesdays Webinar Series (Presented by Capital One)
LGBTQ+ Inclusion Initiatives in College Athletics (Part 1)
The administrator point of view.

Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Co-Sponsored by CoSIDA and the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A)

College administrators with a variety of backgrounds discuss the opportunities and challenges that come with LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives in college athletics. Learn best practices for creating a more welcoming environment in your department and ways you can make a difference for LGBTQ+ student-athletes on your campus.

Presenters
Layne Ingram – Lansing Community College, President's Office Project Coordinator/Women's Basketball Coach
Amy Huchthausen – America East Conference, Commissioner
Gary Pine – Azusa Pacific University, Director of Athletics
Aimee Sinacola – Indiana University South Bend, Sports Information Director

Moderator
Resa Lovelace – University of Maryland, Assistant AD, Student-Athlete Development

LGBTQ+ Inclusion Initiatives In College Athletics, Part 1 — Administrator Point Of View

Watch the discussion with two media members from Kentucky (print and TV media) who offer their insights and suggestions on how SIDs can best work with their local media during this CoVID-19 crisis. Due to budget cuts around the country in media, many news stations aren’t able to cover teams like they normally would, and panelists Brian Milam and Kal Oakes discussed how to work with media to get content they need for their recaps, website posts, notebook blogs, print newspaper and live sports segments on the news. They offered strategies on how an SID can best get attention in a crowded market, and the importance of building relationships and trust - and how you go about creating those strong relationships with your local media so that your stories will be told.
 
Panelists
Brian Milam – Sports Director at WKYT – CBS affiliate in Lexington, Kentucky
Kal Oakes – Sports Editor at Georgetown News-Graphic – local newspaper in Georgetown, Kentucky

Moderator
Jenny Elder – Georgetown College, Sports Information Director

How To Connect With Local Media Outlets During COVID - 19 — NAIA-SIDA Webinar

Kim Pate & Earl Edwards - June Stewart Leadership Series Ep 08

College Sports Communicators is the premier professional and educational association for strategic, creative and digital communicators across intercollegiate athletics in the U.S. and Canada. Known as College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for its first 65 years (1957-2022), the organization adopted a new name and associated visual identity in 2022-23.

Our new brand identity is a major step in a larger strategic plan to define the association’s evolution and expansion. It is designed to represent our brand promise –- connect and support all communicators in college sports through advocacy, leadership, education, recognition and collaboration.

College Sports Communicators

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