Spring Break
Athletic Department begins filling empty seats in office
Dan Kukla
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Sports
Miami University's athletic program is often referred to as the Cradle of Coaches, as many former coaches and staff members of the university have gone on to excel at other positions around the nation, allowing Miami to pride itself on breeding success.
Unfortunately, this phenomenon acts as a proverbial double-edged sword - every staff member that thrives somewhere else is a staff member who is lost and must be replaced.
This dilemma has become increasingly prevalent over the past few months as a handful of Miami's Athletic Department staff have left for new opportunities.
Some famous Miami alumni that have started out at Miami before making a name for themselves in the athletic community have included the late Bo Schembechler, who coached football at Miami for six seasons before going to coach at Michigan. Randy Walker, who passed away fall 2007 and was honored at this year's first football game, coached at Miami for nine years after playing here for three years during college.
Among those that have left Miami this past year were Associate Director of Athletics Mike Watson, who left Feb. 16; Assistant Athletic Media Directors Jess Bechard, who left Feb. 28, and Vince Frieden, who left Dec. 1; and Assistant Athletic Director for External Affairs/Athletic Media Relations Director Mike Harris, who left for the University of Cincinnati March 30.
Josh Fenton, who was recently promoted to assistant athletic director, said that the Athletic Department not only accepts this occurrence, but embraces it as well.
"Those four people left because of better opportunities," Fenton said. "We're not known as the cradle for nothing. When someone has a better opportunity we want to promote them and make sure that they have the resources to approach those opportunities and really go after them."
Fenton added that finding new employees on short notice to replace such high quality people can be a daunting task, as such workers are in short supply and large demand.
Unfortunately, this phenomenon acts as a proverbial double-edged sword - every staff member that thrives somewhere else is a staff member who is lost and must be replaced.
This dilemma has become increasingly prevalent over the past few months as a handful of Miami's Athletic Department staff have left for new opportunities.
Some famous Miami alumni that have started out at Miami before making a name for themselves in the athletic community have included the late Bo Schembechler, who coached football at Miami for six seasons before going to coach at Michigan. Randy Walker, who passed away fall 2007 and was honored at this year's first football game, coached at Miami for nine years after playing here for three years during college.
Among those that have left Miami this past year were Associate Director of Athletics Mike Watson, who left Feb. 16; Assistant Athletic Media Directors Jess Bechard, who left Feb. 28, and Vince Frieden, who left Dec. 1; and Assistant Athletic Director for External Affairs/Athletic Media Relations Director Mike Harris, who left for the University of Cincinnati March 30.
Josh Fenton, who was recently promoted to assistant athletic director, said that the Athletic Department not only accepts this occurrence, but embraces it as well.
"Those four people left because of better opportunities," Fenton said. "We're not known as the cradle for nothing. When someone has a better opportunity we want to promote them and make sure that they have the resources to approach those opportunities and really go after them."
Fenton added that finding new employees on short notice to replace such high quality people can be a daunting task, as such workers are in short supply and large demand.
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