I finally read about three days worth of mail today, and I saw a brief
debate earlier in the week about the role of an SID office in promoting
club sports.  As the SID at Bowdoin, I thought I would throw my two cents in.
 
I am a one-man operation, with a couple student helpers, covering 29 varsity
sports, of which football and hockey are by far the biggest portion of my
time.  I neglect, terribly in some cases, the so-called minor sports already.
Despite averaging a 55-hour week during hockey season, I still do not have time
to deal with everything I wish I could.  By necessity, I do not deal with any-
thing other than varsity sports.  Even our jv sports (of which we only have
two or three) go on without my help, or even my knowledge.  I take
occasional flak for this.  But I just don't have time, nor would my superiors
think it a financially correct use of my time, to worry about club sports.  At
Bowdoin, the dominant club sports are rugby and crew.  Last fall, the rugby
team won its first-ever New England College Championship, and a player was
chosen as a college All-American.  This was the first time in my tenure here
that such a major event had occurred in a club sport.  I took a lot of grief
for not promoting it, and eventually gave in to various pressures and pitched
the story, successfully, to two area newspapers as well as got the team's
performance mentioned in the next alumni magazine and newsletter.
 
My point is not to say 'don't bug the SID about club sports.'  Rather, use
the SID, as someone suggested, to make contacts.  I know a large number of
sportswriters in the state and region, plus about a zillion other folks of
varying degrees of influence.  I would be happy to help someone out with
making some contacts, placing some stories, whatever.  But I do not tolerate
people who call me and whine that I should be the one doing the work.  I
suggest that they get a manager, or a captain, or just some interested student
to work as their "p.r" person, with the help of the SID.  The so-called minor
varsity sports at Bowdoin have to do this to some degree, since a record-
breaker in squash or something tends to slip by me unnoticed.
 
Sorry to ramble on so long.
 
Mike Townsend
Sports Information Director
Bowdoin College
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"Support your local small college hockey team."