Ride Home Rants
Ride Home Rants
Behind the Scenes: Leadership in College Athletics with TJ Shelton
Ever wondered who orchestrates the complex symphony of college athletics? In this riveting conversation with TJ Shelton, Director of Athletics and Chair of the Physical Education Department at Case Western Reserve University, we pull back the curtain on collegiate sports administration and discover the invisible architecture that supports student-athletes.
TJ brings a wealth of experience to our discussion, having spent 15 years at Ohio State University before taking the helm at Case Western in 2022. What makes his perspective particularly valuable is his experience across both Division I and Division III athletics, highlighting the unique aspects of each environment. At Case Western, coaches don't just coach—they teach as faculty members, creating a seamless integration between academics and athletics that defines the Division III experience.
The conversation takes us through the daily challenges of athletic administration, from coordinating travel for multiple teams to ensuring proper medical support for student-athletes. "You're kind of like officials," TJ explains. "If you're part of the game, then something went wrong." This insight perfectly captures the essence of effective athletic leadership—creating environments where athletes can focus entirely on performance while administrators handle everything else. We explore how hosting NCAA championships requires meticulous planning, from managing team buses to coordinating facilities, all with the goal of allowing student-athletes to "sleep in their own beds" during important competitions.
Beyond the logistics, TJ shares heartfelt reflections on how sports build character and prepare young people for life's challenges. As both an administrator and a father, he's witnessed firsthand how athletics instill accountability, teamwork, and work ethic that translate directly to success in academics and careers. For listeners considering colleges for themselves or their children, TJ offers compelli
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Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home Rants podcast. This is, as always, your host, mike Bono. I have a great guest for us today. He's coming to us all the way from Case Western Reserves University. He is the director of athletics and the chair of the physical education department, and that is TJ Shelton. Tj, thank you for joining. Oh, thanks for having me Appreciate it. Hey, not a problem at all. So, like I said in the, you know the intro there. You know you're the director of athletics and the chair of the physical education department there at Western Reserves. So how long have you been in that role at Case?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I started January 2022. And so kind of climbing through as I joke with the student athletes, I mean my senior year as well with them. So if you put it into academic terms, but yeah, it's been a fun three plus years working here and serving the Spartan community.
Speaker 1:Okay, so what do those roles kind of entail? Like they seem to kind of coincide a little bit with one another, but I'm pretty sure there's some differences there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I think when you look at you know some of the differences in Division I, ii and III. Right, you know Division III institutions you're aligned with the, you know under the student, uh, fairs, uh, division um, you know you're, you have oversight of, you know not only athletics but um, intramural sport clubs, um, as well as campus recreation and wellness, and um and other component for us is the physical education courses. Our students have to take activity courses during their four year career and our coaches serve our coaches or faculty members and our coaches serve as the PE teachers for those courses. So, you know, so that that kind of really gives a snapshot of all those units under, you know, my, my title.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean as a former D3 athlete myself at Bethany College, so I definitely understand how you know the coaches are a part of the administration there. They are teachers that you will have for class sometimes, professors you will have for class sometimes. And you know I love the physical education part of it because part of one of my classes was golf, so I got to get up at eight in the morning and go to the golf course in the morning. So I don't really think you know that that's a bad class, you know and it counts as a physical education credit. So I like that, with the D3 aspect of everything and having that close-knit community, you know where you see your coaches every day on campus and you're not just being summoned to their office, you may be in one of their classes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I think for us it helps you align with the university and the academic mission. You know our students are, you know, high academics and you know taking, you know tough course loads. So it gives them an opportunity to make sure they're getting a release right from a, you know, this perspective. They get to pick their course or you know some are.
Speaker 2:You know love racquetball. Never played it, you don't want to join that. You know some won't play basketball or you know right now popular is to join that. You know someone will play basketball or you know right now popular is. You know we kind of have a games type course where they go out and do different games as well as pickleball is really taking up. But we have spin class and you know some wellness components, yoga, you know, stretching for mobility, those type of things. So things that they can use in their everyday life, you know, while they're working on their engineering degree or you know, business degree or you know whatever. So, and then I think, as you know I mentioned I think I really aligns our coaches, as you mentioned. You know they're across campus and the students see them not only coaching their program but get to know them from their class perspective, so it really builds a community that is, you know, I feel like, is unique for our coaching and our staff.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And we had something at Bethany that we would do. I mean, every day was noon hoops. You know we would. A bunch of us would get together at the rec and we just play a little pickup game of basketball and a lot of times there were coaches, there were professors and joining in and you're getting to, you know, about an hour, hour and a half, sometimes two hours depending on how heated the games got. You know that we, we were just hanging out and we were. It was a normal person. It wasn't coach, athlete or professor, student, it was adults coming together to play a pickup game of basketball and, you know, really get to know one another and I like that, especially at a smaller school like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like you said, very unique. You know, have an undergrad, a graduate student and, you know, a faculty member. That's the beauty of a recreation program at those type of institutions. I'll tell you a fun fact. Many, many moons ago, when I was at Washington university, we'd play pickup quite a bit and ended up playing with some faculty in the intramural league and we ended up winning the championship and we had a couple of faculty members that could, you know, just light it up. You know, and you know it was just a fun time. So I always say I'd won a intramural t-shirt. You know it was just a fun time, so I always say I'd want an intramural T-shirt. You know, even after I completed my undergrad and graduate degrees.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely. I mean the one noon hoops game. I really I don't want to say regret playing in, but I regret playing in. You know you're up there with faculty and students and you know it's a sports event and you're talking a little trash and my swim coach walks in and kind of put the kibosh on me playing because we were getting close to the midseason.
Speaker 1:He was like you're one of my best freestylers and backstrokes. I don't need you getting an injury playing nude hoops, so I'm going to have to shut you down for the day. I was like I get it, coach, I get it. We got a big meet coming up. I'm just trying to stay loose is all I'm trying to do. But you actually work with former guests of the show here and a women's soccer coach at KS Western, alyssa Johnson. How has Alyssa done as a coach for the women's team and being in your athletic department?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know Alyssa really came in, hit the ground running.
Speaker 2:You know, she really prides herself through the interview process really, of culture and that kind of message and philosophy of it wasn't just about winning games but it was really about creating a sisterhood of, you know, young women and really growing and connecting.
Speaker 2:And you know it's tough when you're a new coach and you know it's not your recruiting class two or three years of students and she really, you know, made a great connection. We were, you know, uh, previously, uh, with that program and, you know, want to keep things moving and and she, you know they were able to, you know, do well in the conference and qualify for the ncaa championship and uh tournament and, uh, you know, I think that's a testament to not only her knowledge of the sport but being able to to really connect and build, you know, immediately with that team and, you know, provide her leadership as they move forward. You know, as you, you know you know same thing, right, you're almost a freshman, you're trying to get to know the team, you know, getting to know the upperclassmen, but also put together a product where you can be competitive in a strong conference. So we were really pleased with what she's done in her short time on campus.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I had no doubt Alyssa was going to go in there and just build a culture that was about winning after sitting and talking to her. She's been on the show a couple of times too Love Alyssa to death. She's probably a big supporter of the show and everything like that. So I always like to check in on former guests when I can. I know somebody that's been working with them in that and I do follow them. I have her on all social media so I've been following what Case has been doing there in soccer and especially in women's, and she's doing great things. But you're right, it's tough as a new coach coming in. You know it's not your recruiting class. Yeah, you're building your recruiting class to build your culture there and that's tough for any new coach. Um, and it's just. You know it's.
Speaker 1:it's great to see her having success, uh, while she's still building her program absolutely absolutely so prior to you working at case western, you worked worked at Ohio State for about 15 years, I believe. What did you do at OSU in your time there?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so my main role was a sport administrator for you know, we had 36 sports, so there were kind of three primary, you know, associate ADs for sport administration. So we have sport oversight of certain programs. So for me I had oversight of our cross country track and field programs, swimming and diving or softball programs. You know, throughout the years I had lacrosse and oversight of field hockey, so our Olympic sports, wrestling as well. So just an opportunity, you know, with that large of a program, really provide, you know, really kind of day-to-day access and work with our coaches and our support staff to ensure, you know, our students are getting the, you know, really the same attention and support. You know a football program or basketball programs would receive support. You know a football program or basketball programs would receive. So you know those, those are, you know, outstanding years and we had a lot of success and really, you know, provided opportunity for me to grow, you know professionally in my career.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's great to hear about like the Olympic sports getting a little bit of love somewhere anywhere as someone who was an Olympic hopeful in swimming back in 2012,. Coming from a little bit of love somewhere anywhere. As someone who was an Olympic hopeful in swimming back in 2012,. Coming from a little Division III school with Bethany. You know I always root for those sports wrestling, swimming. You know I think some schools have like a fencing program stuff like that that you only see once every four years where people ask I, I got the question all the time, uh, out of bethany. You know there's no chance of like a quote-unquote pro career like the nfl, the nba, the nhl, so why continue into into college with a sport one?
Speaker 1:I love the sport of swimming. If it wasn't for an unfortunate injury at 36 years old, I'd probably still be swimming today and it's not about a I don't want to say career afterwards in like the NFL and MLB and all that. I love what I do and if I can go out and have a chance to represent my country every four years, that's what I'm going to do, that's what I want to do and it really opened a lot of eyes to a lot of people and, um, johnny uh Falcone was one of them. You know, good, manager of the friend. Good friend uh at Bethany you know was. You know he, he had a uh a found respect for swimmers because he knew the toll it takes on on a person's body and, you know, being able to use muscles that you don't even really realize you have until you get into the pool when you're doing a pool workout. So I always love seeing people that can support that.
Speaker 1:Ohio State never offered me a scholarship back in the day and you know that kind of stuck in my craw a little bit. But you know I lost a lot of scholarships because of an injury my senior year of high school, so probably wouldn't have stuck even if they did. Uh, you get a shoulder injury as a swimmer and that pretty much puts a cut punch on your career pretty quickly, oh, absolutely. But you know, uh, thank goodness to bethany who kept their scholarship for me so that I could still continue at least, albeit only for two years until the injury reflared itself. But you know, continue to do a sport that I loved and it's great to see that those sports getting attention other places that you don't normally see right, and you touched on, right there, right, the commitment and love of the sport.
Speaker 2:They've been doing it. You know, whether you know a wrestler or track athlete or swimmer, um, you know, you know, since they're five, six years old, so that you know I tell people, you know, that's the beauty of sport, right is, um, you know, you can, you know, participate in something at a high level, um, in a variety of ways. So, as you, you know you can, you know, participate in some at a high level in a variety of ways. So, as you mentioned, you know even a fencing program.
Speaker 2:But you know, for us, we had success not only trying to chase Big Ten championships and NCAA championships, but then also, you know, so many athletes representing their country, including our coaches, is serving, you know, as Olympic coaching on staff. So, just, you know great, you know recruiting tool, great message and really put, you know, really, for us, broad-based success across the board. So not only competing, you know, for national championships in football, but you know, one of the highlights is winning a national championship in wrestling and having individual national champions in swimming, as you mentioned, and also in track and field. So those are just, you know, a couple of examples of, you know, high level committed athletes, you know, at the Division One level.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's amazing to see. Yeah, that it's it's amazing to see. Um, but to get back to case western, where you're currently at what's a typical schedule like, with everything that you got going on there during the academic year and then during the summer, uh, considering your position and your roles there at case western, yeah, that's always, you know.
Speaker 2:I have students reach out to me and say, hey, you know, tell me a typical day, you know, and you're like man, you, it just never is a typical one.
Speaker 2:But you know I think for the most part you know you always try to. You know early in the week. You know you kind of plan out to the week Right. So you're looking for us to look at our schedules. We may have this time of year we'll have a midweek non-conference soccer game, traditionally, or volleyball, then coming up on the weekend. Naturally you know football, whether it's home or away, usually both. You know the soccer is cross country. You know everybody's kind of going. So you know planning that out.
Speaker 2:You know what are the support the coaches need double checking, ensuring if we've got travel arrangements made, that our staff has everything set up, whether it's hotels, buses, even flights for you know some of our programs. You know try to attend practice throughout that week as well. You know just touching base. You know love to. You know see how a team performs. You know in practices, you know either prior to practice or practices open over, you touch base with the coaching staff. You know and the issues there. You know they have leg trainers out there. You know how are we looking in injuries. You know are we getting any back? You know are we getting our appointments in for rehab? So you know, really just trying to ensure that you know our staff, you know our management team is providing the resources necessary for our students to perform, obviously academically, but then, you know, participate in the sport they love.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I always have a found respect for the people behind the scenes of these sporting events and how they go off without a hitch. Worked closely at Bethany with the radio station, which you wouldn't think that was something that would have a lot to do with how a game goes off. But you know, as the sports director there for a year I got to announce every home football, basketball, baseball, uh game. I loved radio. I thought I was going to have a uh career in broadcast. Um, obviously I mean, but the podcast kind of helps out a lot with that a little bit now. But, um, you know it, there's a lot that goes into it with setting up, making sure people where they need to be and, you know, working with the athletic directors and the people that are in your position in that. Okay, where do we set up? Where can I have my field reporters? Where can I have this camera set up? Where can I have this set up so that we can have this broadcast to some of these students that are coming from across the country that their parents can't make it to every game, so they rely on us to be able to watch their son or daughter, or whatever, play the sport that they're in college, a lot of the times to do, and you know it's a lot of fun and obviously once the game gets rolling there's not much you can do. But even the travel across campus could be difficult getting everything set up and everything like that. So kudos to you for being able to do that with a lot of travel and, you know, even directing flights and hotels and whatnot.
Speaker 1:I even remember, um, you know my, my conference championships, uh, in swimming, going from, uh, bethany, west Virginia, to Grove city, and you know just that, that bus ride, getting the hotels, getting checked into the hotels, and then your schedule kind of starts from there. Okay, well, it's a four-day conference championships in swimming. It's not just a one-day event. You're there for a week basically, and everything is scripted, from breakfasts to lunches, to your proteins that you get at the pool, the Gatorades that are there to help keep us hydrated and everything like that and keep us going throughout a long, you know swim meet, which a lot of people don't know that's ours. We're talking like a whole day. Your day is shot if you have a meet and you know having these go off without a hitch is is incredible and you know I have a found respect for people in your position.
Speaker 2:For that reason, yeah, yeah, we, you take pride in it. You know you're. You know we always joke. You're kind of like officials, right? You don't? If you're, if you're part of the game, then you know something went wrong, right, whether it's a scoreboard goes out and those things happen or you know. But you know, for us it's ensuring everything's set up, as you mentioned in advance, and so the athlete, the coaches, can walk to the competition and compete and not have to worry about those things and you know it's from. You know, fan and ticket sales to. You know, ensuring concessions is lined up, you know. And getting, like you said, everyone into the right spot, you know, when you host a swim meet, right, you have multiple teams.
Speaker 2:A simple thing is you know six to eight teams with you know different buses, right Like. You know where do they park, how do they, you know, do drop-off smoothly to get and then move the buses and bring them back after the competition. If it's not done well, thought out of, then it can kind of spiral out of control. So it's those little things that you take pride in and we've been able to. You know, since my arrival we've hosted NCAA championships. We've put bids in and our teams have qualified. And we've hosted basketball soccer numerous times. You know we've been able to host softball, both tennis and baseball, and, and you know my, my goal is always that you know if we're good enough and our facilities are quality. We want our student athletes to sleep in their own bed and and and their friends to be able to come out and watch them compete. And you know, as you know, you know the NCAA championships tend to be all over the country, even regionally, so you know if you're on the road. It is a true, there's no neutral site.
Speaker 1:You are at that venue.
Speaker 2:So so we, we want to host as much as we can, so we've we've taken pride in that and, and you know, and not only hosting conference championships and a couple of sports, but we've hosted quite a bit of NCAA, most recently.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's awesome and being able to host something like that. I wish Bethany had the facility to be able to host the conference championships that we get to do. But Grove City's facility and just everything there was top-notch, from the hotel where we were staying at, having a sauna in it so that we could loosen up after a long day of competing to us having access to that. And even, like you said, it's, as you know, something that people don't think about the buses for six to eight teams that are arriving essentially at the same time and everything going on without a hitch, nobody getting in anybody's ways, buses are going over and parking where they're supposed to be and and nobody sees who's actually behind that. And it's awesome, uh. But I do want to switch gears a little bit here. Uh, kind of like me, you are a proud dad. Uh, are your kids following in their dad's administrative path in their college ranks or are they forging their own path?
Speaker 2:Yeah, my son has a little bit. He graduated from Dayton. He was a 3-4 sport athlete, as most kids are growing up, so really enjoyed his time and grew up in the shadows of Ohio Stadium at Ohio State. He's been able to participate in a lot of you know, attending games with me over the years. So he lives in Columbus, you know, like I said, received his bachelor's degree from Dayton University and he's going to start actually Monday working for the Columbus Sports Commission role there. So obviously a lot of events come through that region and he's looking forward to kind of, you know, really launching his career from that standpoint. And Dotter just what a month ago almost to today just graduated from Cincinnati. So she was a volleyball player growing up predominantly and had a good experience and enjoyed her time at Cincinnati. She did work one year at the ticket office and so she had a little bit of sports in her world. But she's definitely more, a little more artsy and in a marketing desire, moving forward. So so we'll see how it all ends up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I get it. My son's 16, junior in high school First year. I'm not getting to watch him play high school football. He decided, now that he's 16, he wanted to enter into the workforce too as well, while going to school, which I wasn't going to stop him at 16. A 16 year old wanting to earn his own wage and pay for his own gas, and then how do you, how do you say no to that as a dad?
Speaker 1:Um, you know, as you know, growing up playing, you know football and swimming and everything like that, it it. It hurt a little bit of the dad pride not getting Friday night lights and going to watch my son play football, but I am happy to say, you know. You know, unfortunately, this is the quietest my house has been, because I am the only person home, because both the wife and the son are both working, and that's the, you know. Having a night off, uh, from that it it. It's nice in a sense, but you know he's always wanted to forge his own path.
Speaker 1:I never forced sports on him, a sense, but you know he's always wanted to forge his own path. I I never forced sports on him, I just showed him the benefits of sports. Um, in that you'd learn to be a team player, uh, you learn how to work together and stuff you're going to need in the workforce. Um and I think he's using that now um, albeit at a part-time, seasonal help, um at a at a local, uh, retail store here, you know, just being able to to help them stock the shelves is, you know. You know, that's great experience for a 16 year old, I mean no, absolutely.
Speaker 1:It's. He's always wanted to go to a trade school. I'll be a wife and I kind of really realized that college probably wasn't in the cards for my son. Growing up in the country, he's had a found respect for the blue collar workers and that's what he wants to do, and I'm not going to tell him no that. And he's kicked around the military too as well. So you know that those are things that you know as as a dad. How do you, how do you discourage your child from doing it for your own selfish reasons? You know.
Speaker 2:Well, and those are character building roles, right, you know he wanted to take responsibility and hold himself accountable and you know, and he appreciated probably the money that you tossed to him, but he wanted to kind of, you know, get his own, so you know he's got to get himself to work back and forth. Own, so you know he's got to get himself to work back and forth. And you know, if he puts himself in the schedule, if you, if you need a sub, you get, you better call somebody else to cover for you. If not, you got to show up and go to work. So I applaud him for doing that at 16. So, yeah, some valuable lessons, yeah.
Speaker 1:And freshly 16. He turned 16 in May, so it wasn't like he's been 16 for a while. I know this is September already, but still, as soon as he turned 16 and was able to get his license he just got his license about a month, month and a half ago and it's the first thing he wanted to do. He was like I love football, I have a God-given talent to play football, as someone who had little training and came in as a starter in his first year of playing football and knowing not much about the sport, and he was like I get it, I'm really good at football, but I want to start working, all right. All right, dude, I'm not. I'm not going to tell you no, am.
Speaker 1:I am I upset as a dad, that I don't get to go and watch you play football? Absolutely, but am I proud of you as a dad for making that decision on your own? Yeah, absolutely. This is, this is it's, it's. It's not a win-win, but it's not a lose I call it a draw, you know, because I don't get to watch him play, but I get to. I get to see him growing as a man too as well, already at 16, so that that's, that's a proud moment for me. Do you have anything like that with your son or your daughter?
Speaker 2:yeah, no, it's. I remember of both of them. My daughter, uh, ended up working for the club that she played for, you know, volleyball club, and so she started coaching the younger teams, you know, so the 10 and 10U, and so that you know really just seeing her confidence grow. You know being, you know running practice and you know being able to, you know call timeout during a match and you know change the lineup and have all those fun things, things happen. And you know, and same thing with my son, you know he, he worked camps, you know, in the summertime and was able to kind of, you know, connect with some coaches and support them.
Speaker 2:Obviously, I think he had a retail job as well. So, same type of thing, you know wanted to. You know him and his buddy wanted to find a job. And you know type of thing you know wanted to, you know him and his buddy wanted to find a job. And you know stocking, like you said, you know stocking clothes and putting things out, and you know he was able to do that all the way through before he went to college. And you know, once again, those are just, you know, getting their workouts in and going to practice. But also, you know working, you know, 10 hours a week. There's a lot to be said about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, he's coming home, he gets maybe an hour, hour and a half to himself and then it's off to work after school. It's like going to like a football practice or anything like that, instead of going straight from school to practice and then home. He's coming home, he gets an hour, maybe hour and a half to himself, and then it's all right, dad, I'm going to work. All right, bub Love, you See, you have a good day. You know it's and that's. That's great to see. And I, you know, had a little um, fender bender, uh, all beat in my truck, um and um, without me even saying anything. He's like I'm going to pick up extra shifts, I'm going to help fix for the bumper. Like, dude, I get it, it happens, you're 16. You're going to get in a little fender bender. It's not that bad Truck's drivable. I'm not upset about it.
Speaker 1:But that right there tells me that I didn't have to say anything to him he's like don't worry Absolutely, and I I I had toned that to sports where there was a, there was a repercussion for your actions. If you, if you screw it up in practice, you were running laps If you did this, you know something happened and you know it taught him already. You know, and that's why I always, uh, I always push sports. I don't want to say push sports, sports, but you know. As as for the younger generation, you know, get these kids involved in something, um, and it'll teach them life lessons down the road, um. So, for that being said, why should a high school student consider?
Speaker 2:case western university, yeah, you know, I think you know one. The academic standpoint and the profile, um, you know just, you know amazing professors, teachers and programs. That provides an opportunity, I think, really to connect with. You know, you know, like minded students, faculty, that really got to push you, you know, not just with the textbook but but those conversations that you know you just learn. You know it's a growth opportunity right from from 18 to 21. You know, you just really you know it's a growth opportunity right from 18 to 21. You know, you just really really grow up into young adults and so, you know, be able to do that on a campus in a city that provides a lot of opportunities is just outstanding, you know.
Speaker 2:And then the other thing too, like you said, the extracurricular aspect, whether you're an athlete or you're in a play or a musical or all those things research, the exposure that that, you know, case Western Reserve provides, you know, to those type of functions.
Speaker 2:It's just a tremendous opportunity for, once again, young people to develop and grow, people to develop and grow. And then you have, you know, great alumni who you know if they're looking, you know, hey, you know I'm going to call the institution. You know I need an intern in New York or DC or even abroad. You know, those opportunities of utilizing the network of alumni is what it's all about and Bethany does it and no different than Case Western Reserve is individuals that understand you know the academic rigors that you went through, understand the character and you know things that you accomplished during that four-year period and here's an opportunity to you know either you know, do an internship or begin your career with those individuals. So tremendous opportunity really for for young growth and that's, you know I'm partial to, you know kind of the college four years and I think it's a, it's a tremendous opportunity for young people to grow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. You know, as someone who got their four-year degree in communications, sports broadcasting and a minor in accounting, you know it's the four-year degree can be super beneficial. But at the same sense not to take anything away from what you just said I know it's not for everybody. You know it's not for everybody, so you kind of got to make that decision on yourself and it's part of the growing process.
Speaker 2:As you know, high school students- right, well, and yeah, I think you touched on earlier talking to your son, right, is it's what's your plan right? If it's not, that, you know what is the plan right? So you need to do something. You know same thing as you mentioned. After school I said you know, I always told my kids well, if you don't play sport, what other activity you're doing? Because, right, you know, I know I would have gotten in trouble from three o'clock to five o'clock before my parents got home.
Speaker 1:Right, so it's it's you.
Speaker 2:You know you need to find a club or some activity to participate in, you know, or a job, as you mentioned. So I, I think you know the, the younger, young students, right, young high school students, the ones that do that or set themselves up for success as they move forward, because they have those habits of being accountable. You know having to show up, having to provide service, communicating and, depending on the role, and sometimes just flat out hard work. You know they're, you know whether they're on a farm or working in a factory, and you know they're pulling up their bootstraps and working hard and they appreciate the money well earned. So I think that's the beauty of you know, kind of what is afforded to you if you take advantage of it.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and I couldn't have said that better myself. So we're just going to move on to the next thing and you know, kind of one of the last things I want to touch on here. So what is the hardest sports season to manage? That fall, winter or spring?
Speaker 2:You know I'd say the crossover, which is both Right, because you know the fall. You know you're wrapping up soccers and football. But swimming starts in October, right, basketball's going, and so you know we've had success and we've played pretty late with volleyball and soccers in NCAA tournaments. So you love that. But you're running back and forth and you know those fall championships are right around Thanksgiving, you know. So you're already knee deep into, you know, the first few games of basketball On the backside. Same thing you know the winter sports can bleed into. You know spring break and you know your winter. You know your spring sports are already geared up. You know both baseball and softball go south. You know tennis teams go south because of the weather and so they're playing. So you want to give them all the love and be accessible and attend everything. So you're running in and out from, hopefully, an NCAA soccer match and you run to the gym to catch the end of a basketball game.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was going to say I know a lot of these sports kind of bleed over into one another. A couple of buddies that played football and also played basketball at Bethany Two sport athletes in college is almost unheard of and we had a guy that did it and he would be coming right from football practice and basketball practice would be kicking off and he would go to the coach like is there anything I can do? He's like you can finish your season. You made a commitment to the football. I appreciate you wanting to come in and get some work with the team, but finish your season and then we'll get you caught up.
Speaker 1:You know, and that bleed over is a lot because you know there's a lot of teams going into one area. Fall, spring, winter are all kind of combining into one place there, especially for us at Bethany. You know the rec center was it. You know we had basketball and swimmers and some football players all conjugating into one area and you know it was a lot to see. You know three different sports teams trying to coincide and to one locker room and everyone had their own spaces. But still there was a little bit of bleed over. And well, swim practice is going on, and there's some football players that need, you know, aerobic therapy. You know what I mean. They need the water to be able to loosen up some joints, too, as well. So you know you have to be accommodating to that and but we, the every everybody makes it work and it's and it's awesome to see.
Speaker 1:But, tj, we are running down near the end of the episode here and I do have to get this last segment in here. Otherwise, the wonderful manager of the podcast, johnny fitty, falconi, and tj these have nothing to do with what we've been talking about for the better part of 45 minutes here. Um, and you know it, they're they're super random, they're kind of rapid fire, but you can elaborate if you need to, and we think it's a fun way to end the episode. So, if you're ready, we'll go ahead and get started with the Fast 55.
Speaker 2:Let's do it. I'm ready for the pressure.
Speaker 1:No. Question number one what would you say is the better flavor for flavored water?
Speaker 2:Ooh, for me, I gotta go strawberry.
Speaker 1:That's a strong choice. That's a strong choice. That's a strong choice. Strawberry I'm more of a grape guy, but strawberry will do in a pinch. Question number two are baked or sweet potatoes better?
Speaker 2:This is my choice, right, your choice. This is all you. Oh man, sweet potatoes are better for you, but, man, there's nothing like a great baked potato. I always make that choice. When I get the steak, I'm like should I get the sweet potato? And all right, one of these baked potatoes won't kill me.
Speaker 1:So yeah, absolutely uh, for sure. Question number three oh man, uh who wins the?
Speaker 2:super bowl this year oh man, kansas, kansas City.
Speaker 1:Chiefs Chance. That's an easy choice. I mean, they're in it every year almost.
Speaker 2:it seems like I'm a diehard being from Kansas.
Speaker 1:Okay, that makes that decision a little easier to forget that, I guess. Question number four which car would you rather have? A Dodge Charger or a Chevy Tahoe?
Speaker 2:Oh Dodge Charger. Or a Chevy Tahoe, oh Dodge Charger.
Speaker 1:I mean, you know, large SUV versus a sports car. It's kind of, you know, and it's going with the sports car Right. And last question here is skateboarding exercise.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely Kick push, kick push they made a song about it.
Speaker 1:They did make a song about that, that I forgot all about that. Holy hell, but that that was a fast. But I feel like he took it easy on you. These ones the Superbowl question was probably, I'd say, the hardest one, give or take. You know, you, I'm a I'm a diehard Buccaneers fan. So I mean, I'm always, you know, rooting for the Buccaneers and Steelers. You know, I grew up an hour outside of Pittsburgh, in West Virginia.
Speaker 2:I was going to say you probably got to be loyal to the Steelers right.
Speaker 1:Oh, loyal to the Steelers, pirates, penguins, growing up that close to the stadium and getting to see all those games there, you know my allegiance always lies with the Steelers, unless they're playing the Buccaneers, and then I'm just rooting for offense at that point in time.
Speaker 1:I don't want to see you just rooting for a high-score game and it coming down to the wire. But, tj, I do give every guest. Like I said, we are running down near the end of the episode here. I do give every guest this opportunity at the end of every show. I'm going to give you about a minute. If there's anything you want to get out there, whether it's about case Western there, or even if it's just a good message, I'm going to give you about a minute and the floor is yours.
Speaker 2:Oh, great, great, Appreciate that Well one, I think it's appreciate what you're doing and kind of your your sports communication background. You got the voice for radio right and announcing, so you know I think you know providing exposure for individuals in the industry to kind of share their message. You know, I think you know we have a great conference and a PAC and Bethany and participate in them, obviously in football. But also you know a lot of our, our programs. So you know they're, you know friends of the program and the university and a chance to to compete. So you know thanks for for having you know a rival on, you know right, an opportunity to share the message. But you know I think one is just to continue to enhance opportunities for for students to experience success. You know that's excellence in the classroom, excellence through research and community service. And then we always say we don't want to shy away from winning championships as well. So you might as well do all three of them at the highest levels. So go, spartans.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I do appreciate the shout out saying I saying you know I have the good voice for radio. I was used to say I had a great face for radio. It's all about the voice, right, it's all about that voice. My wife hates my radio voice, she says as she calls it. Whenever I get to talking to somebody and I'm passionate about something, she says my radio voice comes out and I don't care, I like it something, she says my radio voice comes out and, uh, I don't care, I like it, it's, it's helped me grow this podcast?
Speaker 1:uh, for sure. Yeah, I use it on her every now and again when I need something. You know great, you're having 13 years sales experience. It comes out every now and again, you know. But, uh, tj, thank you for coming on. I really appreciate you coming on and getting able to being able to talk, uh, everything about Case Western Reserved University there and what you do. And, as always, if you enjoyed the show, be a friend, tell a friend. If you didn't tell them anyways, they might like it just because you didn't. That's going to do it for me and I will see y'all next week.
