Mission: Sustained Excellence

Episode 13- Mission: Sustained Excellence

In this episode, we sit down with Walt Holliday, Executive Director of the Cox Communication Center at LSU and a 32-year veteran of academic support and student athlete development. What starts as a reunion of old friends quickly becomes a masterclass in servant leadership, quiet excellence, and staying grounded through relentless change. Walt shares how a chance meeting with a dean at Rutgers redirected his entire life's path, what it means to truly meet students where they are, and how he's navigated the new era of NIL, the transfer portal, and roster turnover — all while honoring the memory of a beloved colleague and friend.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to Driven by the Mission, hosted by Raymond Harrison and Gene Boyd. With over 60 years of combined experience as former Division I student athletes and leaders in the collegiate athletic space, we're here to spotlight the passionate professionals who support student athlete growth behind the scenes. As the industry evolves, so does the need for holistic development. Life skills, wellness, and performance support that prepares student athletes for life beyond sport. Each episode, we bring you conversations with the hidden heroes driving this mission forward. This is Gribbon by the Mission.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Brother Raymond, we got another opportunity, man. And uh we continue to be privileged to have this platform, spend time with hidden heroes. But today we get to talk shop with a great friend and a true legend in the field of academic support and student athlete development. We got Walt Holiday with us today, the executive director of the Cox Communications Center at LSU, but someone who is a veteran in this game. And uh as we get started here, Walt, I gotta reflect on the year 1998 in Austin, Texas, which is when we became first acquainted. You know, the the N4A Conference, the National Association of Academic and Student Athlete Development Professionals Conference is a place that I've come to know as not only a place to get fed for professional growth and development, but a place to build network that oftentimes become friendships, if not brotherhood. And uh you have certainly become one of those figures for me. And it's funny because as I reflected on that moment, I thought about the chance, you know, bumping into each other. I think we were out on a deck somewhere and a couple other folks were around, and uh it was instant chemistry. I think we spent the rest of the evening together coming to and fro, and uh it was a fast friendship from that day forward. Um, memorable connection that has led to 28 years of friendship. So we want to welcome you to the Driven by the Mission podcast, brother.

SPEAKER_03 2:05

Thank you. Happy to be here, brothers. Yeah. Walter, I've got a very simple question, direct question. Why are you on with us today? Why did you say yes?

SPEAKER_02 2:15

Yeah, I mean, it it's pretty straightforward. One the one, first I would say the friendship that we have, right? And um, I'm truly a firm believer in the power of stories, power of narratives, and that that whatever we can talk about today and share today is gonna be helpful for people to hear. And I think everybody's journey has something to it. So I I made a little note card right on my note card, met Gene 1998, Austin, Texas, met Raymond 2002 in Louisville, and I remember those days as if it was today, right? And uh I also put down here, met Ken Miles, 1996 at that convention in Crystal City, uh uh, Virginia. And with each of those cases, right, I just remember, and I'm a firm believer, nothing happens by accident, it by is by design. And not only did we meet individually, all of us came together and created this bond and this friendship that has gone on for years. I'm extremely grateful to be on this podcast and and really having some good conversations with you brothers on like what the N4A has meant to me, the relationships, the friendships, and what has it done for my life, how it's impacted my my entire life. You know, I remember you speaking earlier off the mic, Ray. You was talking about the birth of your first child. And I remember at that time we were eating dinner at Sizzler's, and I was over there, I met Derek for the first time, right? And I was really in that area because of N4A. At that time, I was a region one director, and and Marvin is like, hey, come on down, I'm gonna hook it up, right? It's N4A business. So I had like a rental car, I had a hotel, and uh they took me on over to the football complex. And uh, I think Dion Branch had just came back from the combine, so I got to meet him, Derek, you were involved, and Brian Hicks. And uh, next thing I know, we're at Sizzlers Eating, you know, and uh with Gene, I'm just gonna leave it at the deck. We was at the hotel deck. That's where I'm gonna leave that one, you know. And then Ken, right? So I I meet Ken in the weight room, and I walk in, and what I said to him is like, are you gonna put some real weight on that bench? Didn't know him.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Right.

SPEAKER_02 4:36

So then now we're lifting, and I think later that afternoon he came up through the lobby and he had like a real tight UVA champion. We didn't have dry fit back then, and it was real tight, so I was cracking on his shirt. And next thing I know, it's this bond where he ends up being the best man at my wedding.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Well, uh, this driven by the mission podcast and the ideation and the birthing of it started in a space that you were present in. And I don't know if I've shared this with you or not, but Raymond and I had a really deep personal conversation when Marlon passed away, Marlon DeCose. And uh my my instinct after learning that, I saw it being posted some places. I saw a couple people hit me on it. And uh man, I was devastated, heartbroken. And I thought immediately I didn't do my job. I didn't stay in contact as much as I should have with him. I said, I'm not gonna compound this feeling of injury and sadness by by continuing to do that. So I immediately picked the phone and you were the first person that I called. Um, I thought about Ken in that moment, right? As someone else that we had lost way too soon, a man of impact, and I called you and you weren't available. And and I called my brother Raymond right after that. And so during the course of those conversations that day, we talked about you, and of course, we talked about Ken and Marlin. But the birthing of this was started in the kindred nature of who and how we are, as men in particular, but as humans who want to use this nexus of sport and education and life skill development to develop young men, but also to uplift each other. So the spirit of this whole podcast was birthed out of out of that. Um, it was it was Raymond's baby in terms of God had placed it on his heart to do something like this. Um, but it but it but it grew out of that moment. So you were there in spirit for sure.

SPEAKER_03 6:34

I want to talk a little bit about that too, because when he when he first talked about me being the second call, we joked a little bit about that. And I'm I'm gonna say this to you because this really means a lot to me. I was the second call that day. But I ran against you for the N4A region director, and um I was second on that day as well. And when I reflect back over that, I didn't lose. You, based on everything that I know about you now, deserve to be the region director. There was never anything other, and we're competitive, but there was never anything other than this brother's supposed to have this position, and he's gonna do a phenomenal job with it, and I'm gonna support him in any way that I can. And the more I keep learning, I didn't know the origin of you and Gene when y'all met. You said you, you know, you remember meeting me in 2002. I was a very I was four years into the field at that point. But I knew you way before then. I remember seeing you because how can I not, man? You guys were some massive, you were some massive dudes. But um I really appreciated that. I want to I want to take you a little bit back. You were a former student athlete, you played football, you did some coaching before you found this field. I just want to give you an opportunity to take us down that journey a little bit, maybe give us more detail of your background, where you're from, how you got to where you went to school there in New Jersey, and then that coaching journey that lit led you to here, where you've been in academic support and student athlete development for the last 32 years.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

And also we make sure to include how the hell an offensive lineman becomes the MVP of the team.

SPEAKER_02 8:19

Yeah. You know, my path is uh was interesting, right? So I I graduated college and then uh I got into coaching. I coached the offensive line at Upseller College for three years, and then uh ended up getting a job as a defensive line coach at St. Peter's College in Jersey City. And I think at that time, I was still trying to figure things out, right? It was two Division III schools. Okay, there wasn't like all the money in the world, right? It was just, you know, basic stuff. Um I was trying to figure things out. I'd taken state police exams. Uh, I went through the whole Connecticut state police process. It went on hold um in terms of the class, hire and freeze, did New Jersey, did New York State. They all went on hire and freezes. So my stepmom, who was a principal, said, Hey, I want you to meet this lady. She's like a dean at Rutgers College, her name was Eve Sachs. She said, just go have a conversation with her. So I meet with her and she's like, Well, what are you trying to do? Right. So I'm like, I have no idea. You know, basically, this is what I do. She pulls out this binder and she's like, We have this position, this academic advising position that works with men's and women's basketball. So she said, What do you think about that? I said, Well, you know, I run study hall for my position group and I do these things. So she picks up the phone. Next thing I know, I'm on my way over to the to the rack where the basketball is at. I meet with Bob Wenzel at the time, who's the head men's coach, and I met with Teresa Grantz, who's the head uh women's uh coach at the time. So I meet with them by the time I get back to the office with uh Dr. Sachs, she said, they wanna they wanna hire you. Can you come back tomorrow, you know, and uh do an interview? I'm like, wow, you know, okay. And they were about to offer the position to somebody else, right? So I had a conversation with the head coach at St. Peter's College. He was extremely supportive of the opportunity. And um, so the next thing I know, I I'm interviewing for the position, I get the job. And at that time, Rutgers, they only had three advisors and then a director for 30 sports, right? So this is 1994, and they had just gone to a 12-month position. It used to be a 10-month position. Uh, and two of the three advisors worked with football. So I had both men's and women's basketball. That's when I my first day on a job, I ran into Big Mark because Mark had started uh that spring a little bit earlier. Mark Peterson. And uh so and then I'm there, right? I'm like what, maybe five, six months in, and I get a call from the Connecticut State Police asking if I want to go through the academy. So I share this story too, because all throughout your life you come to these crossroads, right? And you have to make a a decision. And when you make the decision, try to lean on your values, what's important to you, where you're at. So I made I made the decision to stay at Rutgers, which which is crazy because that led to where we're at today, right? So I was at Rutgers for six years and had an opportunity to go to Temple University. Uh I was a director at Temple University. Uh Staly was the head coach. She was still she was still playing.

SPEAKER_03 11:40

Right.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

So I used to do the academics, and uh she would be on the treadmill. I'm like, oh yeah, Jean's doing great. Like, slow down. But so, but even at Temple, it was we had 30-something sports. You know, Northeast they have crew and all those sports. We only had uh four advisors and a part-time learning specialist. I had oversight of the the whole unit, plus worked with football, men's basketball, women's basketball. Like it was just you know, uh a lot. And then I got the call from Anton and uh went down to Maryland. So for me, that was like that step, right? Like I was like, okay, this is this is like ACC, football, basketball, like this is it, right? So I was working with football and then I, you know, then Ken Miles reached out, right? So uh it in reflecting on my journey and these these decisions of I made these choices to kind of keep moving. I I'm I always go back, like, what if I just went into the Connecticut State Police Academy, right? And and I was just having this conversation uh with my wife about how good athletics has been to me. And if I was a state trooper on 95, I would have been writing out tickets, dealing with these things, and but I go this route in academics, and I'm meeting great people from all across the country, traveling the world, doing all these different things, experiences, meeting all these recruits, their parents, their families. What a fulfilling life, you know. I've gotten a lot of great blessings and relationships. So it's been 32 years, so it is a time I've been like really reflecting on a lot of that.

SPEAKER_03 13:25

You met your wife though, there at Maryland. I know. So had you taken that job, you wouldn't have been where you are to meet her.

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Yeah, I mean it's it's unbelievable. As you are in these reflections and 32 years in it, what what were some of the things that as you were transitioning, right? A lot of people want to be a football coach. They played the sport and they want to coach, and you you had a foot in the door in that. You were looking at the police work and everything. What drew you to this work where it it's it's empowering the student athletes, both academically and in life skills and things. At the time it wasn't what it is now. You talked about the ratio of three to 30 sports, which is probably three to six hundred young people, which means you're gonna do more. Just talk a little bit about what the draw was, how you saw and continue to see yourself equipped as the person based off of your life experiences to be to be in this space.

SPEAKER_02 14:24

Great question. So once I get in and start realizing the impact that I can have on young people. And at the time I was young, right? So the guys I was chasing around checking classes with and having these conversations, I was like four years older than them. And I'm like, you used to be me. And then I think the the switch came on when I became a member of N4A because my first year, I was just trying to figure it out, right? I was like, I was working with women's basketball, never really worked with women's student athletes. I I was just kind of stumbling through it, right? And and really leaning on my own experiences as a student athlete and also a coach. But once I got involved, and the person that was instrumental in that space for me was the director at the time, Mike Mahan. And he had come from Auburn University and uh took the director's job at um Rutgers, and then the assistant director, Kathleen Schenck, was really like we need to be involved. So once I got in involved and started being around individuals like yourself and seeing the organization, the profession from a different viewpoint through different lenses, my passion just kept growing and growing. I was talking with Dr. Keith Harrison, and one of the things we were talking about, because he has some mileage on too, it's like we've had the ability to work in this profession and impact student athletes through athletics. So we have this platform of helping student athletes figure out different, difficult things like life. And I share my story, I'm very upfront with students. The students say, Mr. Walt, life be life in. And I'm like, You are right, it just keeps coming at you. So they're trying to figure it out, but I'm very honest with them. And hey, we're all trying to figure it out. Like these challenges, they don't stop coming. So what you do is you lean on your support group. This is a support group. Like, you're part of my support group. I can't tell you how many times I've told Gene that I've taken out my notepad when I'm talking to him and I'm writing these things down, and I'm like, that's great. And then the stuff that Raymond brings up as well, same thing, right? Sharing this information with on a group call, uh a chat, and and the words of wisdom, encouragement, all of that stuff matters. And and that's my passion. It's students, and no matter all the external things, my focus is on the student athlete development piece. And how can we impact them uh in a positive way where we're recognizing them for who they are beyond sport? Um, because you're not just an athlete, right? You're you have siblings, you serve in the church, you do all these different things. You're an artist, you're a musician, you're you're a person to see them and and push them. And then I feel honored. I would say that's the last thing. I'm always encouraging the staff like where do you have the opportunity to get up in front of the number one ranked team in the country and deliver a message about academics and doing the right things, like a platform. Not everybody has that opportunity or that platform. These positions are limited in terms of who gets to get in front of a team and and and deliver a message.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

Well, there's a quite a few things that you said that I want to pick up on when you talked about um Dr. Harrison having some mileage. You've been in this thing for for a little bit of time too, including your years of coaching is 35 years supporting student athletes in some form or fashion. You know, you talked about this, one of the taglines we use is that uh college athletics is the most ingenious uh human development platform in the world. The more we talk to people, the more we realize that you're not getting this experience any other place in the world except for here. And we know how important it is that we protect what it is. Um in this day and age where everything is changing and what we describe as this new era. I'd like to say that the work, as terms of how we see it the work, there have been some changes, but the work hasn't changed. It's all about the mission that you just identified. It's about developing student athletes. You also talked about all these different identities because they're full human beings. They're not just one thing. And Walt, as I was doing my homework, I didn't know how much I needed to actually call and ask about you based on what I know. But uh this work requires us to go and do some digging. And one of the things someone said about you in a more endearing way, uh he said, I would describe Walt as a chameleon in a very authentic way. And the way he described you was that when you're sitting with the student athletes, you you become whatever it is that that person needs, whether it's a brother, to be a father figure, to be a mentor, to truly just be a listener. And then he said, he can also do that with the staff. He can also do that with the coaches, he can do that on campus with the faculty members. And that may seem to you like, yep, that's just part of what it is. It's special. And I want to ask you a little bit more. I want to, I want to take you there a little bit. Where does that come from?

SPEAKER_02 19:49

You know, my philosophy in terms of in a profession, when you're talking about graduation and retention, what you're really talking about is relationships. And I'm very big on just meeting people where they're at and then trying to figure it out where we need to go from that point. Because everybody is different and everybody like requires a different approach. I like to be authentic, I like to be empathetic. I s I was just in the conversation earlier today, and they was like, Well, you know, you're you're not too high, you're not too low, you're like right in the middle. And and to me, I I always say, Well, you know, you can't just go running into a building and screaming and yelling, take a step back, kind of walk into the situation, um, and then treat people how you want to be treated. And and I understand the importance of what what we do is really predicated on the relationships that we have outs beyond the walls of the academic center, right? So how we share in recruiting, it takes a village to raise a child, right? And it it applies here. So it's really based on the collective efforts of a lot of different people, getting people on board in terms of what you're trying to achieve, being able to read the room, listen. I'm big on listening. I met with a kid today, uh, an adjustment meeting. But basically it was like what we ended the conversation about what is needed from us. That what do you need? Because a lot of times you can get caught up in dictating and talking down and that's real good. So it it's it's just really enjoying people. And I enjoy people. I I really do. I enjoy everything about them. But I mean, I I it's good, it's good to hear that, you know. And then I also have the responsibility of the staff. So it's about listening to them. And the thing is, I I set meetings, monthly meetings with all of our GAs. It's like a quick checking in because you're critical to the success of our program. And you become a leader of our program as well, right? Like there's nothing stopping you from talking to your professor and saying, Hey, you want to come see the academic center? And walking them through and talking to them about what we do. I don't have to be the face. Of the program. So always empowering the staff to be themselves.

SPEAKER_01 22:04

I'm gonna build on it. And um Walt the Human and Walt the Leader for someone who is as accomplished as you are. I mean, you got Distinguished Service Award from the N4A. LSU gave you a um distinguished leader type award. Your imprint is on a number of programs all over the N4A organization that we keep referencing. You talked about loving humans. Uh, you know, you're a person from the East Coast, New York, New Jersey, but you're in the South now. Raymond asked the question about putting, you know, being a chameleon and being able to fit in where you are and meet the need of the people that you're talking to. But as a leader, I've got to say this. Raymond and I were talking about this earlier. I've never met a person who had encountered you who not only didn't have something bad to say, but who wasn't effusive about your character and who and how you are and how you make them feel, which is a compliment to who and how you are. Just talk about as a leader of young men and women and of older men and women, which when you have a staff, when you're part of a university leadership team of how you keep it even killed. You know, we all have egos, but some people have large egos that need to be fed by being loud and making everybody know that they're the leader by their words and their voice. You you are the epitome of a quiet leader. And you talked about some of the characteristics associated with that. But really, my question is how do you keep that even killed nature? We not only walk into difficult moments as leaders in this industry, especially where you have confrontational coaches or administrators who outrank us and and probably feel like they on the academic side may know more than we do. How how do you keep it right in the middle and keep it pushing um in those spaces as that kind of leader?

SPEAKER_02 23:57

I would say that that's where the intentionality comes back into play in terms of how do you take care of yourself. I know there's times that we've had calls where I was just venting. Um when Ken was here, um I met with Ken every day, right? Like one, we had a friendship, but he was like, holiday, meet me out front, going to grab coffee. I'm like, all right. So I'd go outside and we go get coffee, and he would vent, and I was his sounding board, and um and brought he, you know, he used to call me his big brother, and uh and uh I balanced him out, right, in terms of my demeanor versus how he approached things. And uh so I get it. There's those days where you're frustrated, wondering, like, hey, what are we doing? And especially when you have this passion for student athlete development. And um and I will tell you that when Ken left and I was in the space, it was challenging because the person that I had these conversations with daily, many of the conversations were were not planned, they're just impromptu. Like, you know, like I would walk by his office, do some work, come in here, right? And then we start talking. So, but like I struggled in that space, right? So I would sit in my truck in the parking lot and eat lunch by myself, uh, make phone calls. It's like my off it was like my office, and I really struggled in that in that space for a while. And we worked in a remote space. We had uh what in the span of like four years, we had 14 new head coaches, we had a new president, new administration, new provost, new vice provost, like all this stuff and all these changes. So it was a lot of change going on, and I was just in a tough spot with that. And I ended up being very intentional in finding those spaces where I could lean on some individuals on campus, whether it be on staff or whether it be outside of athletics or inside of athletics, and that helped me a great deal being intentional about your health, health as wealth, right? Um just making sure that you are taking care of yourself and there's gonna be ups and downs with everything, and like you you alluded to, all the change that's going on. What also helped me is that when there's a lot of change going on, which has been consistent throughout our careers in the in the industry, change is inevitable. What made it challenging was the pace at which all this change is occurring, right? From the one-time transfer exception, COVID, all the losses and litigation where we're at now with NIL. You know, back when we all met each other, those were like non-starters, right? With everything like, no, they're never gonna be like we weren't even thinking about that. It was just a lot of things, and people focus or they work better with points of clarity, like and what was challenging was that how it was just constantly moving, right? Yeah, and what I found was helpful for the staff is just like let them know what you know and be honest about what you don't know, and that really helped myself because I was beating myself up, like what's gonna happen with this, but I can't project that onto the staff, so it's important that you know you just focus on points of clarity on what you know and be honest about what you don't know, and then continue to work through it as a team, and it really served me well in terms of getting back into the groove, you know. For me, I'm in Ken's office, right? So every day I walk in here, I still got this his keyboard, right? Like this old beat up. It probably had like some of his lunch crumbs still in it or something, but I cannot not think, right, or remember something that he said or or impact that he had.

SPEAKER_03 28:03

You um talking about Ken, but also talking about all the different changes that occurred that piled on. I appreciate you being honest for sharing where you were, you know, in those moments and uh recognizing that at some point you you needed to be able to talk to someone and to share what you were what you were going through, what you were feeling. And um, because that's something that's important that we talk about.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:32

You know, we're uh we're men, we're we're former athletes, but we're full human beings, kind of what you have been talking to your student athletes about. So I think it's important for us that we embrace that and and and also walk that example. You said something earlier. You says you said, I just want to meet people where they are and then figure out where to go from there. That same philosophy showed up in the space with all the different changes when you looked at your staff. You use that same that same process. And I I I cannot go further without remarking that. What I thought about this today, you've been doing this for 32 years, and you have been committed to this space more so than anyone I know. Because there are people that have been in this space, you know, long periods of time, but you have stayed in the academic and student athlete development space. You've seen the changes from legislative stuff to academic progress rate, graduation success rate, kind of where we are now. But you withstood a lot of changes over time. So there was some historical information you had that helped some resilience. But there's another piece you represent old school, you represent new school, and you represent a little bit of newer school. You you're like the bridge, you're like the constant, in a state of so much change. You've been the constant. I was talking to Anton Goff, who you mentioned earlier, AD at Prairie View A M. He said, if I need anything about academics, I'm calling Wall. You've not diverted from it. You've been so committed to this space because you believe in the impact that it has on the lives of these young people that we get a chance to serve. And I'm so thankful that we get a chance to have this conversation with you because people need to understand the things that are happening behind the scenes. Now, you you're you're really getting out of your comfort zone and giving us a lot of information. But you are typically soft-spoken. You are truly the definition of a hidden hero. And so I don't have a question necessarily. I just wanted to really, in my way, give you your flowers. No different than I think about Ken Miles every day. I intentionally call his name every day because I want to be reminded that we get to continue the legacy, we get to continue the work. And so I just want you to know, yes, you walk into that office every day, but don't feel like you gotta carry it all because you ain't by yourself, brother. That's real.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

When we think about uh the human experience, the three of us and untold numbers of others, just for those who don't know Ken Miles, um you know, we referenced him before on the podcast, but more in depth here because he was a giant in the industry. He was a big man, but he was a giant industry in his personality. He never met a person who wasn't his friend. Um and he cared so deeply for those around him. And he and Walt had a very special friendship that they influenced each other and and uh pulled the train together in many ways. And so some of this conversation and storytelling is about the impact and the imprint that he left. And you know, for Raymond to mention them every morning, uh you know, I've got pictures in my phone, uh, and some of my most significant moments as a professional and as a human uh have been associated with him too. So may he continue to rest in heaven and may we continue to be inspired by who he was and who he still is through us. So I'll just say that. It brings a question to mind, man. You know, WWJD, what would Jesus do? What would Ken do in the world? WWKD. Yeah. Yes, sir. In this current era, well, I I guess I'll ask you this way: how have you evolved? How have you adjusted how you serve the student athlete? Some of them you you you meet for six months and they're gone. Um others of them are making four or five times, maybe ten times, what your salary is, and you know, don't necessarily have the ego control that you do. What things in the in the space are you and your staff doing differently to address and adjust to some of these realities in the modern era now of revenue share, NIL, transfer portal, all those things. What's the evolution been like for you, man? And what are you doing differently? How are you thinking differently?

SPEAKER_02 33:05

Yeah, we're definitely in a new space, and I don't think it's going anywhere, right? So I think you had referenced earlier the the reality is some of these kids uh we have them for a year, maybe two years. We're still recruiting freshmen, right? So I know right now at LSU we're like in this pro model, and you know, I was having a conversation today. We should have like these plans on what those models look like to address again, meeting kids where they're at, uh, and putting a plan together for their overall development. So it's how we deliver information, how do we recruit? What do we what do we provide coaches with in terms of the information they need to make roster decisions, right? All these different things in terms of how they're evaluating kids and really trying to make sure that we are part of that process moving forward. Because there is a component with all the change. I think you said it too, Gene, is that what's still in place is you still have to be eligible, right? You still gotta pass classes, you still gotta make percentage, you still gotta do these things. So for us, it's really focusing on how do we deliver this information, what does tutoring look like? Ever since COVID, we've been more virtual with appointments. So some of those challenges, working with campus to get additional online classes offered. It's gotten a lot better and working with the university to look at that and really putting some research behind it where it's not just how it relates to health and wellness, how it can really help in terms of schedules and time management and all these things. But I tell the staff what we really need to just continue to focus is how we engage with the students, right? So my whole career, it comes down to I always tell them it's three words, right? Engagement, curiosity, and positive action. So as you come in here, whether it's a one-year journey, two-year journey, three-year journey, four-year journey, we're gonna meet you where you're at, and we're gonna walk on this journey with you. With you, not for you, but with you, right? So that's the engagement piece. As we're walking, we're talking to you about what can be. So that's the message. What can be? This is what's possible for you as a player, as a student, athlete, as a graduate. This is what's possible. That's what generates the curiosity, the excitement. It's almost like this is how we're gonna beat NC State this weekend. Okay, bet what we gotta do, right? That's the curiosity, and then from that you get the positive action. But none of that happens without the engagement and walking and talking. And so if we keep on focusing on that, the other things happen. Because through the engagement, the kid wants to go to class or he wants to go to this program on investments because he's believing in the relationship that we're establishing. So, and this is like just is new because we we've been talking about this. It's just focus on my interaction. I can talk to coaches, I can talk to the administration, and and we have an administration and coaches that support us, but control what you could control is how we engage with these kids and meeting them wherever they're at.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

As we get closer to the end of our time together, I want to shift the tone a little bit, if that's okay. So I'm gonna throw out some things that I just want you to react to. All right. So Gene just asked you a question about evolving in the space. What are some of the things you've you're doing differently? Um, I'm gonna ask you if you're still doing these things or if you're doing it differently. How's your filing system, your your green, red, yellow filing system? How's that going? That's one question. My second question is how much time are you spending in your office? Or are you going around walking and making contact with everyone, seeing how everybody's doing? Is that still your philosophy of actually moving around, being present in a lot of different places? And then the third thing is what was the most important, impactful times, if you can name one that we had at N4A together. So I gave you three. All right, filing system, walking around, most impactful time.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

Okay, uh filing system. You know, I'm not so much in a day-to-day advising. I like I'm out of that space, but my filing system is a continued work in progress. You know what's crazy. So I just emptied out like all the files. I have employee files for Mike Mead, Ted White, uh, Tommy Powell. All of those they came through LSU. So I didn't open them or look through them. So you say and part of me was I was like, I should send this to them. But then they'd be like, You was looking through my files? I'm like, well, you know. So I'm in the process of organizing that, but uh, yeah, the filing system.

SPEAKER_03 37:58

At some point, have a filing system that was based on red, green, yellow.

SPEAKER_02 38:02

Absolutely. I had the red files, the green, just you know, that 20% that you had to like be on every week. Was the red uh in the middle of the road kids, you know, and and then the other kids. Yeah, I remember that filing system. I still have like some of my old folders when I came here of my weekly meetings with uh a bunch of our students because Derek and I would, you know, meet with all the kids, and and it's it it was it was a lot that is needed. And now with technology, we're able to touch those kids in the green files, right? Reaching out text message, hey, how's it going? How's the transition? How are classes? And and that's been a blessing too, because a lot of times it's like, you know, this was this was like Gene when he was at school, he was like, Oh, things are great, thanks for asking. He'd be a green folder, right? So you know part of me, but maybe not all of me.

SPEAKER_01 38:57

Maybe not all.

SPEAKER_02 38:59

So, but yeah, the next question. So I'm I'm active in the building, I walk the building every day. I blow up tutoring sessions, you know. I guess the line is like it's it's a stupid line, but I walk in and I go, wow, smells like learning in here. Then you know they laugh and stuff like that, you know, just touch base, and uh it takes time away from other things sometimes, but I think it's important just to walk the building. And uh, you know, with regards to that, so somebody made a comment. All right, so there was a a gentleman that was introduced to me from somebody on campus. He was passing through with his son, and he just wanted to see the academic center. We walked through the academic center, we finished through the tour, and his his son was being recruited potentially for track. And he goes, you know what amazed me is that as the director of the academic center, there was nonstop students coming up to you and gripping you up. And he said, it just speaks to you. And I I've had a coach make a similar comment, and I've also had a parent bring that up too. So yeah, I I feel like you gotta see people and same thing on campus, like pop in and just touch base with folks. It would be out at the pool in some type of patio, smoking cigars, sipping on some brown liquor, maybe Big Mark having his little portable music box and being out there until three, four in the morning, and then all of us showing up for the first session, you know, and and probably leaving Ken out there by himself. You know, the funny thing with that is that people talk about that to this day, like that type of brotherhood.

SPEAKER_01 40:50

Yeah, man. In in the world that we're living in, too, how important that has become. And as much technology as we have, it can isolate us too, because we can get caught in looking at streams or you know, do doing a lot of different things and uh not be as connected. And so I remember those times fondly and uh look forward to creating the next go-around when we together uh this summer, hopefully. Um, what's next? Ray Raymond, you know, eloquently stated and firmly stated that that you've been in this space uh really 35 years because the student athlete development as a coach is really important as well. Um any any aspirational horizon type visions? Um or or you stay in the course and keeping it moving as as as long as the good Lord allows.

SPEAKER_02 41:41

Yeah, trying to figure out what that next chapter looks like. And I would say that it's it's staying the course for now. I really enjoy what I do. It doesn't get old. I still enjoy giving recruiting tours, like everything about it. I'm very passionate about it, right? Because Ray's coming up with his kids to come play at LSU. I'm excited to talk about the academic center, what we're doing, our staff, meeting people, right? It's about developing these relationships and meeting folks. I even whether you come or not, right? And the ability, our recruiting is, you know, Ken and I used to like do the tag team. I used to like crack jokes on them. And like it was like a the coaches like loved it, but it was like delivering this message. So it wasn't just about tutoring, because everybody has those things. It was about life lesson and dropping nuggets, and and that's always taken by the by the recruits' parents and families as something positive. So it doesn't get old. So I I really enjoy what I do. I referenced uh Mike Mahan, who he said something that stuck with me. He said, When you start having more bad days than good days, you know, and right now I have a whole lot of great so, but I guess figuring out like what is next. You know, I was sharing with uh I report to the vice provost, and this was just today. I was like trying to figure things out, right? I'm like hit 17 years here at LSU. There's not gonna be another 17 years. So like trying to figure out what that looks like um um moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 43:14

Yeah, because we have a lot of younger professionals who who listen and and take nuggets about their development and and their day-to-day work and how that how how you know OGs, so to speak, do things. But you know, the OGs that listen, we including all three of us, are are in the second half of our careers and our lives. And uh it's important to, you know, smell the roses. Raymond gave you some, so I hope you're smelling them, but also be be intentional. You've used that word some with with how we are completing the mission and then stepping into the next for the younger folks, you know, like one thing that Ken would say all the time is that nothing happens by accident, it's by design, right?

SPEAKER_02 43:56

So I would say again, being intentional. with everything that you do, right? Your network, uh how you deal with family, health, right? Um, all of that kind of stuff matters. And the other thing Ken would say too, know what you don't want to do and be open to everything else. Right? And that was me. I kinda like That's it. Right? That's it. You know, and be the best that you can be in your current role and and and lean on support and lean on different people. Cause the the more you can have uh view things through different lenses, the better it's gonna make you make you be and perform and provide.

SPEAKER_03 44:41

One more time that quote I think that's a perfect way to close us out. What's that quote again? Because it ties into what Gene is asking you what's next. Know what you don't want to do and be open to everything else. Ken Miles appreciate you all thank you for being with us. Appreciate you can't wait to see you again brother thank you