Small College Conversations: Tom Norris

Описание: Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Director of Athletics Tom Norris joins College.town's Kristen Eargle. The two discuss OLLU's success from winning the RRAC All-Sports Award to finishing its second best Directors' Cup finishes in school history. Norris talks about his approach to leadership having led public and private athletic departments, fundraising in the San Antonio market and the potential for adding sports.

00:00 - Introduction
00:31 - This is your second stint as an AD, how have you evolved as an AD?
02:15 - What are some of the realities or differences between OLLU and IU Kokomo where you’ve had to adjust?
04:12 - As the third AD in program history, how has having your predecessor Shane Hurley, who serves as Men’s Soccer HC, available to continue the department on the right trajectory?
06:08 - Since stepping into those shoes, at what point did you have to pivot from how things were previously done to help the program move forward and put your own stamp on OLLU?
08:21 - Last year, OLLU reclaimed the RRAC All-Sports Award — given to the top overall athletic program in the conference — to capture the 10th award in the last 12 years. OLLU also finished with its second best Directors’ Cup finish in history. What have you done to continue the culture of regional and national competitiveness?
11:18 - Amidst all of that success, how do you and your coaches try to identify “blind spots” or areas of opportunity either within programs or across the department?
12:58 - With all of the financial pressures around higher education and beyond, where are you looking to generate new or more revenue (facility rentals, sponsorships, fundraising)?
15:01 - What are the top strategic priorities for OLLU Athletics over the year or three? What are your biggest obstacles to achieving them? And when you do achieve them, what will the impact be?
16:40 - How do you balance between adding and balancing facilities and supporting new sports?