In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Tim House, the Deputy Athletics Director for Development and Strategic Initiatives of Michigan State University Athletics. Tim’s career has centered on the principles of philanthropic giving and athletic development in college athletics, serving for universities and programs such as Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, Duke University, the United State Military Academy at West Point, the University of Pennsylvania, and Purdue University. In his current role with MSU Athletics, Tim leads and elevates a comprehensive advancement strategy for the athletics department, driving philanthropic growth and donor engagement through ambitious and measurable fundraising goals aligned with university priorities and athletic department needs and initiatives. He also serves on the athletic department’s leadership team and manages several Spartan teams and a variety of key initiatives that position Michigan State for success amid an evolving intercollegiate athletics landscape. Tim discusses his role with MSU Athletics, the development process of current projects and initiatives for the university, the role a well-organized development team plays in helping universities of all sizes strengthen and grow their athletic programs, the definition of a successful student-athlete experience, and his favorite memories of working in college athletics.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Matt Bomberg, President of the Great Lakes Division of Northwoods League Baseball and President/Managing Partner of the newly formed Richmond Flying Mummies in Richmond, IN. Matt’s entire career has centered on business development and talent evaluation in baseball, having worked for organizations such as the St. Paul Saints, the former Fort Myers Miracle, the former Green Bay Bullfrogs, Glitnir Ticketing, STATS LLC, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his current roles, he utilizes and leverages his career experience as the league liaison for the Great Lakes Division of the Northwoods League summer collegiate baseball league, coordinating schedules and business development opportunities for the division. He also serves as Co-Owner of Northwoods League Softball, a new enterprise built on the same premise as its baseball counterpart, and is President and Managing Partner for the newly formed Richmond Flying Mummies team, building a new organization from scratch and beginning a new era of baseball in Eastern Indiana. Matt discusses his roles with the Northwoods League, the development process of initiating new teams and organizations in an already enormous league, why hiring the right people for the right opportunity is critical to maintain both short- and long-term success, the importance of integrity and good business ethics when wearing lots of hats in job responsibility, the changes in the game of baseball over time and how they have impacted many facets of business operations, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Dr. Lacee’ Carmon-Johnson, Director of Basketball Advancement for the Toronto Raptors NBA team. Lacee’s career has centered around the education and advancement of athletes and students alike, having worked in numerous capacities with athletic programs and universities such as Stephen F. Austin State University, Marshall University, Purdue University, and Western Kentucky University. Currently, her role with the Toronto Raptors sees her in a player service and development role that helps to benefit many different areas of the organization, such as daily operations, community engagement, philanthropy, player programs and resource implementation, and cultural enhancement. Lacee’ discusses her role with the Toronto Raptors, the importance of continuing education both for students and professionals alike, the challenges of running a player development program for a professional organization, the development of prospects’ personal brands and value of NIL in college athletics and its impact on professional organizations, and her favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Adam Darowski, Executive Director of Design for Sports Reference, LLC. Adam’s career has centered around web design and product development, but took a huge turn when he joined Sports Reference in 2020. Since then, he’s been involved in numerous projects and achievements with the organization, including the integration of Negro League data to the Sports Reference database, personal research on the 25th Infantry Wreckers and the 4,000 Professional Hit Club, and the acquisition of the widely popular Immaculate Grid game. Adam discusses his role at Sports Reference, LLC, the importance of an aggressively functional web design philosophy, the integration of Negro League data to the Baseball Reference database, the acquisition of Immaculate Grid and its impact on the sports stathead community, and his favorite memories of working in sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Jeff Parry, founder of JP Sports. Jeff’s career has provided him with a unique look at the collegiate athletic landscape in terms of compliance and name, image and likeness (NIL), having worked for different athletic programs such as the University of Notre Dame, Furman University and Old Dominion University. He currently runs and operates his own consulting business, JP Sports, which is a full-service NIL and marketing agency for collegiate athletes, helping in areas such as negotiation, brand deals, content strategy, creative marketing, networking consultation, and more. Jeff discusses his role at JP Sports, the importance of a competent compliance staff in college athletics, the evolution of and common misconceptions about NIL, the future of NIL in collegiate athletics, and his favorite memories of working in collegiate sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Dr. Josh Greer, founder of NILvana Sports. Dr. Greer’s career has granted him extensive experience in higher education and sports journalism, delivering the highest quality work in anything he does. He has taught at several universities in his career, and his writing has been featured in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, and others. Dr. Greer discusses his role with NILvana Sports, the inquisitive nature of sports journalism, the importance of being versatile and adaptable, the importance of effective communication and writing skills, why applied learning is such a critical venture for students and young professionals, and his favorite memories of working in higher education and sports journalism.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Caela McBride, Director of Entertainment for the Winston-Salem Dash of Minor League Baseball. Caela’s passion for baseball, entertainment and customer satisfaction have provided her with an enviable career of making memories and creating new experiences for fans of all ages. Her career has shown she is not afraid to take a giant leap of faith to experience new places, as she has previously worked for organizations such as the Asheville Tourists, the Kane County Cougars and the Lafayette Aviators. Caela discusses her role with the Dash organization, the creative nature of sports marketing and promotions, the importance of time management, the impact of fan engagement and community relations in marketing and promotions, and her favorite memories of working in baseball and sports.

In this episode, Trine Center for Sports Studies Director, Zander Atwood, talks with Steve Lantz, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director for Angola High School in Angola, IN. Steve has served as Angola High’s athletic director for over six years and has over twenty years of educational and athletics experience at Angola Public Schools, providing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the school’s programs. He was awarded the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrator's Association’s District 2 Athletic Director of the Year for 2024, and continues to help improve the school’s standing in both Steuben County and Northeast Indiana. Steve discusses his role with Angola High School, being an influence and advocate for his students and student-athletes, the importance of improved facilities for high school athletics, and his favorite memories of working in high school sports.