2015 NAIA-SIDA Convention Recap

By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications and Sports Information

ORLANDO, Fla. – For the 51st time in the history of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the NAIA Sports Information Directors of America (NAIA-SIDA) met for its annual convention and business meeting Monday at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort. Approximately 65 NAIA communications professionals and corporate sponsors attended the event, which is run in conjunction with the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Convention.

The morning session kicked off with a NAIA national office update and annual NAIA-SIDA business meeting, which included the appointment of two board positions. Tyler Price of Baker (Kan.) was re-elected as an at-large representative, while Mike Safford of the College of Idaho was also selected. Both individuals will assume their roles immediately.

Following a break for the CoSIDA Hall of Fame luncheon, the group returned for a professional development session on Digital Marketing by Kristi Dosh of SportsBizMiss Enterprises LLC and a group of table topics – Photoshop and InDesign, Writing for the Web, Being Creative in Getting Others Involved and Streaming Events on Campus.

Chris Wells of Lindsey Wilson was honored as the 2015 Clarence “Ike” Pearson Award recipient. This is the 39th year that an individual has been presented the NAIA-SIDA’s lifetime achievement award, which is named for the former statistical crew chief for the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship.

Wells has more than 12 years of experience promoting all aspects of Lindsey Wilson’s athletic department. He has become accustomed to providing immediate information for 33 athletic programs and more than 700 student-athletes. He also is a liaison for media relations, publications, website design and game-day and event management. Wells has coordinated all aspects of media guide production, photos, statistical/historical research and event promotions. Because of his efforts, Wells has been named Mid-South Conference Sports Information Director of the Year seven times (2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013).

Multiple individuals and athletic departments were honored as 2015 NAIA-SIDA Publications and Media Contest award winners. The Embry-Riddle (Fla.) sports information team consisting of Alison Smalling, Ryan Mosher, Michael Pierce and Robert Lopez took home the Gary Spittler Memorial Award for Excellence in Publications for the seventh-straight year.

For a complete list of the 2014-15 NAIA-SIDA Publications and Media Contest winners, click here.

For more information on NAIA-SIDA, click here.