Editor in Chief Spencer Gleason talks about what the athletic department has done right.
By: SPENCER GLEASON
Editor in Cheif
A couple congratulations are in order for the STLCC athletic department. For as many times as I have reported on harsh realities of the department, they are starting to turn over a new leaf. It is a positive thing to see, for a department that has been given such a rocky road to travel since the district-wide consolidation of athletics in July 2011. First, congratulations on the hiring of Shawn Summe, as the new athletic director for STLCC. Summe took over the responsibilities of athletic director in December 2014. Those responsibilities were previously a revolving door of duties given to two co-athletic directors, following the consolidation. Through research of similar multi-campus colleges and personal experience covering athletics, I have never seen two co-athletic directors — especially two who were also coaches in the department that they oversaw, i.e. their own bosses. (A conflict of interest? I think so). Job descriptions would become cloudy; their communication would suffer. With the hiring of Summe, there is a clear-cut director of athletics — no muddy waters. His positive presence has already been felt in the two-and-a-half months he has been on the job with STLCC. He was there to console the Lady Archers basketball team, after their head coach lost her mother to lung cancer. He was on the road with the team — in constant communication with Head Coach Shelly Ethridge — letting her know how the team played during their away game. And he helped set up the 26th anniversary celebration of the 1988-89 Meramec Warriors men’s basketball team. This, the second congratulations. The 1988-89 team was 27-9 and placed second in the nation, runner-up at the NJCAA Tournament. The team and their Head Coach Randy Albrecht were honored during halftime of STLCC’s game on Saturday, Feb. With such a rich athletic history at STLCC, one can only hope that there are more moments like Saturday to follow. And Summe is the right person for the job.
