Pacific Digest 5 - June - August 2007
A Year in Review
Some nights, when he can’t sleep, Lynn King gets up at 3 a.m., puts on his gear and goes for a run. The running, and riding a motorcycle, he says, are his ways to unwind. If you ever drive by the Athletics Department before sunrise, and notice a light on in the office that faces Klein Family Field, that’s Lynn King’s office. He’s almost always the first one there every day. Now in his seventh season at Pacific, the 61-year old who just finished his first Boston Marathon three weeks ago, is facing some major challenges. His big four sports—men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, and baseball—had or are having mediocre seasons at best. Fund-raising has become more competitive and more challenging than ever before. In an hour-long interview with Pacific Digest editor D. Tom Patterson, King answered the first question, the same as the last—about the success and achievements of one of the athletes he works so hard to support.
Q: What were some of the positives during the school year?
A: First, Vianney Campos being named All-American in field hockey was a joy for all of us. She is such a tremendous young woman. She deserved it so much because she’s an All-American in every aspect of her life. Two new coaches (Charlie Wade, volleyball and Lynne Roberts, basketball) have us excited about the future there. The baseball field has been a positive, although we still have a lot to do to make the field complete. Yet this field already has earned a reputation as the best field on the West Coast, and that’s very positive and exciting to hear. It’s a showcase for us. We’ve got a new tennis scoreboard and in the next month, we’ll begin the pool renovation. These are exciting times.
Q: How do you measure success in the athletic department?
A: A couple of ways, the one that is immediate is wins and losses but the truth of it here is we take a lot of pride in our graduation rates. And our fund-raising efforts are part of that measurement, too. Klein Family Field is a good example. And we’ve got a tennis facility that’s going to happen, a practice gym that is going to happen. We’ve got a pool renovation that is going to happen and eventually the Spanos Center renovation, too.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge?
A: The fund-raising effort that we need to get accomplished is the biggest challenge we face right now.
Q: A year ago, you were replacing two coaches and trying to get a baseball stadium built. This year, your basketball team went 12-19, the women’s basketball team was 8-22, the women’s volleyball team 8-21 and baseball is 7-22. You mentioned that people measure success in wins and losses. Where does that put you?
I am very excited about our new coaches, including Megan Thomson with women’s water polo. I think they all give us a bright future. Men’s basketball and baseball have struggled some this year, but I am very confident that we will turn it around.
Q: You are in charge of entertainment for Orange and Black Ball. As the person who oversees entertainment, we’ve seen Garth Brooks, Mick Jagger, Elvis and Jimmy Buffett—the later two riding into the Spanos Center on a motorcycle. What’s in store this year?
A:
I don’t know what you are talking about (smiling slyly). We just have a lot of fun and fortunately, I have no pride.
Q: Could you talk about the challenges of fund-raising?
A: We’ve got a lot on our plate; it’s a good thing, but it’s a lot, especially for a small department. The biggest challenge is cultivating contacts and convincing people these projects are worthy of their participation. Nationally, there has never been a bigger demand for fund-raised dollars, in every aspect of communities. People who we talk to are being ask by many, many people to support their projects, too.
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Q: How would you rate first seasons for Charlie Wade and Lynne Roberts?
A:
I think we are on the right track. Programs do not turn around in less than a year. I know we have the right coaches and I’m anxious to see these teams move forward.”
Q: Twenty years for Bob Thomason next year. Would you put that into perspective?
A:
Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. He has so many great assets, but one of his best is he’s a really good teacher. Second, he loves Pacific and it’s apparent. But the most important asset is his integrity toward the program and how he represents the school and that doesn’t happen everywhere. Yet Bob lives that.
Q: Tell me about some of your other sports.
A:
For a small, private school, historically we’ve done well. It’s interesting for us because when you have a $38,000 price tag on a year of education, we don’t always get the walk-ons that state schools might have. It creates a challenge because we aren’t fully funded in every program. But we are blessed with really good coaches. To win here, you first have to be a great coach and they really have to believe what Pacific is all about, which means the education is as important as the athletic performance. We have coaches who embrace that.
Q: What is Lynn King’s top priority?
At the top of the list is to provide opportunities for student-athletes, and for me that means ensuring our coaches have what they need to be competitive.
Q: You recently gained a lot of attention by serving as a host institution for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. With such a huge undertaking was it beneficial?
Yes, image-wise for the university and financially.
Q: How much financially?
A:
Somewhere between $250,000 and $300,000. We’ll know in June, but for us, it’s a big number and they are important dollars. And it was important not only for Pacific, but for Northern California. We don’t take it lightly what this meant. We’ve got an NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament coming up and we’re going to bid on the men’s tourney again for 2011.
Q: I see you at a lot of sporting events. Part of the job?
A:
It’s part of my job, but it is also my favorite part. If I’m in town, I’m there. I really enjoy watching our student-athletes compete. It’s a lifestyle for me.
Q: You really do enjoy this job, don’t you?
I do. I really do and I really love Pacific. I don’t have any other life. What I do is really important to me.
Q: How have you built your staff and put
the pieces together in your seven years?
A:
I try to find talented people with a strong work ethic. They have to understand and appreciate private higher education.
Q: Could you finish the following sentences….
• If I could change one thing about the Athletics Department, it would be…
A greater fan base, more attendance at events and a greater appreciation for what our student-athletes do.
• My relationship with the coaches who work
for me is…
If I’m answering that, it’s great for me. But I can’t answer for them (laughing).
• The biggest accomplishment in all my years
here is…
(long pause) Wow, I really think it’s the integrity. I think this department represents what Pacific is all about. It sounds a little flowery, but it’s true.
• The thing I’ll remember most about this school year is…
Too many things to pick one, but Vianney Campos and what she accomplished, that
was great.
