How did you get to where you are today?
In college and high school I played a lot of baseball, basketball, and two years of golf.
I had gone to seminary but decided that I wanted to get into coaching and athletics, so I made the career shift, got my education credits and started teaching in Lutheran West, a high school in Detroit, Michigan. I was coaching basketball, football and tennis there.
Before long I zeroed in on basketball, coaching about five years in Detroit; until I got a call from Concordia College (now Concordia University) in Portland, Oregon.
So, I went to Portland in 1976, and was the basketball coach there for five years.
I went back to get my doctorate at the University of Oregon, then I returned [to Concordia] and the president had changed while I was gone and a couple of positions had opened up so I came up [to Whitworth] and interviewed and moved up here in the fall of 1985.
What has been your history here at Whitworth?
I coached basketball for 16 years here at Whitworth; that’s really what brought me here.
I’ve taught in the department here for the entire time and have served as department chair several times. I’ve always liked the teaching aspect.
I had taken a break for a year to watch my son play in high school, and during that time discussion rose about adding a golf team here at Whitworth.
They added men’s and women’s golf and I started both of those programs, and we’re now in our 7th year.
So that has been a great segway for me to still be able to coach and have connection with the young people.
I like the competitions, its less stressful than basketball. Its long days especially on the road but what a great place to be.
Your newest position is as the interim athletic director, correct?
Well when they asked if I would consider being the athletic director I really didn’t want to give up the golf program, because I had put so much time and effort in to getting it started.
The interim position usually indicates months, but for this position, we’re looking at two or three years to make that transition. It gives people options in terms of some of the big decisions to be made.
What do the next few years look like for the athletic department?
We’re looking at making progress with the facilities as much as possible. We don’t want to drop the ball on that every time you stand still someone else is adding/improving. So we’ll continue to look at improving our facilities.
How would you describe your colleagues?
Our staff is a very veteran group of coaches that have been in place for years and have had success with a lot of our teams. I want to be able to continue with staff development wherever we can do to help them and improve our teams when possible.
Holisticaly, what is exciting about the department at this time?
Whitworth has won the all-sports trophy two of the last three years, and it’s a focus of our department to have excellence across the board.
As Bill Robinson steps down following this school year, what will you remember him for specifically in relation to the athletic department?
I think athletics is a great window into the university and the community.
Bill understands the value of athletics; he was a former college athlete himself.
He supports programs across the campus, but he does see the value of athletics and what it can do for community outreach.
Spokane’s a big city and it’s a great way for them to see what Whitworth is about.
He’s been a great support for athletics and he has given the student body something to follow after, he’s enthusiastic and he knows the athletes.
I’ve been very happy that many of my years have coincided with his years here.
In what capacity is the athletic department going to be involved in the search for the new president?
We had a number of names submitted but none of them were chosen to be among the highly-qualified search committee.
My hope is that we will at least have the chance to ask presidential candidates are here what their stance on athletics is.
Do they believe athletics to be integral or is it a side part of the community? So we’re concerned, as we’ve had such a great support in Bill Robinson that we’re curious to see where we’re going to go with the new president as a department.
What excites you about athletics at Whitworth and why now specifically?
It’s an exciting time to be the athletic director here at Whitworth. The campus environment is a great place to be on a whole.
We have a number of young athletes that will be having a large impact over the next few years, and I'm excited about working with our coaches.
We need some improvements in terms of facilities, but its going to be a great, new challenge.
When I started here we would have to generate enthusiasm every year for our basketball team.
Now, one of five students is a varsity athlete. Athletics have become an integrated part of the community; it permeates the school. We are able to generate sizeable crowds and a ton of energy and enthusiasm.
What are you working on right now?
We've put in bids to host some of the playoffs because it’s a chance for our community and our athletes to play at home. We had huge crowds here a few years back for the some of the big post-season matches.
Contact David Rurik at david.rurik@whitworthian.com.
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