Rob Huizenga- Career Promoting Athletes and Coaches

Rob Huizenga is a GHS grad, and Knox College grad. He served as a manager for the boys basketball program starting in 6^th grade, and then did double duty as a senior for both the boys and girls basketball teams. At Knox, he was Student Assistant in Sports Information. While working on his Masters in Sports Management at Illinois State, he served as Grad Assistant in Athletic’s Media Relations.

Rob became the full-time SID at Saint Xavier University in Chicago in 2003. In 2011 he was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Information. He was named the inaugural NAIA National SID of the Year in 2014. Just this year, Rob has become Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Information, Marketing, and Event Management at Purdue Northwest.

I first knew Rob when he was a manager for the GHS basketball teams. It takes someone with a good work ethic and a low ego to be able to succeed as a manager. It is unlikely you are going to get your name or picture in the newspaper. You are going to do a dozen things every practice that players either don’t even notice, or don’t express appreciation for. When Rob was managing, it was never about him. He was willing to do whatever job needed to be done. He was in it to serve others.

When our team went to State, he gave each of us as coaches a small medallion with the date engraved. The gift was totally unexpected and very meaningful. When I looked at it, it always reminded me of how someone can make a big impact by serving others. It is not a surprise that Rob has made a career of supporting coaches and players.

Massey- At GHS, you got involved being a manager, why did you choose to do that & how did it happen for you? And I don't remember the details, but you had been a manager for boys basketball, and then became a manager for girls basketball. How did that happen? I am not sure anyone has been a manager ever.

Huizenga- Becoming a manager actually happened when I was at Churchill Junior High, one of my friends at the time said they were looking for people to be team managers for the boy's basketball team and asked anyone interested to show up after school to talk to Steve Cheesman.  I showed up but my friend never did.  Steve showed me what the job and responsibilities were and I thought it sounded interesting, so I told him I would do it.  Word spread as I got to the high school level and coaches and players started asking me if I would be interested in doing it for their teams as I got older.  I never expected to end up doing it for so many teams by the time I reached my senior year! 

Massey- People don't realize all the things involved being a manager. In some ways, it is kind of like an internship. Why was valuable or positive for you being a manager?

Huizenga- For me, the relationships I built as a manager were definitely the most valuable for me.  When I started at Churchill in sixth grade, I had come from a private school and did not know any of the other kids at the school so it was a tough transition for me at that age.  Becoming the team manager helped me during that transition and allowed me to meet teachers and kids that I likely would not have interacted with under different circumstances.  Other things that being a manager taught me was the value of being organized and paying attention to detail.

Massey- Was being a manager stressful during games- you were pretty into things?

Huizenga- It had its moments!  I had the mentality that if I didn't do my job perfectly than the coaches and players could not do their jobs perfectly, so I would put pressure on myself to try to do everything as perfectly as possible.  I was always nervous before games probably just like the players and coaches.  

Massey- Where did you go to college? Were you involved with sports in college?

Huizenga- I got my bachelors degree at Knox College and worked as a student assistant in their sports information office for the five years I was there.  I got my masters degree in Sports Management from Illinois State University and worked two years as a graduate assistant in the Athletics Media Relations office there.  I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes aspect of the job and the ability to continue to work with sports teams.

Massey- How did you get into sports information work?

Huizenga- Tim Heimann was a friend of the family and was the men's basketball coach at Knox College at the time I was a senior at GHS.  He mentioned to me that they had a guy (Marc Wong) who worked in the Knox Sports Information office and asked me if it would be something I would be interested in since he was a former team manager at GHS too.  Heimann and the Knox Athletics Director at the time Harley Knosher actively recruited me and so I gave it a shot.  I never expected it to turn into my career at that time.

Massey- Where has your career taken you?

Huizenga- So many places!  I have been extremely fortunate to experience so many wonderful memories from my career in sports over the last 20 years.  I have been on the sidelines for a national championship football team.  I won the inaugural NAIA National Sports Information Director of the Year award a couple of years ago and was honored with my family in front of my peers in Charlotte at the NAIA National Convention.  I got to escort a player I nominated for a national award to NYC for the National Football Foundation's National Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.  I have sat in the dugout at Wrigley Field and interviewed a former player who went on to pitch in Major League Baseball.  I was on the sidelines for the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship this past March.  I have met so many amazing student-athletes and coaches along the way and have enough special memories to last a lifetime!  It has been a tremendous ride!

Massey- People think if you like sports and want to make a career in sports that you need to go into coaching. Obviously, there are many jobs in the sports business. Why do you like your work as an SID?

Huizenga- I get to promote people who are doing what they love to do!  That's what I love most about this profession is that I get to help people who truly love and are passionate about the work that they do.  My main job is to make the Athletic Department look as positive as possible through a number of different mediums, including the department's website, social media platforms, media outlets, media guides, etc.  For me, the true reward comes when a player, coach, fan or parent comes up to me and thanks me or members of our team for the work that we do.  

Massey- In high school, you always got very involved in supporting your teams- do you find now as an SID people give you a hard time as being so "into" the outcome? What have been some of your thrills covering sports teams and their achievements?

Huizenga- As a SID, there are times where I have to be neutral and can't showcase my support for our teams in a public display.  However, most of the times, fans know that I'm a huge fan of the teams I work for and share my enthusiasm.  I've had so many great experiences and thrills covering teams over the years.  I've had players earn National Player of the Year awards, break amazing records and even some go on to play professionally.  One of my favorite experiences was helping get Saint Xavier University a wonderful feature story on the front page of the Sports Section of the Chicago Tribune back in December 2009.  The Athletics Director has the two-page article placed on a plaque that hangs in the front of the Athletics Department offices.

Massey- I have enjoyed following you and your young family on Facebook. Does your job make it tough as a Dad?

Huizenga- At certain times of the year, it is extremely tough.  Fall and spring seasons are usually the busiest because so many sports are going on at the same time.  There are a lot of hours spent at the office or at games and a lot of nights and weekend work as well, so it can be hard to find time to spend with family.  I just try to maximize the time I do have with my three girls when I can and summers are usually slower paced too so we try to do a lot of family trips and activities during those months.

Massey- Who would you put your money on in a cage match- Coach Peachey vs Sara Wood?

Huizenga- Sorry Coach Peachey, but the Sara Wood I went to school with was a beast and I'm sure she is just as intense and tough now!  If it is any consolation, I think Peachey could maybe last a full minute!