Name: Michael “Myke” Van De Voort
Current Position: Assistant Director of Athletics Marketing – James Madison University
Number of Years in Current Position: 6 months
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
Alma Mater(s): Butler University – BS, University of Louisiana-Monroe - MBA
Twitter Handle: @MykeAtTheMic
LinkedIn Address: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-van-de-voort-mba
When/why did you decide to pursue a career in college athletics?
I originally wanted to go into sports broadcasting, but once I had the chance to be a part of marketing and promotions teams for both professional and college athletics, I found myself hooked to the high intensity, live event, game day lifestyle. College sports have an excitement, passion, and familial atmosphere that you don’t typically see in professional sports. I also love being around college students and working with student-athletes on a day-to-day basis, plus, I get to do multiple sports throughout the year and constantly face new challenges with each season.
What is one thing that has surprised you about working in this profession?
I think the biggest surprise for most people is the sheer amount of work that has to be put in to create a high-level game product that only lasts a few hours. When I first started, I was also shocked by the wide scope of the jobs that fall under athletics, from marketing to fundraising all the way to NCAA compliance, facility management, and housekeeping.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Shout out to Lindsay Martin at Butler University for both of these pieces of advice. The first is that you have to learn from your failures. If an event doesn’t go the way you thought it would, discover why and use that to your advantage in future planning to make yourself better. The second was to take a graphic design class while I was in college. That has come in handy more times than I can count.
Who is your role model in this industry and why?
This is a tough one. I wouldn’t say I have one role model, but I do have several people in the industry I look up to. I still call on my first boss in college athletics, Lindsay Martin at Butler, when I need help figuring things out, especially planning for basketball. Mike Freeman at Butler was the one who encouraged me to be a graduate assistant and stick through some of the tougher times I’ve had in the industry. I also keep my eye on several Athletics Directors as people I would like to emulate eventually. Sean Frazier at Northern Illinois, for the way he has grown that entire department and program from where it was when I was a kid growing up in the Chicago suburbs to the name it is now. As a lifelong Buckeye fan, I love the way Gene Smith has managed to keep Ohio State at the forefront of a lot of trends while always having such a positive and fun attitude. Lastly, Mark Hollis at Michigan State for his passion and creativity, as he has become one of the best “marketing” ADs in the country.
What are your career aspirations?
Eventually, I would like to become an Athletics Director at my Alma Mater, Butler University or a Big Ten University.
What has been your most memorable moment on the job?
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget College Game Day at Butler as an intern my senior year. We had to be at the stadium at 4:30 am for an 8 pm game. We all got to meet Jalen Rose, Digger Phelps, Dickie V and the crew and our student selection hit the half court shot on his first try for $18,000. Then, to cap it all off, Roosevelt Jones hit a floater at the buzzer to give Butler a win over #9 Gonzaga and the crowd stormed the court for the first time in a decade.
Share one funny moment or story from game day.
When I was at ULM, Grad assistants had to do all kinds of facility set up for football game days. This included hanging a sign at the very top of the visitor side of the stadium. I was up on this ladder, I don’t know how many feet in the air fully stretched out trying to zip tie a sign to the chain link fence at the top. All of the sudden, one of the other Grad Assistants runs over and starts shaking the ladder to scare me. I finished hanging the sign, and tried to chase him as he ran away, at which point he slips and falls down the steps of the bleachers. He wasn’t hurt, but karma always gets you in the end.
If you weren’t working in college athletics, what would you be doing?
I love cooking (and eating) so I think I’d try to become a professional chef. Or, I would put my journalism degree, announcing voice, and long-windedness to use and try to be a radio DJ.