Secretary Assists Coaches, Administrators, Student with Athletic, Physical Education Needs

A: I had worked in the Physical Education Department at the University of Connecticut, so when I decided to look for a job in Middletown, Wesleyan was the logical place to start. When I was offered a position in Physical Education it was a perfect match for me. I started with a part-time position, which was helpful since I had children in elementary school and I was able to be home when they were. The job worked itself into a full-time position.

Q: When you started, where was your office located?

A: The Athletic office was located on Wyllys Avenue, in a place which is now a parking lot. The department moved as a whole from Wyllys to the Freeman Athletic Center in June of 1990.

Q: What are your primary job responsibilities? What goes on during the day?

A: My main responsibilities are to assist the coaches and administrators in any way they need help. Recruiting goes on all year and much time is spent doing mailings. I am also responsible for the team rosters which appear on the athletic Web pages, officials for all games, facility user memberships, faculty and staff lockers, coordinating our banquets and gate receipts at all home football games. I am also the administrative support person for the Adult Fitness Program.

Q: How often do you interact with Wesleyan coaches and Wesleyan athletes?

A: I interact with all coaches on a daily basis. I get to know students that come by the office frequently.

Q: What goes on during a day at the office?

A: Each day is different. You have to be able to work with interruptions and be ready to change your focus in a minute. Many prospective students and parents stop by the office daily and you always have to be ready to speak with them and get them to the coach they are seeking. I could be anywhere in this building and be working.

Q: Do you attend any of the athletic events at Wesleyan?

A: My husband and I attend many of the athletic events. We traveled to Florida over spring break the past few years with the women’s lacrosse team and have had a great time with the coaches and athletes. We also travel to some of the away events with Bowdoin being the longest trip.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: I like it here, the atmosphere is friendly and we have a great group of coaches and staff. I enjoy the changes that take place every season, which makes the job new and exciting, and rarely boring.

Q: What is your favorite sport?

A: My husband and I are golfers so we like to spend vacations playing golf. We have spent many vacations playing in North and South Carolina and Florida. I think the most famous courses we have played are Pinehurst and The Legends in North Carolina and Yale, TPC at River Highlands and Lake of Isles in Connecticut.

Q: Tell me about your family.

A: I have two children, and three grandchildren. My son and son-in-law are both golf course superintendents at private courses and my daughter is a physical education teacher in the Middletown school system. My grandsons are 4, 3 and 6 months. The 3-year-old already has a pretty mean golf swing. He asks to go to the course.

Q: Red Sox or Yankees?