PHOENIX, Arizona, June 4. SWIMMING World is proud to announce its eighth annual Sports Information Director of the Year award. Swimming Canada’s Nathan White has earned the 2014 honor. The Swimming World SID of the Year is an “editor’s award” chosen solely by General Manager of Media Properties Jason Marsteller, a former SID.
SIDs are the media relations professionals who can make life so much easier for media members within the sporting community. This type of public relations professional is even more necessary in sports like swimming that don’t get the usual amount of media attention that football, baseball or basketball do at the national level. The great SIDs are the ones that are always finding ways to make sure that their constituents get the credit they deserve, and always work to help the media with their daily needs.
With these concepts in mind, Swimming World considered not only how well SIDs facilitated our own media requests throughout the year but also how they worked to promote their own programs in ways outside of Swimming World.
White has one of the most difficult positions in the world of swimming, but when done well – it is worth such an honor. Swimming Canada’s media relations director not only has a fairly small department in terms of resources, but it is able to compete with some of the top swimming nations in the world in terms of coverage and media attention. Add in the requirement to be bilingual as Canada has both English and French-speaking constituencies, and White has his hands full.
“This is a tremendous honour for him and we very proud of Nathan,” Swimming Canada CEO Ahmed El-Awadi said. “He has worked hard to connect the sport of swimming and Canadian swimmers with the general public through various media channels. He picked up where his predecessor left off with the goal of keeping momentum going and even raising the bar further, and he has done a great job of that. His strength is his dedicated connection to the athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers. He connects with people easily then works hard to tell a story we can all relate to or aspire to.”
Other SIDs were named honorable mention for the award based on their strong professional work.
2014 Honorees:
SID of the Year: Nathan White (Swimming Canada)
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Scott Ball (California), Herb Benenson (California), Steven Colquitt (Georgia), Travis Feldhaus (Texas), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Seth Medvin (Florida), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Amanda Pruitt (Tennessee), Melanie Schneider (Indiana)
National Governing Body Ranks:
Ian Hepenstall (Swimming New Zealand), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Jennifer Lowery (USA Diving), Greg Mescall (USA Water Polo), Lachlan Searle (Swimming Australia)
2013 Honorees:
SIDs of the Year: Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Amanda Pruitt (Tennessee)
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Scott Ball (California), Dean Caparaz (California), Steven Colquitt (Georgia), Travis Feldhaus (Texas), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Brad Marquardt (Texas A&M), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Melanie Schneider (Indiana), Wes Todd (Auburn)
National Governing Body Ranks:
Ian Hepenstall (Swimming New Zealand), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Jennifer Lowery (USA Diving), Greg Mescall (USA Water Polo), Lachlan Searle (Swimming Australia), Nathan White (Swimming Canada)
Click here for 2013 announcement.
2012 Honorees:
SID of the Year: Martin Richard (Swimming Canada)
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Niall Adler (Stanford), Scott Ball (California), Jason Behenna (Seattle), Ben Blevins (Texas), Dean Caparaz (California), Steven Colquitt (Georgia), Susie Epp (Arizona), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Brad Marquardt (Texas A&M), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Jenn Mereby (Florida), Todd Mounce (Tennessee), Katharine Palmer (Virginia), Melanie Schneider (Indiana), Wes Todd (Auburn)
National Governing Body Ranks:
Jamie Fabos Olsen (USA Swimming), Ian Hepenstall (Swimming New Zealand), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Jennifer Lowery (USA Diving), Greg Mescall (USA Water Polo), Lachlan Searle (Swimming Australia), Matt Whewell (USA Swimming)
Click here for 2012 announcement.
2011 Honorees:
SID of the Year: Steve Colquitt (Georgia)
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Niall Adler (Stanford), Jerry Emig (Ohio State), Travis Feldhaus (Texas), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Blake Grimsley (Arizona), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Kendra Lee (Auburn), Brad Marquardt (Texas A&M), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Todd Mounce (Tennessee), Kyle Niblett (Florida), Katharine Palmer (Virginia), Melanie Schneider (Indiana).
National Governing Body Ranks:
Jamie Fabos Olsen (USA Swimming), Yana Ivanova (Swimming South Africa), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Jennifer Lowery (USA Diving), Greg Mescall (USA Water Polo), Taylor Payne (USA Synchro), Martin Richard (Swimming Canada), Lachlan Searle (Swimming Australia).
Click here for 2011 announcement.
2010 Honorees:
SIDs of the Year: Kelly Reynolds (Florida), Melanie Schneider (Indiana)
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Niall Adler (Stanford), Steven Colquitt (Georgia), Jerry Emig (Ohio State), Travis Feldhaus (Texas), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Blake Grimsley (Arizona), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Kendra Lee (Auburn), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Katharine Palmer (Virginia), Derek Satterfield (Purdue), Zach Stipe (Tennessee).
National Governing Body Ranks:
Jamie Fabos Olsen (USA Swimming), Erin Greene (USA Swimming), Yana Ivanova (Swimming South Africa), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Jennifer Lowery (USA Diving), Greg Mescall (USA Water Polo), Taylor Payne (USA Synchro), Martin Richard (Swimming Canada), Lachlan Searle (Swimming Australia).
Click here for 2010 announcement.
2009 Honorees:
SIDs of the Year: Chris Harrell, Texas A&M; Justin Kischefsky, Navy
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Matt Crouch (Auburn), Travis Feldhaus (Texas), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Brad Marquardt (Texas A&M), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Kelly Reynolds (Florida), Derek Satterfield (Purdue), Melanie Schneider (Indiana), Zach Stipe (Tennessee), Gary Thorne (Auburn).
National Governing Body Ranks:
Jamie Fabos Olsen (USA Swimming), Erin Greene (USA Swimming), Ian Hanson (Swimming Australia), Yana Ivanova (Swimming South Africa), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Jennifer Lowery (USA Diving), Greg Mescall (USA Water Polo), Taylor Payne (USA Synchro), Martin Richard (Swimming Canada), Cameron Schuh (NCAA).
Click here for 2009 announcement.
2008 Honorees:
SID of the Year: Travis Feldhaus, Texas
Honorable Mention:
Collegiate Ranks:
Matt Crouch (Auburn), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Chris Harrell (Texas A&M), Jeremiah Hergott (Michigan), Jeff Keiser (Minnesota), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Kendra Lee (Ohio State), Chris Macaluso (Purdue), Doug Meffley (Northwestern), Jessica Raber (Washington), Casey Self (Tennessee), Jakob Skipper (William & Mary), Ryan Sosin (Michigan).
National Governing Body Ranks:
Jamie Fabos (USA Swimming), Erin Greene (USA Swimming), Ian Hanson (Swimming Australia), Yana Ivanova (Swimming South Africa), Karen Linhart (USA Swimming), Martin Richard (Swimming Canada).
Click here for 2008 announcement.
2007 Honorees:
SID of the Year: Doug Meffley, Northwestern
Honorable Mention: Travis Feldhaus (Texas), Paul Goldberg (Southern California), Chris Harrell (Texas A&M), Jeff Keiser (Minnesota), Justin Kischefsky (Navy), Kristie Le (Atlantic Coast Conference), Jakob Skipper (William & Mary).
Click here for 2007 announcement.