As much as we focus during the holidays on the giving and receiving of gifts, it’s important to make room for gratitude, too.
I’ve been reminded of that lately in my personal life. On Oct. 22, I broke the top of my arm in three places in an accident on my day job, and my father insisted on coming up from Nebraska to North Dakota to help out while I started my recovery.
I’m the kind of person who hates asking for help with just about anything, and the past couple of months have taught me to be better about that, and about paying things forward. Thank you, Dad. I appreciate you more than you know.
I also want to shout out the NCHC member schools’ sports information directors, past and present. I’ve always wanted to write a column like this, and with Minnesota Duluth about to name the Amsoil Arena press box for former Bulldogs SID Bob Nygaard, now’s the time.
Nygaard was among a now shrinking number of the NCHC’s original team SIDs, but his start with UMD’s athletic department far predates the birth of the NCHC. He became the university’s assistant SID in September 1983, then headed that department later that year.
He entered the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame in 2015. It was a much-deserved honor for a SID who spearheaded numerous community and Bulldog team initiatives during his tenure at his hometown university.
On top of creating promotional campaigns for a NCAA-record six different Hobey Baker Award-winning Bulldogs, Nygaard in 2003 created the Shjon Podein Community Award, given annually to a UMD student-athlete who best combines leadership qualities and local humanitarian contributions.
The UMD Team Impact Award, given annually to the university’s team with the most community service hours per player, was also one of Nygaard’s initiatives, as were several local grade school-related programs.
Nygaard’s position at UMD was eliminated in April 2020, one of many taken out as part of what the university said were planned budget cuts and not related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, it sadly marked the end of a 37-year era for the longest-serving member of UMD’s athletic department.
Naming the Amsoil press box after Nygaard is unquestionably the right decision, and I’m glad to see him honored for his decades of work. I hope that he gets a standing ovation when the ceremony takes place Jan. 7, when UMD hosts Bemidji State.
At the risk of sounding like I’m kissing up to them, the NCHC has always been full of great characters helping to boost the profiles of their respective schools. We, reporters and fans alike, are in their debt.
Thank your local SIDs. Like great parents, they’re never thanked enough.
