Iowa State athletic director has already made his mark
Pollard has re-engergized Cyclone fans
By Barry Poe Journal sports writer | Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Two decades ago, while excelling in track and field at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Jamie Pollard learned a valuable lesson.
"I was in individual sports, swimming and running, so I never had to say I didn't score because somebody didn't pass me the ball," said Pollard. "What you put into it is what you get out of it and I think that's rubbed off on how I work professionally."
Iowa State University has been the beneficiary.
Since being named athletic director at Iowa State on Sept. 19, 2005, the 42-year-old Pollard has poured his heart and soul into Cyclone athletics. The results have been swift and efficient.
His main focus has been the re-engagement of Cyclone fans, but the energetic former NCAA Division III national champion in the 5,000-meter run has put his mark on the program in many other ways.
Iowa State set a school record with 30,728 season football ticket sales in 2006, sold 9,955 season men's basketball tickets and increased membership in the National Cyclone Club. In fact, for the first six months of 2006-07, athletics fundraising raised $13.9 million, which broke the department's previous record for a full calendar year.
In addition, Pollard hired several new coaches, including football coach Gene Chizik, men's basketball coach Greg McDermott and wrestling coach Cael Sanderson, a former Olympic gold medalist.
"We're really excited about what's happening," said Pollard, the featured speaker at the annual Sertoma Club Sports Dinner Tuesday at the Sioux City Convention Center. "I call them mass metrics, season ticket sales and the number of people who have joined the National Cyclone Club.
"Both are way up, which tells us that people are buying into the message we've been delivering."
As for the coaches, including former University of Texas assistant Chizik, ex-Northern Iowa Coach McDermott and Sanderson, who guided the Cyclones to a runner-up finish in the NCAA national wrestling tournament, Pollard couldn't be more pleased.
"You are who you surround yourself with and right now we've got a really good core group of coaches and we've supplemented them with a couple of stars," said Pollard.
"I wasn't going to say no to Cale Sanderson," joked the personable Cyclone AD. "He could have coached football if he wanted to.
"I know the people of Iowa really know Coach McDermott well and we're going to have some fun in the future as he builds that program. And, I think people are really going to be excited about what they see out of Coach Chizik's team.
"He's been around some really proven winners and you can see that in how he operates and conducts his business. He's a CEO and that's what we needed at this point in time in the juncture of our football program."
Pollard stressed, though, that football is a sport that doesn't change overnight.
"There are 125 guys and you can only bring in 25 new ones at a time, so it's going to take a while to get the type of players that run the system and understand what they're trying to implement," said Pollard. "But at the same time, what I've really noticed is that the current student-athletes have really bought in and have put in the extra effort. That's exciting because they get one chance to be a student-athlete and coaching changes are tough for them, so I'm glad they're responding really well."
Pollard, who spent three years as the deputy athletic director at the University of Wisconsin, has also overseen the introduction of a $135 million facility plan, which includes renovation and enhancements to Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum.
"We're very proud of the fact that this winter we opened a new $10 million academic center," said Pollard. "It's a facility dedicated to the academic performance of our student-athletes, which is first and foremost.
"At the same time, we're working on our first phase of the football project, which will start at the end of the football season. That will include some additional suites, revamping the entire club section and adding new restrooms and concessions, and widening the concourse on the west side."
As far as Hilton Coliseum is concerned, Pollard said it's a great venue for basketball, but because it is operated not by Iowa State, but another entity, there is very little practice time in the facility. Another of the fundraising efforts, then, is to build a basketball and volleyball practice facility.
Steve Malchow, a Sioux City native and East High graduate, works alongside Pollard as the senior associate athletic director for communications. Malchow spent 16 years at the University of Wisconsin before coming to Iowa State in 2005.
"I couldn't be doing the job I'm doing if I didn't have Steve at my side," said Pollard. "We were hoping he could come tonight, and he would have loved to, but he just couldn't make it over here. He's doing a wonderful job at Iowa State."
"We said from the get-go we wanted to keep it fun," said Pollard, who received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1987. "As long as we're having fun and bringing entertainment and excitement to the fan base, everybody will enjoy what we're doing.
"My long term vision for Iowa State is that we get to a spot someday where people are envious they're not in the football stadium or Hilton Coliseum. That one day the day will come when you can't get a ticket to one of those sports and you're envious that you can't."
Prior to his stint at Wisconsin, Pollard served as associate athletic director for internal operations at St. Louis University and associate athletic director for administration at the University of Maryland.
Pollard and his wife, Ellen, have four children.
The Greater Siouxland Athletic Association inducted Amy (Wilhelm) Lefler, Steve Wilkinson and John Arnaud into its Hall of Fame during the banquet, sponsored for the 39th year by the Sioux City Noon Sertoma Club.
"I was in individual sports, swimming and running, so I never had to say I didn't score because somebody didn't pass me the ball," said Pollard. "What you put into it is what you get out of it and I think that's rubbed off on how I work professionally."
Iowa State University has been the beneficiary.
Since being named athletic director at Iowa State on Sept. 19, 2005, the 42-year-old Pollard has poured his heart and soul into Cyclone athletics. The results have been swift and efficient.
His main focus has been the re-engagement of Cyclone fans, but the energetic former NCAA Division III national champion in the 5,000-meter run has put his mark on the program in many other ways.
Iowa State set a school record with 30,728 season football ticket sales in 2006, sold 9,955 season men's basketball tickets and increased membership in the National Cyclone Club. In fact, for the first six months of 2006-07, athletics fundraising raised $13.9 million, which broke the department's previous record for a full calendar year.
In addition, Pollard hired several new coaches, including football coach Gene Chizik, men's basketball coach Greg McDermott and wrestling coach Cael Sanderson, a former Olympic gold medalist.
"We're really excited about what's happening," said Pollard, the featured speaker at the annual Sertoma Club Sports Dinner Tuesday at the Sioux City Convention Center. "I call them mass metrics, season ticket sales and the number of people who have joined the National Cyclone Club.
"Both are way up, which tells us that people are buying into the message we've been delivering."
As for the coaches, including former University of Texas assistant Chizik, ex-Northern Iowa Coach McDermott and Sanderson, who guided the Cyclones to a runner-up finish in the NCAA national wrestling tournament, Pollard couldn't be more pleased.
"You are who you surround yourself with and right now we've got a really good core group of coaches and we've supplemented them with a couple of stars," said Pollard.
"I wasn't going to say no to Cale Sanderson," joked the personable Cyclone AD. "He could have coached football if he wanted to.
"I know the people of Iowa really know Coach McDermott well and we're going to have some fun in the future as he builds that program. And, I think people are really going to be excited about what they see out of Coach Chizik's team.
"He's been around some really proven winners and you can see that in how he operates and conducts his business. He's a CEO and that's what we needed at this point in time in the juncture of our football program."
Pollard stressed, though, that football is a sport that doesn't change overnight.
"There are 125 guys and you can only bring in 25 new ones at a time, so it's going to take a while to get the type of players that run the system and understand what they're trying to implement," said Pollard. "But at the same time, what I've really noticed is that the current student-athletes have really bought in and have put in the extra effort. That's exciting because they get one chance to be a student-athlete and coaching changes are tough for them, so I'm glad they're responding really well."
Pollard, who spent three years as the deputy athletic director at the University of Wisconsin, has also overseen the introduction of a $135 million facility plan, which includes renovation and enhancements to Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum.
"We're very proud of the fact that this winter we opened a new $10 million academic center," said Pollard. "It's a facility dedicated to the academic performance of our student-athletes, which is first and foremost.
"At the same time, we're working on our first phase of the football project, which will start at the end of the football season. That will include some additional suites, revamping the entire club section and adding new restrooms and concessions, and widening the concourse on the west side."
As far as Hilton Coliseum is concerned, Pollard said it's a great venue for basketball, but because it is operated not by Iowa State, but another entity, there is very little practice time in the facility. Another of the fundraising efforts, then, is to build a basketball and volleyball practice facility.
Steve Malchow, a Sioux City native and East High graduate, works alongside Pollard as the senior associate athletic director for communications. Malchow spent 16 years at the University of Wisconsin before coming to Iowa State in 2005.
"I couldn't be doing the job I'm doing if I didn't have Steve at my side," said Pollard. "We were hoping he could come tonight, and he would have loved to, but he just couldn't make it over here. He's doing a wonderful job at Iowa State."
"We said from the get-go we wanted to keep it fun," said Pollard, who received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1987. "As long as we're having fun and bringing entertainment and excitement to the fan base, everybody will enjoy what we're doing.
"My long term vision for Iowa State is that we get to a spot someday where people are envious they're not in the football stadium or Hilton Coliseum. That one day the day will come when you can't get a ticket to one of those sports and you're envious that you can't."
Prior to his stint at Wisconsin, Pollard served as associate athletic director for internal operations at St. Louis University and associate athletic director for administration at the University of Maryland.
Pollard and his wife, Ellen, have four children.
The Greater Siouxland Athletic Association inducted Amy (Wilhelm) Lefler, Steve Wilkinson and John Arnaud into its Hall of Fame during the banquet, sponsored for the 39th year by the Sioux City Noon Sertoma Club.
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