Posted: Sep 22, 2020
Between Two Desks with John Malin
Welcome to Between Two Desks, an interview series where St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Commissioner Dr. Dick Kaiser talks with Athletic Directors from around the league. Throughout the series get to learn more about each school's A.D., how they got to the position they are in, and why they love working in athletics. Today we meet John Malin, Athletic Director at Blackburn College.
Forty-two years ago, John Malin decided to attend college at Blackburn College after taking a gap year between his high school graduation and the start of his college career. I don't think even John realized that decision would keep him engaged as either a student or a full-time professional in Carlinville for the next 42 years. I recently had the opportunity to speak with John in an extended interview and these are some excerpts from that discussion.
Where did you grow up?
I'd call myself a locally grown kid. I grew up in West Central Illinois in the small town of Whitehall where I attended North Green High School. I think the high school had somewhere between 500-600 students attending and my graduating class was about 100 or so. I was like most kids back in the '60s, I played every sport imaginable and I'd leave the house early in the morning and had to be home before it got dark.
What sports did you participate in during high school?
My high school was a basketball school. I think I pounded the basketball from the time I could dribble all the way through my senior year. Besides being in sports, my parents "convinced me" to take piano lessons and between sports and piano, that was pretty much my life. My main three sports in high school were cross country, basketball, and baseball. I ran cross country because the basketball coach said we would and I actually ended up being recruited as a cross country runner. In high school, I think I earned something like 14 varsity letters, so I stayed pretty active.
Where did you attend college and did you play college sports?
When I got out of high school, I thought I would challenge the idea that you had to have a college degree to make a good living. So I took a year off and worked all types of odd jobs and traveled a bit too. It didn't take me long to figure out that I needed to go back to school and that's when I chose to go to Blackburn College. I played basketball my first year along with baseball but then realized the overlap between the two seasons was a lot. I had to work quite a few hours to make it financially through college so I had to make some tough decisions. I ended up playing baseball for all four years as either the second baseman or the shortstop and interestingly enough, I was recruited by the soccer team to play soccer in my sophomore and junior year even though I had never played soccer. My best college sport was definitely baseball and I really enjoyed my time on the team.
What convinced you to go into athletics as a profession?
After graduating from college, there was a position available on the Blackburn campus in the admissions area. I applied for the job but I didn't get the position. The Director of Admissions told me that if I could stay busy for a year, then he'd really consider me when another position opened the following year. I really liked the college atmosphere, so I took another gap year off and worked all kinds of jobs plus traveled to Colorado to ski. I worked in restaurants, a men's clothing store, and cut grass in the summers and then I finally got my first full-time job at Blackburn in the area of admissions. I spent 35 years in admissions at Blackburn and served as the Director Admissions for the college for many of those years. The Athletic Department at Blackburn had seen many A.D.'s in a short amount of time in the mid-2000s, and so in 2016, I was sort of recruited to become the A.D. to provide some longevity and stability to the program.
Within your resume, what were some of the more important stops along your professional career?
I think my many years of experience in the area of admissions really helped me to transition to the athletic world. As Admissions Director I had mentored and worked with a large staff, I had a considerable amount of experience fiscally handling budgets. I had evaluated personnel and been involved with event management. So really, it was a natural move to athletics for me. All the time I spent in admissions, helped me to learn about the school, the academic opportunities, and the work program. I took those learning opportunities and moved them to athletics where many of the responsibilities and expectations are the same. I really like giving personal attention to the student-athletes and coaches, which I feel has helped our retention and maintaining a consistent coaching staff.
Are there any specific individuals that feel were great mentors that helped you along the way?
First, I would say Joe Ramsey was a huge influence. Joe was the head basketball coach and A.D. in the early 2000s. He was an absolute-gentlemen and I learned a lot from Joe about athletics even though I was in admissions. The second person would be Gene Baker. Gene was one of the winningest high school soccer coaches in Illinois. He is in the high school hall of fame and just was a terrific coach. Gene came to Blackburn after he retired from high school coaching and he taught me to always be a student of the game, always stay up to speed on what's happening in the profession, and pursue life to its fullest. Another would be Mary Gossner, a Blackburn graduate who spent her career at Blackburn. She taught me a lot about the value of the work program. And finally, Jim Parker, who was the A.D. at Blackburn when I was a student worker for him. He taught me about organization, delegation, and to continue to hustle to get things done.
What experiences along the way best prepared you to become an Athletic Director?
I think there is a lot of carry-over from admissions. The various reports I had done previously helped me with the expectations in athletics. I think my experience handling large staffs also helped as I had to serve as a mentor and motivator in admissions. I had multiple experiences working with budgets; but learning the fundraising aspect has been a new experience. I think the past relationships I had built with former students has really helped in that area. In athletics, when compared to admissions, coaches have strong personalities but overall I'd say the transition has gone smooth.
What do you find most rewarding about your current Athletic Director position?
Year in and year out, my favorite event of the year is graduation. Getting to see students that you assisted along their path to graduation is very rewarding to me. Through a four-year span, you get to assist and watch students grow and mature into truly fine adults. And then I'd also say, it is very rewarding when a former student gives back to his alma mater either through financial means, service, or some other donation. That, to me, means the college experience meant something to them and I am proud to be a small part of it.
Not counting the pandemic, what have you found to be the most taxing as it relates to your position?
I think one of the hardest parts about the position of the A.D. is the amount of multi-tasking that you are asked to do. It seems you start every day with a game plan and it isn't long before that plan is blown up by the constant demands and mini-forest fires you need to address. At times it is very frustrating that you can't totally complete a project or something to the level you think it should be addressed and completed. And lastly, I would say, the long hours can wear you down at times and unfortunately, the demands and expectations of the position can cause some sleepless nights.
As a coach or administrator, what has been a real highlight in your career?
I need to go back to graduation day again. The joy and sense of accomplishment within the student's eyes and faces are one of my biggest pleasures. It is a very special day for the students and for their parents. Secondly, I would say our senior banquet is really a special moment for me. The students get their Blackburn College blanket and the pride they show is really something I always look forward to each year.
What advice would you give to every student-athlete about their college experience?
Through the years, I've pretty much given every Blackburn student I have contact with the same advice – "Make sure you take advantage of every opportunity you can at Blackburn. As many have done before you, make this place special for not only yourself but for all those that will follow you".
Finally, as we close this Q & A, please tell me about your family.
I have been married to my wife, Monica, for 39 years. We met as students at Blackburn. She is in the banking business in Springfield but has been an absolute 'Saint' as it relates to our association and life we have spent with Blackburn College. My daughter, Emily, is a Blackburn College graduate and is a middle school teacher in Central Illinois. And my son, Joseph, is also a Blackburn College graduate and works for Bayer in the area of logistics.
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