Between Two Desks with Scott Kilgallon

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 AD, how they got to the position they are in, and why they love working in athletics. Today we meet Scott Kilgallon, Athletic Director at Webster University.

Scott Kilgallon, the Athletic Director at Webster University, was a slightly built kid from the Boston, Massachusetts area whose true passion was he just wanted to play hockey. But when that dream never came together, ultimately he ended up becoming an outstanding collegiate and professional distance runner that took him on an unusual path to becoming an athletic director. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Scott in an extended interview and these are some excerpts from that discussion.

How long have you been at Webster University?
I became the Athletic Director at Webster in 2014 so I am currently entering into my seventh year at the university

Where did you grow up?
I basically come from the poorer side of Boston and I attended JFK elementary school. As a kid, all I wanted to do is play street hockey and pond hockey in the winter-time. There were lights where we played so we would be out there playing all the time. My family was not wealthy, so I started actually working as a 9-year old caddy for a local country club. Eventually, I worked my way up to be in the bag room and I kept that job all through grade school and into high school.  All the money I and my siblings earned helped our family to make ends meet.

Did you participate in sports in high school?
I went to Canton High School in the Boston area. As I said earlier, I grew up playing street and pond hockey throughout my early years but I was never on a formal travel team or had lessons. That's really all I wanted to do was play hockey so it became a tricky part of my life because when I went out for the high school team hockey team I got cut. I was a 70-pound freshman and I was cut from the one sport I really loved. I was very fortunate the cross country-track coach sort of took me under his wing and eventually I ended up developing into a pretty good cross country and indoor-outdoor track distance runner.

Where did you attend college and did you participate in college athletics?
After high school, I was ready to go into the Army but I ended up being a recruited student-athlete for the cross country and track teams at Central Connecticut State College. I was a 90-pound freshman when I first showed up at Central but I ran all four years in cross country and indoor-outdoor track. I ran distances like the two-mile races, 5000 and 10,000 meters as well as road races. I once was fortunate once to win a prestigious Plainview 5 Mile Road race which made me a state champion. Our teams in college were pretty good and we often beat East Coast heavies like the University of Connecticut, Yale, and others in the Ivy League. After college, I continued running and signed professionally with Saucony and ran under their sponsorship for 10 years.  

What convinced you to go into athletics as a profession?
I graduated from Central Connecticut in 1981 with a Bachelor's degree in graphics management. When I got out of college, my first full-time position was that of a cartographer – map reading. I stayed in that job until the early 1990's when the recession hit and I needed a change. With two kids and a mortgage, I knew I needed to get a Master's degree and I finally completed that process at Lesley University in 1996 by going part-time and to night school. My first opportunity in college administration came at tiny Southern Vermont University where I was asked to develop an athletic program, coach, and be the athletic director. That position was very gratifying and I eventually was chosen to be in their Hall of Fame in 2019. After six years, I left Southern Vermont and became the Athletic Director at Wisconsin-Eau Claire for 10 years from 2004-2014. In April of 2014, I was chosen as the new Athletic Director at Webster.

Within your resume, where were your most important professional stops along the way that helped you?
Believe it or not, one of my most important professional stops was between semesters in college, I would be a substitute in the day and at night I was a night-time janitor. That experience taught me about always doing things right and not taking short cuts. The Southern Vermont job was a phenomenal experience because we were kind of like "Last Chance U'. We would take kids that were high risk and most were first-generation college attendees. We got the kids to buy into the fact that if they worked hard, they would see the results. Moving from Southern Vermont to Wisconsin-Eau Claire was a big transition. The Wisconsin state schools have huge enrollments and there are expectations. Winning 3 national championships was obviously a hugely positive experience and the year Eau-Claire won the D-III hockey championship was probably my favorite.

Are there any specific individuals that feel were great mentors that helped you along the way?
First, my parents basically came from nothing and made a life for our family through hard work and perseverance. They set an example that obviously has had a huge impact on my life. Secondly would be my high school coach, Mr. King. Unknown to many because he was so humble, he was second-ranked in the world in running so he really didn't have to spend time with a skinny kid like me. But for some reason, he appreciated how hard I worked and I will be eternally grateful for how much effort he put into training me. We became lifelong friends and we stayed in touch regularly until the day he passed. He was the reason I ended up being a recruited athlete and got the chance to go to college.

What experiences along the way best prepared you to be an AD at the college level?
I would say my business background and being in private business have been very helpful during my athletic career. The world of athletic administration is no longer being filled with retiring coaches, but they are individuals that have trained to handle athletics like a business. Renaissance AD's like Mark Murphy is now the type of individual getting hired. The current Green Bay Packers President comes from a business background so the world of athletic administration has really changed.

What do you find most rewarding within your position as the Athletic Director?
I love to see the student-athletes grow as individuals and then graduate, that gives me great satisfaction. I appreciate it when a graduate asks me for a professional or graduate school reference and then reports back that they got the position or accepted. That is always a highlight for me being in my position.

Not counting the pandemic, what have you found to be the most taxing as it relates to your position?
The position of being an athletic director gets tougher and tougher each year. It's not just game administration and budget management, but now it's the countless reports that have to be completed for the NCAA. At times, the constant requests for additional information from the schools become very cumbersome to complete because they all take so much time. I'd say that much of my day I spend 25% on Webster and much of the rest is spent trying to satisfy the requests for information. The job of an athletic director has really become more about checks and balances for everyone.

As a coach or administrator, what has been a real highlight in your career?
First I would say getting Southern Vermont into the NCAA was really a big highlight. That school made so many strides while I was there that I am proud of that experience. Next, I think I'd have to say the three national championships that Wisconsin Eau-Claire was able to win while I was AD. Winning any type of championship is a memorable occasion but winning national championships was very special. I'd say hosting the regional D-III baseball championship here at Webster and overcoming all the weather adversity during the days of the championship was really a 'tip of the hat' to all the Webster staff that worked. Lastly, I'd say the continued success Webster has had within the conference gives me great pride. We have some terrific coaches and quality student-athletes.

What advice would you give to every student-athlete about their college experience?
I would tell them to make sure they 'connect the dots' during their time at Webster.  I would encourage them to work hard at everything they do and don't be afraid to take calculated risks to pursue their individual possibilities. Finally, I would remind them to not chase the all mighty dollar, but instead, look to find something they are passionate about and enjoy the experience of doing what you look forward to each day.

Finally, as we close this Q & A, please tell me about your family.
My wife, Jenny, works as a personal fitness trainer and understands nutrition and it's many benefits for fitness. My son James, lives in Boston and works in middle management. My daughter, Alice, lives in Los Angeles and works in the art industry. And finally, my step-daughter, Jackie, lives in North Carolina and is a special education teacher who just earned her Master's degree at Webster. 

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