Thursday, April 30, 2020

by Dave Reed – Colorado College, Associate Director of Athletics Communications
CoSIDA Special Awards Committee member

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Loving. Passionate. Loyal.

Those are three of the essential character traits that have guided Blake Timm throughout his career as the long-time sports information director at Pacific University and as the current Assistant Commissioner for Communications at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference – and to earning a place in the CoSIDA Hall of Fame.

One of the first obligations facing award recipients is thanking the people who have had a positive impact on their professional success. Mentors, colleagues, bosses and loved ones are always at the top of the list.

In Timm's case, no one influenced his Hall-of-Fame career more than his wife of 20 years, Melissa.

While many who work in athletics communications profess that it's difficult to develop and maintain personal relationships due in part to the many demands of the profession, Timm points out that he may be the first person to ever pursue an SID position just to get closer to the woman he loves.

After graduating from Pacific in 1998, Timm took a position as news and sports director at KCMB Radio in La Grande, five hours east of Forest Grove. Melissa stayed in town with a teaching position in the Forest Grove School District. It took Blake a year to join her in Forest Grove and return to Pacific as sports information director.

A little more than a year after graduating with a degree in journalism, Blake, a former cross country and track student-athlete, was back at his alma mater despite having exactly zero experience in sports information. As a student newspaper reporter and play-by-play announcer, Timm had been a regular presence in the sports information office. Yet, work as the public address announcer for Boxer volleyball and basketball is where the experience ended.

Fortunately for Timm, he had the benefit of knowing his way around the university and its athletics department. He soon would learn that he joined a fraternity of some of the best sports information directors in the country as the newest member of the Northwest Conference.

Among the many colleagues who quickly shared their wisdom and experience with Timm were Kelly Bird (Linfield), Blair Cash (George Fox), Nick Dawson (Pacific Lutheran), Steve Flegel (Whitworth) and Cliff Voliva (Willamette).

"I had a lot to learn," Timm said as he reflected on the early years of his career in sports information. "They helped show me how the job is done and done well, and it was those people who set me on my career path."

Obviously, it didn't take Timm long to make the adjustment from being the new kid on the block to one of the most respected athletics communications professionals in the country.

In 2007 and 2011, Timm was selected by his peers as winner of the Jack Sareault Award as the Northwest Conference's Sports Information Director of the Year. He also has been honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), USA Volleyball and Swimming World magazine for his outstanding work. Within CoSIDA, Blake has earned more than 30 Publication and Digital Design Contest awards and 16 Fred Stabley, Sr., Writing Contest honors.

Timm ran a one-person shop for his first 11 years at Pacific, relying on the help of a cadre of student workers. He has blessed with a number of talented students and assistants over the years, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in athletic communications. His former interns or assistants currently are working at LSU, Sweet Briar College, Eastern Oregon, the PacWest Conference and USA Volleyball.

Five years ago, Blake shifted in his career. In 2015, Timm changed directions when he accepted his current position with the GNAC, which is located on the east side of Portland.

Timm remains loyal to those who have worked for him as well as those who mentored him while he developed the wide variety of skills needed to become one of the most respected communicators in the business.

An example of the importance Timm places on relationships was clearly demonstrated when he was asked to recount some of his favorite memories from past CoSIDA Conventions.

The first moment that came to mind was seeing Western Washington University's Paul Madison, a career-long friend and mentor, inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 2011 in Marco Island, Florida. Timm fondly remembers the thrilled look on Madison's face as Dick Enberg narrated his introduction.

Another favorite memory was having the opportunity to tell former student intern (and Pacific softball student-athlete) Chelsey Chamberlain that she would be the recipient of the 2017 Rising Star Award in the University Division.

Chamberlain, who was on the road with the University of New Mexico basketball team, took Timm's call while at the scorer's table during the team's shoot-around and her emotional reaction was clear to everyone who was there. (Note: Chamberlain is now with the LSU athletic communications staff.)

Absent from Timm's initial list of memories was receiving the Warren Berg Award that same year, which signifies the emphasis he places on taking pride in the success of his friends and colleagues.

In addition to training those who had the good fortune to work with him, Blake also spent a considerable amount of time sharing his wealth of knowledge and talents with CoSIDA.

A sampling of the many positions Timm has held in the organization include two terms on CoSIDA's Board of Directors, Chair of the CoSIDA College Division Management Advisory Committee, Chair of the (former) Membership Services Committee, and District Coordinator of CoSIDA Academic All-America Committee.

He developed and presented the CoSIDA Division III Salary and Job Responsibility Survey in 2005, helped introduce CoSIDA's Rising Star Award in 2005 and was at the forefront of helping develop & launch CoSIDA's online Membership Resource Library in 2012.

Blake frequently shares his expertise and knowledge of our profession at the annual CoSIDA Convention, having served as a moderator and/or panelist on multiple occasions since 2009. He often presents or moderates on the topic that is most near and dear to his heart - finding the proper balance between family and professional responsibilities.

For the last 21 years, Timm has put a great deal of effort into producing that balance, and the end result has been an incredible family life he shares with Melissa and their two daughters, Hannah and Sydney.

"I remember my first CoSIDA in 2001 in San Diego," Timm says. "Someone said it was impossible to be a good SID and have a family. That stuck with me as a reminder that sports information is a passion as well as a profession, and that it can take over your life.

"The irony is that many colleagues who I consider great SIDs have long marriages and great families. It takes work, but it can be done."

Throughout his career, Timm has managed to balance those responsibilities and demands of being a father, a husband and an athletics communications professional. He continues to make a positive impact on those who are lucky enough to know him, especially Hannah and Sydney.

"We need to make time for our families," says Timm, who relishes being present at the many performances of his talented daughters. "My most important legacy is to make my children the best people they can be."