2008 Woodie Awards
Q & A with Athletic Director Travis Feezell
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Sports
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Athletic Director Travis Feezell sits down with a Mac weekly sports editor to discuss his experiences and decisions during his first year at Macalester.
Administrative changes have been consistently made across several departments this past year. Athletics was no different, as Travis Feezell, former director of athletics at Whitman College, took over as athletic director the departure of Irv Cross. Feezell, who is about to finish his first full year as overseer of the Macalester Athletic Department, reflects on the year's experience and looks to the future with ambition, enthusiasm, and determination.
Mac Weekly: What was it that made you decide to come to Macalester, and the Midwest/Minnesota?
Travis Feezell: Professionally, I saw some great opportunities, being at Whitman prior to coming here, which is a similar school, Macalester too is a small, private, liberal arts, elite academics. Particularly, having the opportunity to shape an athletics program, both the direction of varsity sports and also hoping to grow some recreational programs, including club sports and intramural sports.
I have been able to engage in some capital projects, the new athletic facility as well as the turf project on the stadium that will go forward this summer and potentially another project involving the softball and baseball fields. Those are opportunities that just don't come along very often. With the combination of both personal and professional, it really wasn't too hard of a decision to say “yes.”
MW: So, being a native Midwesterner, you didn't have any problems with the weather or community?
TF: No, not at all. In fact, I wish it had been a snowier and colder winter. But, I love the community. I intentionally bought a house about half a mile from campus, so we're right here in St. Paul. The running joke in our family is that we're 10 minutes from everything, and we like that. Overall, it's a wonderful community and I've really enjoyed being here.
Administrative changes have been consistently made across several departments this past year. Athletics was no different, as Travis Feezell, former director of athletics at Whitman College, took over as athletic director the departure of Irv Cross. Feezell, who is about to finish his first full year as overseer of the Macalester Athletic Department, reflects on the year's experience and looks to the future with ambition, enthusiasm, and determination.
Mac Weekly: What was it that made you decide to come to Macalester, and the Midwest/Minnesota?
Travis Feezell: Professionally, I saw some great opportunities, being at Whitman prior to coming here, which is a similar school, Macalester too is a small, private, liberal arts, elite academics. Particularly, having the opportunity to shape an athletics program, both the direction of varsity sports and also hoping to grow some recreational programs, including club sports and intramural sports.
I have been able to engage in some capital projects, the new athletic facility as well as the turf project on the stadium that will go forward this summer and potentially another project involving the softball and baseball fields. Those are opportunities that just don't come along very often. With the combination of both personal and professional, it really wasn't too hard of a decision to say “yes.”
MW: So, being a native Midwesterner, you didn't have any problems with the weather or community?
TF: No, not at all. In fact, I wish it had been a snowier and colder winter. But, I love the community. I intentionally bought a house about half a mile from campus, so we're right here in St. Paul. The running joke in our family is that we're 10 minutes from everything, and we like that. Overall, it's a wonderful community and I've really enjoyed being here.
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