2008 Woodie Awards
Feezell reflects on athletics at Mac before departure
The sport's staff sit down with Feezell for one last one on one from the AD's departure
By: Nate Wilson-Traisman, Associate Sports Editor
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: Sports
In your eyes, how has the athletic program evolved in your three years at Macalester?
"I think there's a significant difference between athletics three years ago and now. The most obvious things have to do with recruitment ability both in terms of the synthetic surface of the stadium, the new baseball and softball fields and the MARC.
Additionally having the chance, in three years, to resurface, rebuild, or build new basically every athletic facility on campus speaks volumes about how far we've come…Also, though, we've done some things that probably aren't so obvious. One, we put in a lot of procedures and processes in terms of how to do things, whether its recruiting, budgeting, spending or evaluation…things that make the department grow that weren't as much in place three years ago. The second less obvious thing is the way the department has begun integration into campus, whether it's working with student affairs or other departments on campus.
It's not to suggest that those things were poor to begin with its just to suggest that that has become something more vigorous in the last three years."
When you look back on your time spent here, does the construction of the MARC stick out to you most?
"I think that would be at the top of the list if only because it's been, one, a very engaging process and two, a very much gratifying process. Third, it takes a lot of time and energy, down to the color of carpets and making sure that the door hooks get up. You've got all different kinds of details and that takes a lot…constructing a building of that size and of that depth, will certainly be a pinnacle of the period."
Do you have any sadness or mixed feelings about not being here for the MARC's opening?
"Of course. I mean that's something that you put your stamp on, you put your image into, and you'd like to sort of see it come to life, literally…On the other hand, the kind of opportunity that was presented to me to teach came along, and I felt it was the right opportunity."
"I think there's a significant difference between athletics three years ago and now. The most obvious things have to do with recruitment ability both in terms of the synthetic surface of the stadium, the new baseball and softball fields and the MARC.
Additionally having the chance, in three years, to resurface, rebuild, or build new basically every athletic facility on campus speaks volumes about how far we've come…Also, though, we've done some things that probably aren't so obvious. One, we put in a lot of procedures and processes in terms of how to do things, whether its recruiting, budgeting, spending or evaluation…things that make the department grow that weren't as much in place three years ago. The second less obvious thing is the way the department has begun integration into campus, whether it's working with student affairs or other departments on campus.
It's not to suggest that those things were poor to begin with its just to suggest that that has become something more vigorous in the last three years."
When you look back on your time spent here, does the construction of the MARC stick out to you most?
"I think that would be at the top of the list if only because it's been, one, a very engaging process and two, a very much gratifying process. Third, it takes a lot of time and energy, down to the color of carpets and making sure that the door hooks get up. You've got all different kinds of details and that takes a lot…constructing a building of that size and of that depth, will certainly be a pinnacle of the period."
Do you have any sadness or mixed feelings about not being here for the MARC's opening?
"Of course. I mean that's something that you put your stamp on, you put your image into, and you'd like to sort of see it come to life, literally…On the other hand, the kind of opportunity that was presented to me to teach came along, and I felt it was the right opportunity."
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