For seven months Julie Smith has been working hard to bring some big changes to the athletics department and has worked hard to make advancements in athletics department.
Smith, the head softball coach, was named senior women’s administrator for the University of La Verne in July.
“It’s about helping the department and being part of a team,” she said.
According to the NCAA, the role of senior women’s administrator is to support gender equity in college athletic programs under Title IX and provide support for senior athletics management.
Smith’s responsibilities include going to meetings and conferences, supervising graduate assistants, helping with fundraising and coordinating these efforts with coaches throughout the program.
Smith works directly with Julie Kline, the interim athletic director.
“Julie brings tremendous experience to our athletics department,” Kline said. “We feel very fortunate to have her here. Julie has already made a positive impact with our softball program, with our student athletes and with our athletics department.”
Kline is not the only person who feels that Smith has worked hard and brought positive impact on the department.
Christie Joines, assistant to the athletic director, says she has seen many changes since Smith was given the position.
“Julie is inspirational and motivates. She has the other coaches fired up and all the ideas she is throwing out are getting people excited and energized,” Joines said.
Since the time Smith took the position, there have been some changes to the athletics department, especially in fundraising.
The fundraising has been getting many great ideas from Smith who has started working to get sponsorships from three or four different companies.
Smith has brought very out of the box ideas that have been helping to get the athletics department in the open and in the view of the whole school.
Besides being the senior women’s administrator, Smith is beginning her second season as softball coach.
The squad, which earned a berth in the NCAA national championship tournament last year, is currently 2-2 in nonconference play.
Esmeralda M. Cardenas can be reached at esmeralda.cardenas@laverne.edu.
