Spring Break
Kowalczyk looks to build a lasting bond with the community
Nick Hubel, Sean Star and Chad Taylor
Issue date: 12/10/07 Section: Sports
For Kowalczyk, the hope is that the unrest is temporary, and that the steps he has been taking to build community relationships are more permanent than any coach or loss on a scoreboard.
And not all reaction to the end of the Lubick era has been negative. Jim Hunter, president of Ram Club-a organization of boosters and alum- said although "no one wanted to see Lubick go… Right or wrong, something had to be done."
Hunter said that there seems to be three types of fans divided on the issue: those who wanted to see Lubick fired, those who didn't want to see Lubick fired and those who wanted Lubick fired only under specific conditions.
"Whether they agree with the decision or disagree, I think that the main thing is that they need to support CSU," he said.
But long before a meeting last month with the 70-year-old Lubick to discuss the coach's retirement plans, Kowalczyk was determined to create change within several areas of the athletic department.
From his third floor office in the McGraw Athletic Center two months ago, Kowalczyk described driving around Fort Collins in his first few months as director and the disheartening feelings he had in seeing the lack of green and gold around town before last year's homecoming football game.
Rolling through north Fort Collins' Old Town district, window after window shone with nothing but signs for local sales and specials. No Ram signs, no Ram advertisements, no indication that Fort Collins was even a college town.
"There was absolutely no indication whatsoever that there was a football game about to be played or that it was really even homecoming," he said. "I just didn't see a lot of color. I didn't feel any kind of buzz or any kind of anticipation of what was happening, which was disappointing because this place has so much to offer as a town and as a community."
Almost immediately, Kowalczyk began to take action.
He met with city officials and together they lifted a ban restricting businesses of "excessive advertisement," which helped increase the appearance of Ram pride around town.
And not all reaction to the end of the Lubick era has been negative. Jim Hunter, president of Ram Club-a organization of boosters and alum- said although "no one wanted to see Lubick go… Right or wrong, something had to be done."
Hunter said that there seems to be three types of fans divided on the issue: those who wanted to see Lubick fired, those who didn't want to see Lubick fired and those who wanted Lubick fired only under specific conditions.
"Whether they agree with the decision or disagree, I think that the main thing is that they need to support CSU," he said.
But long before a meeting last month with the 70-year-old Lubick to discuss the coach's retirement plans, Kowalczyk was determined to create change within several areas of the athletic department.
From his third floor office in the McGraw Athletic Center two months ago, Kowalczyk described driving around Fort Collins in his first few months as director and the disheartening feelings he had in seeing the lack of green and gold around town before last year's homecoming football game.
Rolling through north Fort Collins' Old Town district, window after window shone with nothing but signs for local sales and specials. No Ram signs, no Ram advertisements, no indication that Fort Collins was even a college town.
"There was absolutely no indication whatsoever that there was a football game about to be played or that it was really even homecoming," he said. "I just didn't see a lot of color. I didn't feel any kind of buzz or any kind of anticipation of what was happening, which was disappointing because this place has so much to offer as a town and as a community."
Almost immediately, Kowalczyk began to take action.
He met with city officials and together they lifted a ban restricting businesses of "excessive advertisement," which helped increase the appearance of Ram pride around town.
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Peace Love
posted 12/15/07 @ 5:00 PM MST
Can we please have some input from the Fisheries program at CSU.
I thought Kowalczyk was a cross between a Coho, Walleye, and Musky.
Nice looking, but can't swim with the big fish. (Continued…)
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