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NIRSA 2006 Honor Award Presentation

Introductory remarks by Sam Hirt, CRSS, Vanderbilt University, 2004 Honor Award recipient

Sam Hirt

Good evening!

Thank you, Greg, for your introduction and to all of you for your kind welcome. 

It is indeed an honor to be here and to announce this year’s Honor Award recipient. There is an appropriate committee that performs the task of the selection process. This year’s committee was comprised of  (stand please):

• Ms. Kiki Alexander – NIRSA National Center Liaison
• Ms. Pat Besner – University of Toledo (2005 recipient)
• Mr. Ned Britt – Towson University
• Ms. Rhonda DuBord – University of Miami
• Ms. Natalie Kovac – Corvallis, Oregon

Thank you, honor award committee, for your service.

I feel it is important, especially for those who are not aware of the selection process, to understand some of the criteria for receiving our NIRSA Honor Award, the highest given out. To list a few:

• The candidate must be 35 years of age
• Must be a member of NIRSA
• Must have at least 8 years of experience in the field of recreational sports
• Should have shown evidence of outstanding leadership in the Association and in the workplace
• Should be a person of fine moral character

There are other admirable characteristics that are considered. Such as:

• Volunteerism
• Achievements in your workplace and with NIRSA

Our recipient was one of four children who came from a disciplined, hard-working family. Our candidate had many jobs at home during childhood. The first job was a paper route. This later led to a small college scholarship. Other jobs were delivering groceries three days a week, and mowing at the local cemetery. The family ran a theater, which required the candidate to be able to perform all tasks associated with the business. Our candidate also ran a swimming pool during the summer months.

This recipient apparently was born with the ability to persuade others if need be. Motor vehicle authorities issued (his/her) learner’s permit very early at age 14, and  more importantly, the candidate was able to talk school officials – i.e., the teacher – into letting the recipient receive early dismissal from school in the fifth grade to shag baseballs for the local high school. Thankfully the schoolteacher loved baseball also.

Unfortunately, the recipient was not as persuasive at home, since many meals were eaten on the basement steps because of our recipient being in trouble. All the home discipline must have paid off, because our recipient was Valedictorian of the high school class. 

Our recipient’s hobbies include:

• Building models
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Officiating
• Music of all kinds
• Giving mice to friends
• One short lived hobby was that of hunting – our recipient shot and killed a turtle dove with a b-b gun. Due to the kindness in our recipient’s heart, that shot also killed the desire for any future hunting.

Here are some of the attributes that several of the recipients’ colleagues have shared (for the sake of time, I will present in brief form).

• Possessing a servant's heart with a powerful, warm and friendly personality.
• Diligently served higher education and college students through working in campus recreational sports at several nationally recognized universities.
• Gained much respect due to this person’s strategic and visionary qualities: highly developed group dynamics skills; crafts a group’s work into specific action plans furthering NIRSA.
• Eternal optimist believing in people’s basic goodness. Risk taker with dreams.
• Demonstrates true humbleness and insistence that recognition be given to others.
• Our recipient inspires and brings out the best in our emerging leaders – new and experienced.
• The recipient’s humor caught my eye, but (her/his) message caught my attention.

Here are some statements that were made by your recipient:

It’s been said that our recipient loves everything about recreation and NIRSA work. Our winner feels fortunate to work in a field where he can say – "Thank God it's Monday" and likes going to work rather than dreading it.

Our 34-year NIRSA winner has not backed off, to my knowledge, of any committee, workshop, task force, or executive committee service. Some of the NIRSA service work involved many of you here tonight. A sampling of significant contributions definitely include: 

• Numerous state, regional, and national presentations, particularly in the area of sports officiating and Student Lead On topics.
• Has served as committee chair of the sport club championship committee, sports officiating committee and finance committee, and has also served on other numerous committees.
• Was National Managing Editor of the Recreational Sports Directory as well as National Advertising Manager.
• Graduate of NIRSA Executive Institute.
• Served as a Regional Vice President.
• Regional Award of Merit winner.
• Three-time conference director for the regional recreational sports conference.
• Active in securing USTA partnership.
• Active in initiation of the McKinley Report.
• Active in initiation of the Kerr-Downs Research Report.
• Member, Strategic Mapping Committee.
• Athletic Business Work Team contributor.
• Chair, NIRSA Annual Conference program committee.
• Developed a ‘member-friendly’ reservation system that allows friends, family and staff of NIRSA Institutional Members to be seated together at the Honor Award Banquet.
• Our Conferences and Exposition have been enlightened with music at the Annual Business meeting and general sessions held at the conference.

I forgot to mention two other significant contributions:

• Has served on the original NIRSA Services Corporation when established.
• Has served as President-elect; President; Past President and Past Presidents' representative. (Our recipient used this buffalo in Executive committee meetings to shut off excess discussion and rambling [squeeze] – this signifies that you are full of bull)

Our 2006 winner is unique and truly one of a kind! In closing, I want to quote from Psalm 139:14: “How you made me is amazing and wonderful – I praise you for that.”

Here is a little poem:

“I am special – this I know – for my thumbprint tells me so. No one else has one like me – I’m as special as can be.” This is our award winner.

The recipient is one we all desire to look like. One whose blood runs NIRSA blue. It apparently affects his hair from time to time [puts on wig].

I proudly introduce our 2006 Honor Award Winner, friend and colleague. The Associate Director of Recreation Services at the University of Colorado: John T. Meyer.

John Meyer's acceptance speech