By: Andrew Middleman '09, Sports Information Student Assistant
Kevin Ruple with
CoSIDA Executive
Director and longtime
friend, John Humenik
BEREA, OHIO -- Baldwin-Wallace College sports information director Kevin Ruple was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors Association's (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame this past Wednesday, July, 2008 at its annual banquet in Tampa, Florida. Being inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame is significant for Ruple's hard work, dedication, and contributions to the field of sports information over the past 25 years and one would be hard pressed to find few as worthy.
"Kevin is definitely most deserving of this honor," said Julie Work '98, a former Kevin Ruple student assistant who is now the Director of Communication for the National Collegiate Directors of Athletics in Westlake, Ohio. "He was the one who broke me into the field and working with him was an experience. I didn't work in sports information until he gave me the opportunity to serve as his assistant. I learned many things from him and he was a big factor in jump-starting my career."
Work also commented on the attitude Ruple takes with his students. "He always had the idea that his students do not work for him, but with him," said Work. "He constantly told us that we are effective and affective as a team, an unbeaten team. Kevin made a point of making sure that everyone was and felt important, and he always said thank you at the end of the day or night."
Ruple, an Ashtabula, Ohio native and 1982 graduate of The College of Wooster (Ohio), undoubtedly treats his student assistants as part of his extended family and it gives him pleasure to do so.
The key to success in Ruple's office is its learning curve. He affords his assistant and students the responsibility of working independently. This approach gives his charges the opportunity to learn. "I learned from the best, my current boss, George Richard who also was my boss at Wooster, and the Wooster SIDs, Jill Hardesty and Fritz Cropp," said Ruple. "They learned from George too. Patience is a big, big key."
"Mistakes happen," said Ruple, "But, I always try to teach my student assistants and always preach to them to learn from their mistakes. It makes me proud to see that my students can learn from me."
"Kevin allows for his students at a young age to experience what it will be like in the working world while still
in the happy confines of college life" said Jeff Miller '96, another member of "Ruple's Army", a nationwide network of former Ruple student assistants that include John Bianco '88 and Thomas Dick '96 at the University of Texas, Jamie Hall at Youngstown State University '94, Doug Tammaro '91 at Arizona State, Shamus McKnight '96 at Nebraska, Phil Pierce '96 at Arkansas, Miller, Frank Kay '96 at Raycom Sports, Andy Wengerd '96 with Turner Sports (TNT and TBS) in its Chicago office, Work, Doug Kose '98 at the University of Tennessee, Brad Kuhbander '00 with the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL, Geoff Henson '01 at Olivet (Mich.), Aaron Chimenti '01 at Kent State University, Neil Stein '01 with the Lake County Captains, Gary Petit '06 at Ohio Northern University and Matt Florjancic '07 with d3sports.com.
Ruple was regarded as one of the best small college sports information directors in 2004 when he received the prestigious Warren Berg Award and is considered by many to be among the elite in all of college sports information. But it is not the accolades he receives or the amount of student-athletes he has nominated for All-America that gives him the most pride. It is the list of former student-athletes, like Work, he has helped get jobs in the sports information field.
Of course sports information entails many duties which in turn require many tasks, but part of what he does that is not included in the job description is the relationships that he forms with his student-assistants. What gives Ruple the most satisfaction out of his job is the growth and development of his students as they get ready to enter the professional world. However, by that time, he is no longer a mentor, but a friend to his "disciples".
"I met Kevin three weeks before starting my college career," said Miller, "and from that time on he has not only been my boss, but has grown to be a close friend. I took how he mentored his students and used that same technique in my professional career in sports information and professional sports."
It is the pictures that grace his office walls of his former assistants and their children that put a smile on his face, not necessarily the plaque which signifies his outstanding, extraordinary performance as Baldwin-Wallace College's sports information director for the past 25 years. "What we do in this profession is not about awards," said Ruple. "It's all about people and relationships. I have been blessed with a great family that includes my immediate family, an office family and a family of student assistants and assistants who are my surrogate children and grandchildren.
"I am blessed with the best boss in America in George Richard, the best support system for an SID incollege athletics and a group of assistants and students who are unparalelled. This award is as much about them or more than me."
(Left to right): Kevin Ruple with fellow 2008 Hall of Fame inductees
Steve Roberts and
Jim Wright
His dedication to the sports information field is not limited to B-W, however. Ruple has been a member of CoSIDA for nearly a quarter century and has served as a college division representative to the Board of Directors as well as numerous All-America selection committees and the ESPN Academic All-America Committee since 1998.
Even to some of his younger and current student assistants, Ruple's efforts do not go unrecognized. "Part of what makes it so nice to work in his office and with him is the respect he gives you and the confidence he has in your ability," said Jim Rodriguez '11. "The way he tries to teach you about what it is to be a sports information director combined with the fun work atmosphere he tries to create makes all of us want to go that extra mile for him. I don't know if he knows that is why we work hard for him, but is attitude toward us is a motivator. It is most definitely an honor to work with him and so far has been a very worthwhile experience."
With Kevin, it is never "do this" or "do that". Or "I need this", "I need that". But then again, it doesn't have to be. Like a son who is always willing to help his father, Ruple's assistants are always willing to do what needs to be done because Ruple is always willing to help them. "My parents, who are now deceased, would be proud," said Ruple. "They always told each of their five children that they could accomplish anything they want in life by working hard and being true to yourself. But more than anything, they told us that no matter what you do in life to make sure that you are happy doing it. And, I am definitely happy being an SID."
And that is what separates Ruple from the rest of the field. Hundreds of sports information directors log the10 or 14 hour days and work the holidays and weekends that Ruple does, but the responsibility he takes of preparing hisstudents for the professional world is what makes him a hall of famer. "The young people who I am afforded the opportunity to work with are an extension of my family," said Ruple, who annually works with a student staff of 20. "It is a great opportunity to make a difference. Every day, I just hope tomake a difference."
Ruple resides in Berea, Ohio with wife DeeDee and nine-year-old son Danny.
275 Eastland Rd.