UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 39, Page 7
August 17, 1995
Behind the scenes; Summertime is prep time for sports info director
Although the Blue Hen football season doesn't officially begin
until Sept. 9, Scott Selheimer, sports information director (SID), and
his staff have been working behind the scenes since April to provide
fans and the media with the latest information concerning the 1995
team.
Work begins in earnest with spring practice, when fans and
coaches take a closer look at some of the most promising players and
catch a glimpse of the younger players who may not have played the
previous fall.
"Spring practice helps the team get an idea of what it's going to
be like," Selheimer said. "It also gives head coach Tubby Raymond and
his staff a chance to work on some new plays."
Selheimer said the SID is responsible for local and national
media relations, individual and team record keeping and updating the
history of Blue Hen football.
To generate interest for the upcoming season, he cooperates with
Elyse Stoner, marketing associate, who selects photos, prints and
slides from the previous season, searching for just the right shots to
use on the schedule cards and posters. These are distributed to season
ticket holders and placed in local business establishments.
Providing information to about a dozen major publications,
including Sports Illustrated and Street & Smith's pre-season magazine,
is another task performed by the SID. These publications send out a
lengthy questionnaire about the schedule and players, last year's
statistics and details and request photos of the top players.
"We like to get people excited about the season," Selheimer said.
"We want them to think about Delaware football." This year, Selheimer
is stressing the speed of the Fightin' Blue Hens, who are ranked ninth
or higher in most pre-season ratings, with the 1995 season theme,
"Speed Thrills."
"The people who rate the teams think we are a Top 10 team,"
Selheimer said. "The more optimistic you can sound about the team, the
more it helps the team get some good, pre-season publicity."
During June, the staff produces the football media guide, a 116-
page publication that includes just about every bit of information
about the Fightin' Blue Hens that a media person could need.
In addition to statistics from last season, the guide includes
profiles of the players and coaches and information about the opposing
teams, including photos of rival coaches and their top players.
Assisting Selheimer in this project is SID intern Mike Hirschman,
who served as co-editor, and fellow intern George Keibel. The guide
was ready by Yankee Conference Media Day on Aug. 3 in Boston.
Today is Delaware Media Day, when football fans and reporters
descend upon Delaware Stadium to meet with the coaches and players.
Newspaper people from the players' home towns also come to Newark to
take photographs and talk to the players and coaches.
"This is just the thing to kick off the season and to get the
fans and the media talking about the team," Selheimer said. "Once
practice starts on Aug. 17, the season has started."
With two practices daily, the sports information staff keeps in
contact with reporters regarding practice progress and injuries.
Selheimer's staff also produces home game programs, which include
54 pages of information about the Hens and opponent, plus another 54-
page section about football on a national scale.
The game program must be revised each week with a new cover,
updated statistics and a story about a different senior player.
The program also includes information about the Delaware Marching
Band, the cheerleaders, student trainers, the Delaware Fight Song, the
Alma Mater, student trainers and the fall schedule for other Delaware
sports, plus a feature story about the University from the Office of
Public Relations.
Selheimer also insures that press passes for the media are
secured. He works with Jim Kaden, supervisor of events and football
operations, to order food for the reporters in the press box, to see
that any needed repairs are made to the facility and to arrange media
travel plans.
About a half-dozen individuals in the press box keep statistics
on the different offensive and defensive events occurring on the
field.
"We do half-time stats, report on out-of-town games concerning
the Blue Hens and put the latest scores on the scoreboard," Selheimer
said. "We also have a person down on the field to find out about the
nature of any injury, and to let the media know if the player is
expected to return to action."
Press conferences also are held each Monday at the Bob Carpenter
Center, when Raymond answers questions from the media, and players
give their perspectives on the previous week's game.
The more successful the team becomes, the busier things get,
Selheimer said.
"I get excited, and I am anxious for the season to start," he
said. "The team starts out with a clean slate, and it's a neat time of
the year."
The SID also provides information for the other fall sports,
including field hockey, women's tennis, soccer, cross-country and
volleyball.
Then, at the height of the football season, there is the Oct. 15
deadline for the basketball media guide.
Selheimer said that, in addition to the work performed by his
office personnel, there are important roles played by other behind-the-
scenes UD staff, such as the trainers, grounds and facilities
personnel and public safety.
"We come together to entertain people and give them an enjoyable
day," Selheimer said. "Everyone is important, and I think we do a
pretty good job of making a football Saturday at Delaware Stadium a
nice event."
-Jerry Rhodes