SSU Athletics with Athletic Director Gerald Cadogan

Transcript

Shawnee Bears compete in 23 different varsity sports. Several of Shawnee’s teams, including both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, bowling teams, cross country and eSports, have all won national championships. Incredible. I had the pleasure to spend some time with Gerald Cadogan, Shawnee’s athletic director, and impressive athlete himself, to talk about what makes Shawnee Bears so fierce. Check it out. This is so cool, just to be here, but what I find like amazing is your story. I mean, you grew up in Portsmouth, right? Go on all the way to the NFL, and now you’re back here as the athletic director. How cool is that?

– It’s definitely a full-circle moment for me. So I went to Portsmouth High School. I was fortunate to get a football scholarship to Penn State University. After that, was able to play in the NFL for a few years, and now here I am back in Portsmouth, Ohio, at Shawnee State University as the athletic director. My knees and joints don’t do what they used to do, but my mind does.

– Yeah.

– And it’s important for me to empower the next generation to make sure they’re supported and encouraged, and can win more games.

– Yeah, they’re so lucky to have you here. It’s such a cool story.

– Yeah, well, we have a lot to show you. Would love to show you the weight room.

– Yeah, absolutely.

– You wanna go see it?

– Yeah. Yeah, totally. They all look like they’re really expanding.

– Yeah. Currently we have 23 programs, 327 athletes here at Shawnee State University, and it’s very important for us in the Athletic Department to have the support of the community, but also support the community. And one big step the city has done is they gifted us Spartan Stadium, Branch Rickey Baseball Field, and land westward that we’re gonna build a brand-new, state-of-the-art softball field. So we’re very excited about where Shawnee State Athletic Department is going, and how we’re growing, and it’s just a great time to be a part of this department.

– Yeah, it really is, and just, you know, when you have that connection with the city, how powerful is that?

– It is. I mean, seeing them at different games and different events, to have that community support, like we’re all in this thing together, so very much excited. But let me show you where it all started for me here at Shawnee State.

– Okay, all right. Let’s check it out.

– Well, this is where it started for me seven years ago, and I’m two years in as the athletic director, super excited, and the vision is simple. We want to recruit, retain, win. We wanna get the best athletes here, we want to keep them here for four years, and we want them to win in the classroom and in competition. And we’re seeing that right now. Our student athletes graduate at a higher graduation rate. Our retention rate is higher than the general population, and very much excited about the future of Shawnee State Athletics.

– Yeah, I can like feel your excitement. I mean, it’s so cool. Like, just thanks for spending time, showing us all around. That was awesome.

– Yeah, absolutely. But we can’t end like this. We have to end it with the paws up.

– Paws up, paws up, paws up, everyone. That was so cool. It’s clear that Shawnee State instills a winning attitude that is evident in the classroom and on every field of competition. At Shawnee, students are given opportunities to compete in their sport and receive a high-quality education. That deserves another two paws up. Gerald, thank you so much for spending time with us.