Eric Campbell
Guest Writer
An exciting new year is only just beginning for Colorado College athletics, with new arrivals in many departments creating an air of optimism about the year to come. The most notable of these arrivals include men’s ice hockey coach Mike Haviland, who is a former Stanley Cup winner as Assistant Coach with the Chicago Blackhawks. But one arrival, greeted with less fanfare but of similar quality as Haviland, is Jerry Cross, the new Director of Athletic Communications.
Cross is a Colorado College alum who spent 14 years working a similar post at the Air Force Academy. “The opportunity to work at my alma mater and be my own boss was simply too enticing to pass up,” said Cross. He replaces Dave Moross, who retired after almost 28 years at CC.
Cross’ role will remain very similar to the position he held at the Air Force. He leads the public relations arm of the Athletic Department, which entails jobs like keeping statistics, producing media guides and game programs, and putting out press releases, among other responsibilities.
Cross emphasized the importance of promotion at a primarily Division III school like CC, which receives significantly less media coverage in the sports world than a school like Air Force.
“The only difference between Division 1 athletes and Division III athletes is just that: the title,” said Cross. “They’re all here to participate in athletics, win games, and further their athletic performance. It’s a great place for students… both to watch and to play.”
There’s much optimism surrounding men’s ice hockey as the new season approaches on the back of a disappointing year. Cross enthusiastically described the energy and excitement brought by new coach Mike Haviland and his impressive record.
“We’re all excited with the energy [Haviland’s] bringing to the program so far,” said Cross. “He can show the guys, ‘Hey, this is where I’ve been, here’s my championship ring—if you have aspirations to do that, I can help get you there.’”
Cross also mentioned his positive outlook for women’s soccer, despite losing some significant players in last year’s graduating class. With the team’s transition to the Mountain West Conference this year, Cross seemed to think a return to the NCAA tournament for the team was a real possibility.
The new school year also sees the athletic department diving deeper into the world of live video streaming. This service is being provided free of charge to all prospective viewers with the exception of hockey, which is provided through the team’s conference, National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC).
“The school and I hope to stream every home event for every CC team this year,” Cross said.