CoSIDA E-Digest March 2013 • 1

CoSIDA
FIVE Questions . . .
With Greg Goings
Sports information Director, Bowie State University
1. Talk about your
career path. Where have
you been and who are
the people who have
influenced you?
I began this wonderful
sports information career
back in 1988 (long
before cell phones, fax
machines and in-game
computer stats) at
Virginia State University.
My first involvement
with the VSU Sports
Information Office was
in 1984, serving as
the official scorer for
the men’s basketball
team on a volunteer
basis. The The SID SID at at the time
(LeCounte (LeCounte Conaway) thought I had good handwriting
and gave me the additional task of calculating and
producing player and team statistics, again without the use
of a computer. After a 12-year stint (1988-2000) as VSU’s
full-time SID, the time came for a change. I relocated back
to my (Washington, D.C.) roots and took about 10 months
away from work altogether to rejuvenate. Once I did return
to the workforce, I used my food marketing/food industry
management degree in the restaurant business for a little
less than a year and then worked in the banking industry
for a the same amount of time. I loved the normal (7 a.m.-
3:30 p.m.) Monday-Friday banking hours, but wasn’t really
happy. When Bowie State first approached me in 2003
about returning to the business, I didn’t accept the invitation
to interview for their SID position. However, a month or so
later, I was approached again and finally realized sports
information is where I needed to be. More importantly, my
by Larry Happel, Central College
CoSIDA E-Digest March 2013 • 53
wife said, “You need to accept BSU’s
offer … Go be happy with what you love
to do!” There are several people that
influenced me in the sports information
field. The first would be the late John
Holley at Norfolk State who will always be
remembered for his saying, “The work will
be there tomorrow!” Next would be the late
LeCounte Conaway along with Christopher
Fisher (North Carolina Central) and Wallace
Dooley (University of D.C., Virginia State
and Tennessee State).
2. You’ve had a wide range of
experiences, including a stint as a toprated
radio host and a job in the banking
world. What drew you back to sports
information?
My main reason for coming back to sports
information information was simple simple … I love the job, in spite
of all the challenges challenges (long hours, seven seven days a
week and lack of help). Even though I report to the Athletic
Director and am employed by the State of Maryland, I
work for the student-athletes. If it not were for the studentathletes,
there would be no need for a sports information
director, assistant athletic director for media relations or any
other title we may have.
(continued on Page 45)