Sept. 7, 2004
The Bohn Vision
With the start of the 2004 Aztec football season, year one of the Mike Bohn era as director of athletics at San Diego State is nearly complete. Bohn came to the Montezuma Mesa on Oct. 6, 2003, and since then, his energy and passion for his job continues to bring Aztec athletics to new heights.
Below is a Q&A with Mike Bohn about his accomplishments, the toughest and best parts of his job and the future of SDSU athletics.
Q: You've been at San Diego State for almost a year now, what do you think have been some of your greatest accomplishments so far?
A: I want to make it very clear that the things that we are accomplishing - increased football attendance, the KGB Sky Show, the renewed collaboration with the student body and everything else - is not anything that I am doing alone. It's as a result of our team. Obviously, this team starts in our own building and jumps across the street with the rest of campus, the community, our corporate sponsors, our media partners and all those people who are working as a collaborative unit to insure that we are successful. That's what is so refreshing - that virtually every constituent group in this community is so supportive.
Q: What do you think is the hardest part of your job that people might not know about?
A: Probably the disappointment that this business brings to our student-athletes. They work so hard and they commit so much of their time and effort. They make sacrifices with their social lives and their family time and are committed to being here. To see them not reach their highest potential is probably the most difficult thing to see, but what brings me back is the fact that I know that those are lessons that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job most?
A: The variety - that it's something different everyday. I enjoy meeting so many great people from this community and being around great student-athletes with energy, passion and a competitive spirit. I feel like I'm competing everyday against not only our competitiors at the Division I-A level, but also on other fronts, which is a fun thing to do.
Q: What do you see as some of the challenges of trying to promote a college athletics program in a major city versus a smaller college town?
A: People say that it's a challenge, but I think it's an asset, because of the resources, the corporate support and the alumni. The key is being able to stimulate those groups to support us and be involved and recognize that we have a viable athletic program. It's certainly going to enhance the lives of people here in San Diego and we want to instill a sense of pride and an Aztec spirit that's healthy and alive.
Q: With the addition of the new softball and tennis complex, what other improvements can we expect for the SDSU athletic facilities?
A: Obviously, the facilities are the foundation of our program and we're fortunate to have so many great ones. One of the things that we'd like to pursue is putting permanent lights on the Sports Deck, and I'm sure there are more bells and whistles that would be nice to have. We're making minor adjustments in Cox Arena to help our fans be more comfortable and enjoy that environment. We have already done some things like put asphalt around the practice fields to keep them clean and protect them.
For the most part, however, our main facilities are in place. The swimming pool will be in line in 18 months and it will be more of a matter of keeping those facilities modern, working and healthy. Being in a great climate also certainly helps.
Q: Where do you feel the athletic department is going?
A: I truly believe that San Diego State has the most potential and is the most viable Division I-A program in the country for long-term future success if we continue to develop good citizens, make progress academically and recruit the quality of student-athletes that matches the high standing of the academic mission of this institution.
This job and the environment here in San Diego - the existing staff, the support from campus, the teamwork we're building with the student body - are all contributing to something that I think is very special. I'm proud to be the athletic director at San Diego State.