05/31/06
AD Garner takes a break from O-State
Will return in January to teach; police chief takes over as interim
ONEONTA STATE SPORTS
By Rob Centorani
Staff Writer
When Steve Garner arrived on Oneonta State’s campus in 1979, teaching physical education was to be his main gig, or so he thought.
Twenty-seven years later, outgoing O-State athletic director Garner said he wants to get back to initial mission.
Garner, 55, requested and was granted a leave of absence from the college until January. When he returns, he’ll come back as a PE teacher.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]"You have to understand one thing: 27 years ago I was hired here to be a teacher," said Garner, who took over as AD in 1994 and helped change the college’s appearance dramatically. "I’ve been an impostor for 27 years.
"I’ve had great mentorship with people such as (former ADs) Carol Blazina and Al Sosa — wonderful people who steered me toward a different direction," he continued. "I came here to teach physical education, and 27 years later I’d coached five different teams and have been AD for 12 years. If you had told me that when I started, I would have said, ’You’re crazy.’ But that’s the way things worked out."
Garner said he needed a break. A week ago, Garner said, he and his wife, Joan, took a vacation for the first time in 16 years.
Garner said he wants to spend time visiting museums and reading, among other things, during his leave.
Blazina, the college’s vice-president of community relations, said Garner applied for the leave May 20. Bart Ingersoll, O-State’s chief of police and associate vice-president for student development, has taken over Garner’s position on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is found.
Garner said he’d like to see someone in-house take his place. Women’s soccer coach Tracey Ranieri is the college’s senior associate athletics director. Sports Information Director Geoff Hassard and Tom Benoit serve as assistant ADs.
"We have exciting buds in the athletic department that need to flower," Garner said. "Tom, Tracey and Geoff are the real shining lights of the department. Those three have done a tremendous job."
Garner said when he started as AD, O-State had seven full-time employees and an annual sports budget of $250,000. Today, Garner said, the Red Dragons have 23 full-timers and a budget of $1.5 million.
"We operated with shoestrings and Band-Aids," Garner said of his early days as AD. "I remember mowing lawns and pulling out bleachers.
"Twelve years ago we demonstrated to the university that athletics were going to be an important aspect in the mission of the college," he continued. "We worked shoulder-to-shoulder to fulfill that mission. We thought athletics would give students the best opportunity for success. Once we started to have some success, the administration recognized the importance of what athletics bring to the campus."
Garner said the athletic department grew from 14-15 teams to 21, and from about 250 student-athletes to more than 400 during his tenure.
But perhaps the biggest legacy Garner leaves is in how much the campus has changed during his tenure.
Retired men’s basketball and softball coach Don Flewelling recalled when Garner was hired as co-director of the intramurals and recreation department, "all we had was old Chase gym."
"We had 9-to-12 sports in that facility," said Flewelling, who coached men’s basketball from 1970-90 and softball for 11 years, ending in 2001 when he retired. "We had some practices starting at 11 p.m."
During Garner’s tenure as AD, O-State added the $15 million Alumni Field House in 1999; tennis courts (1999); a new soccer field (2001); a new track (2001); and a softball field (2001).
"He was a doer," Flewelling said.
Added Red Dragons baseball coach Rick Ferchen, who was hired by Garner 11 years ago: "With all due respect, that campus was a pit. High schools had better facilities.
"He was one of the people instrumental for getting the field house, softball facility — he always had a vision that he wanted the best facilities in the SUNYAC. It just happened to be during his tenure it happened. Sure, there are a lot of other people involved, but he’s the athletic director. He was instrumental."
Cross country and track coach Matt LoPiccolo agreed with Ferchen’s assessment.
"When I was looking at colleges (to attend) 13 years ago, there was no way I would have considered Oneonta," he said. "It was the armpit of the SUNYAC, and now with all the improvements, it’s the place to be."
Ranieri had what was likely the biggest on-field accomplishment during Garner’s 12 years, when her team won the NCAA Division III national championship in 2003.
This past weekend, Red Dragons senior Musu Jackson-Buckner won a national title in the 200 meters, crossing 23.75 seconds — the fourth-fastest time in Division III history.
"Twelve years after (I started), we’re somewhere around 50-60 SUNYAC champions, compared to the two back in 1994," said Garner, who coached volleyball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball at O-State. "That’s an unbelievable growth rate."
If there was a failure during Garner’s term, it came during the fall, when O-State announced it was downgrading its Division I men’s soccer program to Division III.
At the time, Garner said the decision was made so all O-State programs would be D-III. Men’s soccer had been the only D-I sport at O-State.
Still, men’s soccer coach Iain Byrne said he’ll miss Garner.
"We could relate to him, particularly in the tough times if you’re going through bad spells," he said. "It was great to have him around at those times because he knew what to say and how to approach you. He was a coach’s AD."
His enduring memory over 27 years, Garner said, was coaching the O-State men’s basketball program in the 1990-91 season, the year after Flewelling stepped down.
Garner said O-State was picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the conference that year.
The Red Dragons made it to the conference final, losing to Buffalo State.
"Don Ball, our swimming coach, took me out to dinner after the season," Garner said. "I said, ’That’s nice of you.’ He said, ’I’m not being nice, I lost a bet. I bet another coach you wouldn’t win a game this season. I’m just paying up a bet.’"
— Sports Editor Dean Russin contributed to this story
