Bob Murray of Bowden, a former Olds College athletic director now working as manager of athletics at SAIT, has been named the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Athletic Director of the Year.
The prestigious title was given to Murray during the ACAC's annual general meeting in Edmonton in May.
“It’s a pretty humbling honour; it’s nice to be recognized by your peers and leadership with an award of that magnitude,” Murray said.
Murray reflected on the highlights of his career that led him to where he is now. That included his roots in the Maritimes.
“I got Crandall University, a small university, into the ACAA (Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association), which is the Atlantic conference for our national conference,” said Murray.
“So that would be the first highlight as a young athletic director to be able to build that program and get them into the CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association).”
Murray also recalled his time at Olds College as the athletic director. He served in that role from April 2013 to January 2017.
“My time at Olds was rewarding. We hosted conference championships, national championships, won ACAC medals and a national bronze medal in men’s and women’s basketball.
“That’s rewarding as well to see that you helped build the program that left the ACAC and then came back, and we got it to a point where we’re back on the national map,” Murray said.
While his family was excited to hear about his award, there was little time to celebrate, with his six children needing to be at separate after-school activities around the same time.
“I got home and spent a little bit of time and then I was on the road for baseball and then took my daughter to dance,” Murray said. “So I didn’t really get one of those excuses to go out for dinner or anything like that. But to come home to feel their hugs and their congratulations was enough for me.”
Murray shared some advice that was given to him that he feels helped him earn the title of Athletic Director of the Year.
“Your goal should always be to punch above your weight class,” he said. “Wherever you are, if you’re at a small college you’re punching above that weight class and you’re trying to be like the bigger colleges. If you’re at a big college, you’re trying to be like a university.”
