I bet I can tell you how your first encounter with new Rose State Athletic Director Joey DaVault will go more or less.
He’ll brag to you about the lovely wellness center and its top notch equipment.
He’ll proudly state his love for the college and the kids that roam its campus.
The athletic department’s newest leader might even share a lit bit of his vision for the future and how it will result in real educational benefits for athletes and the student body alike.
And, you’re going to know it’s genuine. Because somewhere not too far off from the opening handshake, maybe tucked in neatly between the wellness center and the students, he’s going to ask you about yourself.
Be prepared. It won’t be a rhetorical "how are you doing" that you can brush aside with a casual meaningless response. No, he is going to want to know about you in a real way.
But as the conversation inevitably shifts back to his athletic program, you will notice a theme.
Relationship building through communication.
DaVault thinks that’s how you build a winning program the right way, and I wouldn’t challenge the man’s know how on the matter.
He was a member of Durant High School’s first state championship team. He’s been named an all-state golf coach, as well as the Oklahoman Coach of the Year while at Norman Public Schools.
However, in an hour long conversation, he doesn’t bring any of that up once.
What he does bring up is how much he loves his 20 years of experience at every level of education from secondary to career tech to higher education.
He brings up how a piece of him went missing during a three year absence where he became a pharmaceutical rep.
A job he only took to support his four kids: Riley, - 28; Sarah - 27, Kylie - 24 and Ryan - 23, right to a debt-free college education.
Of course when he finished, it was right back into education without missing a beat.
He brings up how he has his dream job.
"When this opportunity came and was offered to me, it was like wow this is a great end to my career being around athletics and coaches and young people students-athletes. It doesn’t get any better for me," said DaVault.
He brings up how much he values getting to interact with the vice president of student affairs and the vice president of business affairs to formulate a plan to give his athletes the best chance to succeed on the field and off.
"I love Dean Fisher as our vice president of student affairs and building a relationships with him is really important because he deals with enrollment management, advisement and those type(s) of things," said DeVault.
"Dr. Kent Lashley is the new vice president of business affairs, which as you know, athletics has so much business as far as the financing, and working for him is great for me. I want to develop those relationships and see how we can all strengthen our team."
DeVault brings up a tentative plan to add dormitories so that in 3-5 years, student-athletes will enjoy a package of free room, meals and education.
Finally, he brings up how excited he is about the college’s recent decision to add men and women’s soccer this fall and tap into a growing market around Oklahoma.
DaVault said he hopes to have coaches in place by March 1.
Of course, he has new big ideas too. He casually contemplates the idea of adding a volleyball team to take advantage of a space left behind by the basketball teams that have vanished.
He tentatively suggested the idea of a sports complex to take advantage of land Rose State has purchased from the Mid-Del school district.
But, those ideas are visions of the future, and DaVault has a firm grasp on the now.
He’s thinking about how to provide the best situation possible for the athletes already in the fold.
"My most important thing going forward right now today is making sure we’re providing our current athletes every resource that we have to improve their ability to graduate," said DaVault. "In turn, if they graduate, they will have opportunities to go to the next level at the four year whether it be athletically or academically."
DaVault believes graduating his student- athletes is the key to success and is determined to have 100 percent graduation rate, he says, this will strengthen everything around the college.
DaVault doesn’t mix words. He’s interested in winning teams. Winning teams that produce athletes with the educational and athletic acumen to move upward to a four-year institution.
"By helping them to succeed, I think we will be able to grow larger expectations. My expectations, I told it to the regents the other day, is we’re going to win," said DaVault. "We’re going to establish a winning program but we’re going to establish a winning program, based on the principles of doing it right."
So I implore you to stop by and question the newest athletic director in town. Drop by his office and see for yourself what he is all about. But hurry because he plans to vacate soon to make room for both his new soccer hires.
Always thinking ahead.
"I think the other things will take care of themselves as far as my vision because if a student knows when they come through that door I care about them and my coaches care about them and their success then I think will be successful athletically," says DaVault.
Just brace yourself for actual human interaction. I believe I can give you a good idea what you’re in for with one sentence.
He’s already showed me he cares about me and I’m not even a student.
He invited me back.
He didn’t invite me back to talk more about his plans for the program, himself or even sports.
He invited me back to get to know me.
Always thinking ahead.
