A former Idaho State University sports information director has received a national lifetime achievement award. Glenn Alford worked for ISU for over 40 years. He was the sports information director from 1967 to 1998. After that, he worked in university relations for nine years.
The College Sports Information Directors of America recently chose Alford and five other worthy candidates to receive their highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“It came completely out of the blue,” Alford said. “I haven’t been in sports information for 21 years.”
Alford knows three of the others award recipients. They come from the University of Utah, Clemson, and Tennessee. He commented on their legendary efforts and how humbled he feels to be grouped with them. He doesn’t know the other two award recipients.
Recently, there have been some changes to the leadership at ISU Alford is personally excited about.
“I’m very optimistic not just for athletics but for the entire university with the hiring of Kevin Satterlee as University President,” Alford said.
Satterlee become the 13th president of ISU in June of last year.
“There’s a new enthusiasm,” Alford said referring to the staff he still keeps in contact with.
In August of 2018, ISU also named a new interim athletic director, Pauline Thiros. Alford praised her efforts during her time as interim athletic director. He explained that he was excited to see her facilitate the renovation of the schools soccer field and outdoor track and field. They were undersized and had problems with seating. Due to those issues ISU couldn’t host conference championships. Alford said that by next year they will be able to host conference championship.
Thiros was just named the new athletic director by Satterlee last week. She was the finalist Alford said he was rooting for.
When reflecting on his time at ISU, Alford has a lot of exciting and fond memories.
“It’s easy to say the national football championship that ISU won in 1981 or in 1977 ISU basketball defeated UCLA, got them out of the final four for the first time in ten years,” Alford exclaimed. “But also, it’s just the people. I had the privilege of knowing some remarkable individuals.”
Alford explained what made the championship win in 1981 so exciting was the fact that two years previously they had won zero football games.
“That’s just hard to fathom that a turnaround could be made that quickly,” Alford said.
He praised the coaching staff and their herculean efforts to revamp the program.
“We went from being a very boring 0 and 11 fullback dive football team to in two years becoming the throwing Idahoans,” Alford said.
During that season ISU hosted a few playoff games. The stadium was always packed with fans who were excited to finally see their team winning! The smallest crowd was around 11,500, according to Alfords recollection.
“The place was just rocking and jumping,” Alford said. “Some people wore earplugs it was so noisy... It was a lot of fun to watch and it was a lot of fun to work and be a part of.”