Member Spotlight - Mr. Hans Nickel

	Name: Hans Nickel Position: Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Chair of the Exercise Science Department, FAR Number of years in the position: Eight years on the faculty, three years as FAR Alma Mater: Wichita State University Hometown: Augusta, Kansas Classes taught: Sport Marketing, Sport Public Relations, Sport Governance, Sport Law, and Sport Economics

The FARA 15

1. How did you become an FAR?
   When I first started working at Sterling College, I was a faculty member and our Sports Information Director. When Sterling decided to create a full time position for Sports Information, I elected to retain my position as a full time faculty member instead of taking the full time athletics position. Our FAR at the time was not interested in continuing as FAR. Being one that is very interested in athletics as it is my field of study, and no longer attached to the athletic department on campus, I was a natural fit for the position.
    
2. What is your favorite part of being an FAR?
   There are many benefits to being the FAR, but my favorite aspect of the job is the ability to contribute to athletics governance at both the conference and national level. Our conference, the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, places high value on the role of the FAR. Through my role, I have been able to serve on the KCAC Governing Council Executive Committee, to chair the KCAC Nominating Committee, and to serve on multiple NAIA level committees. One of my main areas of study and scholarship is in athletics governance. Serving on these committees provides me with an invaluable prospective to bring into my classroom.
    
3. What is the biggest challenge of your job?
   My biggest challenge is time. Working at a small, liberal arts institution, I wear multiple hats that go along with teaching a 27 credit hour load for the academic year. Finding time to have a healthy work/life balance is an area that I am constantly trying to improve. Any suggestions from FARA would be very much appreciated!
    
4. If you could go back to your first day as an FAR, what would you tell yourself? 
   Reach out to your peers at other NAIA institutions. When I first started as FAR, I felt intimidated when I would reach out to our conference eligibility chair for help. After about three weeks, I came to realize how open the FAR’s in the association are to helping one another. I do need to thank the FAR group in the KCAC for their help. Dr. Joyce Pigge, a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, does a great job of building a support system for the FAR’s in the conference.
    
5. What is your favorite show/movie? 
   As I currently have a nine year old and a six year old at home, I do not get much opportunity to watch shows or movies. When I do get the chance, it is usually a children’s show. I am quite fond of the movie Cars. The last show that my wife in I were in to was House (yes… it has been that long).
    
6. What has been the highlight of your time as an FAR?
   This last year, my peers in the KCAC honored me as the KCAC FAR of the Year. The award came as a huge surprise and was very humbling coming from the esteemed group of FAR’s in our conference. I cannot thank them enough for the honor.
    
7. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
   Advice is invaluable when it comes from the wise. As we face all of the difficult or challenging tasks and decisions throughout the day, I lean heavily on Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”
    
8. What can you not live without?
   My faith and my family are what I cannot live without. We as humanity would be lost without the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins. Without that sacrifice, I could not be who I am today. Additionally, I am dependent on the love and support from my wife, Sarah, and our two children, Madison and Ehli. They are the worldly factor that drives me.
    
9. Who are your favorite teams (other than your school’s of course)?
   The economist in me has turned me into a big baseball fan. The very first baseball game that I attended was a Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Dodgers game when I was in elementary school. I have been a huge Rockies fan ever since. See the answer to question 14 to see some ways on how my fan hood has played out in my family!
    
10. Who was your most memorable or inspiring student that you have worked with and why?
    I have had the pleasure of working with many great students. One that has made a lasting impression is Percy. When he became one of my students, Percy was in a time of crisis. Watching him overcome that crisis through his faith and then succeed academically has been one of the highlights of my career.
     
11. How does your school approach certifying students in the ECP software?
    Once our coaches give me their roster for the year, the registrar’s office and I work together to build the eligibility information in the ECP software. I am blessed with a register’s office that has three members that are very knowledgeable in NAIA bylaws. Janet, Kendra, and Rebecca continually assist in making the eligibility process more streamlined. Once information has been entered, I create a certificate for internal review prior to submitting the certificate for signatures.
     
12. What do you like to do in your free time?
    Faith and family time are very important to Sarah and me. During our free time, we volunteer as a family at our church. Additionally, our kids are involved in youth activities both at church and outside of church. When we are not volunteering, we like to play board games and watch the Colorado Rockies.
     
13. If you have a question related to your position as FAR, who do you contact?
    I do not hesitate to call another FAR within our conference. We have a group of FAR’s that are involved at the national level and are always willing to help. With Dr. Joyce Pigge, Dr. Ed Loeb, Dr. Jim Zimmerman, Andy Carrier, and Jodi Ehling all involved at the national level in current or past committee service, there is a wealth of knowledge within the KCAC.
     
14. Do you have any pets?
    My kids love animals. My daughter has a cat named Carter. My son has a cat named Dinger (named after the Rockies mascot). We also have a two year old pit terroir mix that my son named DJ (named after his favorite Rockies player, DJ LeMahieu).
15. How do you navigate being a part of two different departments on campus?
    I find the role I play as FAR to be critical in bridging two departments that seem to naturally have conflict between each other. I find myself being able to mediate most differences between the departments as the perceived differences are not as vast as the separate departments initially view them to be.

View more FARA 15 Member Spotlights here.