What We Stand For
Aug 24, 2022 | Center for Student-Athlete Services
What is an athletics department? What is its purpose? What does it stand for?
Most people would say that an athletics department is out to win championships and increase revenue, and they wouldn’t be wrong in thinking that.
But those two things are only part of the story. They are only part of the mission. They are only a piece of the vision.
On May 23, 2019, Texas A&M announced the hiring of Ross Bjork as its Director of Athletics. Since then, college athletics has faced a myriad of impactful and substantial challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, conference realignment, NIL, and the transfer portal to name a few.
“Over the course of these last three years, we have faced several unique and interesting challenges never seen before,” Bjork explained. “What we wanted to do, was take time and reflect on who we are. Who are we as an athletics department and what should we be?”
That time of reflection came after the turn of the New Year into 2022. Bjork, along with his senior staff, set out to identify what Texas A&M Athletics should be striving to be in today’s world.
“We wanted to go somewhere without distraction in order to reflect,” Bjork recalled. “We wanted to drown out the clutter and eliminate the distractions in order to define what our mission and vision should be in a very concise manner.”
The senior leadership of the Fightin’ Texas Aggies set out to take some time away from Aggieland to pinpoint messaging that would describe exactly who they want to be for their student-athletes and the 12th Man.
Assisting in the process was Jason Cummins of Horizon Performance. Cummins served 20 years with combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army as an Apache helicopter pilot. He and Horizon Performance specialize in leadership development at the individual, team and enterprise levels.
“In a large organization like Texas A&M Athletics, individual team members are making hundreds of decisions a day in their respective areas on behalf of the department,” Cummins said. “The mission and vision serve as organizational anchors for our people in the absence of specific guidance. We can always ask ourselves, ‘Is my decision or action in line with our mission?’ Or ‘Will this help us achieve our desired future?’ The resulting alignment and accountability are powerful differentiators that promote unity of effort and drive collective success.”
The group sat down and spent hours trying to identify a mission and vision that was clear and concise. It started with analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Additionally, they took time to reflect on what they had overcome and been through during this transformational time.
They also discussed the landscape of the NCAA and what they believe an athletics department in today’s world should be. At the conclusion of that discussion, they had created the following statements.
The Mission: To create opportunities through championship athletics.
The Vision: The Home of the 12th Man is the pinnacle in opportunities realized through sports: championships won, diplomas earned, leaders equipped and launched to impact the world.
On Aug. 18, 2022, Bjork unveiled the newly-established mission and vision statements for the Aggie athletics department. With central themes of creating opportunities, leadership, high academic achievement, winning championships and being the pinnacle in all of college athletics.
“Every interaction has the ability to create an opportunity,” Bjork explained. “Everyone that has a hand in Aggie athletics has a chance to create an opportunity through each interaction they have.”
It is an everyday habit. It is providing the resources, putting in place the right staff, having excellent facilities and, of course, winning games, but that comes as a product of everything before it.
This is not just coaches and players. This is marketing, communications, facilities, internal operations, 12th Man Productions, 12th Man Creative, academics, etc. You name it, they have a chance to engage the 12th Man.
“Seeing the mission and vision displayed prominently across the department serves as reminder of the reason we came to Aggieland,” Assistant Athletics Director of Athletic Training Sheri Walters said. “Winning is fun but serving the 12th Man and student-athletes while they get an education and to be a part of their development so they can go out and have a positive impact on the world has meaning.”
Once a month, the athletics department comes together as a whole to give updates and enjoy each other’s company on a weekday morning.
When Bjork shared with the entire staff the mission and vision, he gave everyone a placard. Next time you’re walking in the offices at Kyle Field, take a look around. You’ll see those placards sitting on just about every desk.
“This mission statement placard reinforces the foundation that I build my work with Aggie Athletics upon,” first-year Graphic Designer Nick Adkins said. “Having the vision and core values within consistent eyesight keeps them at the front of my mind as I’m helping tell the story of our sports and student-athletes.”
Seeing those on desks is proof of buy in. It means people are seeing it every day as they work toward fulfilling the mission and realizing the vision.
“I hope this shapes our athletics department for a long time,” Bjork said. “This is our mission. This is what we do. The more people buy in and believe it, the more people will carry it out. There is a purpose behind people having the placard on their desk. It is a daily reminder of our purpose and who we want to be.”
When you’re a part of something, you want to know that those in charge are leading you in a direction that you believe in. For our student-athletes, this shows that their adoptive home is striving to serve their needs and equip them for life after Texas A&M.
“From being a freshman to beginning graduate school, I could not be more thankful for the foundation our athletics department has set for us athletes through its vision and mission,” three-year soccer team captain Katie Smith said. “They want us to succeed beyond any court, field or arena and pour immensely not only into our sport but more importantly into the people we become. Texas A&M athletics is one of, if not the most, elite athletics departments there is. It is a privilege to be a part of it.”
It isn’t about just winning on the field; it is about winning in life. How can we prepare our student-athletes to lead long after their eligibility runs out?
“We want everyone to achieve the highest level of success in their sport for as long as possible,” Bjork said. “But what about after that? What is the gameplan? It has to be a priority for us to equip our student-athletes for life after sports. Launching them into the world with the correct tools to be successful leaders in whatever they pursue.”
The Aggie athletics department already has numerous leadership opportunities for student-athletes and opportunities for them to grow beyond the field. B.L.U.E.print, We3 and SAAC to name a few.
“We want to expand on our already-existing programs that help facilitate that,” Bjork explained. “We want to involve more Former Students in mentoring programs. We want to do more career planning for our current athletes. We want to engage the Aggie Network. We are already doing a good job, but I think we can do better. That is the Aggie mindset.”
A mission provides clarity on what you are working toward. It is a day-in-day-out culture that is carried out purposefully. The vision provides us a vivid picture of what we can be.
At Texas A&M, the foundation that the athletics department is moving towards already exists. It has existed for over 100 years. It is in the Spirit of Aggieland and the Aggie Network. It finds its home in our Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service.
They aren’t just words on paper.
They are pillars of an already solid foundation.
They are a daily reminder.
This is the Home of the 12th Man, and this is what we stand for.
