BY EMILY CONLON

In print | Published September 2, 2004

This summer the Swarthmore Athletics Department added a fresh face to administration with the appointment of Assistant Athletic Director, Christyn Chambers. In her new position, Chambers will over see the club sports program, Student Athletic Advisory Committee as well as the management of the athletic facilities.

Growing up in Cincinnati, Chambers became involved in numerous sports at a young age. Her talent and experience in soccer led her to Washington University in St. Louis where she made an immediate impact on the team. A four-year letter winner and 2001 graduate for the Bears, Chambers earned all-region honors 1997, 1998, 2000; all-American honors in 1998 and the team MVP award for three consecutive years starting in 1998. But above her accolades, Chambers notes the bonds with her teammates as the most rewarding part of her collegiate sports experience.

“I enjoyed playing very much because of the camaraderie, friendships, competition, exercise, and simple love of the game,” she said. “We were a very successful team and I was personally successful, and feel definitely grateful to be a part of that success.”

Uncertain about her future career, the anthropology major decided to pursue a Masters in Exercise and Sports Sciences. “I knew that once my soccer career was over at Wash. U., I wanted my soccer career over, so I needed a plan,” Chambers said. “I had worked within the Wash. U. athletics department, knew the Assistant AD and the AD very well and loved what they did. Wanting to stay involved with college athletics, not wanting to coach, and wanting to be in the decision-making process all were reasons that pushed me in the direction of college athletics administration.”

At the UNC-Chapel Hill program, Chambers focused on the administrative aspects of college athletics. Finding that she liked the work, set her eyes on the position of college or university athletic director.

Swarthmore Athletic Direction Adam Hertz and members of the athletic department began a nation-wide search for an assistant AD last spring. “There were nearly 250 applicants in the pool,” he said. “A five-person search committee reviewed resumes, deliberated qualifications and narrowed the pool of candidates. Eventually, four were brought to campus for interviews.”

Hertz added, “We liked the fact that she did her undergraduate work at an institution with high academic regard. Christyn’s experience there as a student athlete, as well as a worker in the athletic department, we thought, prepared her well for the position here. Christyn was a unanimous choice.”

Chambers, who had found out about the Swarthmore position through a third party in contact with Hertz, was looking to work at a school with a strong commitment to its student-athletes.

“I wanted to be an athletics director, preferably at an institution that holds academics with as high if not higher regards than athletics,” she said. “That was the culture from which I had come and I loved every moment of it.”

Swarthmore offered an athletic-academic balance that appealed to Chambers. “The commitment the student-athletes must have both on and off the field [and] court is incredible,” she said. “Swarthmore has that academic component and is heading down the path to the athletics component. I want to be here to continue the push in that direction.”

In addition to overseeing the club sports program and SAAC, Chambers hopes to further work on Swarthmore facilities rental policy. “In order to maintain the fields and courts for our varsity sports, club sports, IM sports, recreational use, when we grant other outside organizations and groups use of our facilities, we must stay mindful of the cost of maintenance.”

Ultimately, Chambers’ love of sports and experience in athletic administration will bring positive and beneficial changes to the department. But although her upcoming tasks maybe large, Chambers does not forget the athletes whom she will be supporting. “If I can serve as an example of what can be achieved within sport and through sport, that is a reward.”

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