>>FROM AN ALL-AMERICAN ON THE COURT TO THE FIRST FEMALE COMMISSIONER OF THE HORIZON LEAGUE.
I SAT DOWN WITH JULIE ROWE LACH TO GET HER INSIGHT ON THE CURRENT STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS. IT ALL BEGAN AS A LITTLE GIRL
WITH A BASKETBALL IN THE SMALL COAL-MINING TOWN OF PICKNEYVILLE, ILLINOIS. >>I GREW UP GOING TO THE GYM
VERY MUCH LIKE THE MOVIE HOOSIERS. THE GYM WAS OPEN ALL THE TIME. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY EVER LOCKED
THE DOORS AND I PLAYED BASKETBALL. I WAS ONE OF THE FEW GIRLS AND IT WAS JUST ALL PICKUP.
SO, I WOULD JUST SHOOT AROUND ON THE SIDE UNTIL I GET INVITED TO PLAY IN THESE PICKUP SCRIMMAGE GAMES WITH BOYS.
I THINK BECAUSE OF THAT, I BECAME VERY COMFORTABLE PLAYING IN ANY ARENA. >>ALL THAT TIME IN THE GYM PAID
OFF. JULIE WENT ON TO STAR AT MILLIKIN WHERE SHE WAS A DECORATED DIVISION-III
ALL-AMERICAN. AND THAT ON-THE-COURT COLLEGE SUCCESS LED TO A GIG WITH THE NCAA WHERE SHE JOINED AS AN
INTERN AND EVENTUALLY ROSE TO DIRECTOR OF ENFORCEMENT. >>JUST IN YOUR ESTIMATION, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT OF THAT
ROLE FOR A WHILE, BUT JUST THE STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS TODAY AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO?
>>EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO. THE STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS, I THINK, HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED, NOT SO MUCH FOR THOSE WHO ARE
WORKING IN SPORTS, OR FOR THE TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES ARE HAVING, BECAUSE YOU STILL SEE
THEM COME IN AS FRESHMEN AND GRADUATE AS SENIORS WITH INCREDIBLE GPAS. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, GREAT
LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT'S REALLY CHANGED IS ALL OF THIS INTEREST AROUND COLLEGE SPORTS.
SO, YOU NOW HAVE A PENDING CASE WITH THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. THEY HAVEN'T REVIEWED A CASE
INVOLVING THE NCAA SINCE THE 1980'S. YOU NOW HAVE OVER FIVE FEDERAL BILLS BEING PROPOSED ON ALL ENDS
OF THE SPECTRUM, PRIMARILY AROUND THIS NAME, IMAGE LIKENESS. THE NCAA MEMBERS SUPPORT STUDENT
ATHLETES BEING ABLE TO MAKE MONEY OFF THEIR NAME, IMAGE LIKENESS. THERE ARE SOME SENATORS WHO
THINK IT NEEDS TO GO MUCH FURTHER. AND OTHERS WHO MIGHT EVEN THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
BUT THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF FEDERAL INTERVENTION THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. LIKELY AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR.
>>WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO COLLEGE ATHLETICS IN 2021? >>I THINK IT VERY MUCH IS THIS
NOTION OF NOT ONLY THE FEDERAL INTERVENTION, BUT FEDERAL INTERVENTION TO THE POINT OF CHANGING THE ENTIRE MODEL.
AND IF THAT MODEL CHANGES TO THE POINT OF LOOKING AT LITERALLY, SHOULD THERE BE COMPENSATION OR PROFIT SHARING, THE REALITY IS
THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF PROFITS TO SHARE. AND THAT THEN COULD CAUSE SCHOOLS TO DROP SPORTS.
AND THAT, TO ME, IS WHAT WE ALL WANT TO AVOID. BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP PROVIDING ALL THESE
OPPORTUNITIES. >>IN JANUARY, JULIE WAS NAMED COMMISSIONER OF THE HORIZON LEAGUE...WHERE SHE'S ALREADY
DEALING WITH A UNIQUE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC. >>WE PUT TOGETHER OUR OWN
MEDICAL TEAM OF ADVISORS AT OUR 12 MEMBER INSTITUTIONS. WE DEVELOPED WHAT IS PROBABLY A 50-PLUS PAGE DOCUMENT.
IT INCLUDES TESTING. IT INCLUDES SCREENING. IT EVEN INCLUDES HOW TEAMS TRAVEL.
WHERE THEY EAT. WHERE THEY DON'T EAT. THIS SEASON, OUR MEN'S TEAMS PLAYED OVER 90% OF THEIR
SCHEDULED GAMES, WHICH IS WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, THAT'S IN THE 70'S. >>WHAT'S THE FAN CAPACITY?
>>RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT EVEN ALLOWING FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS MUCH AS WE WANT TO, THAT'S GOING TO INVITE SOME EXPOSURE.
>>YOU MENTIONED FAMILY. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT TWO DAUGHTERS, AND TO BE THE LEAD COMMISSIONER OF A DIVISION I CONFERENCE.
YOU'RE BUSY. BEYOND BUSY. I'M A NEW MOM. I FEEL LIKE I'M RUNNING AROUND
WITH MY HEAD CUT OFF. SO HOW DO YOU DO IT? >>IT'S HARD. AND OUR GIRLS ARE EIGHT AND 11.
IT IS HARDER WHEN THEY ARE LITTLER. IT'S STILL TOUGH THOUGH. >>JULIE CITES FACEBOOK COO
CHERYL SANDBERG'S 2013 BOOK, "LEAN IN" AS HER HANDBOOK FOR HAVING IT ALL. >>YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL.
IT'S HARD TO HAVE IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME. IT MIGHT BE IN DIFFERENT PHASES IN LIFE.
BUT REGARDLESS, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO MARRY YOUR PARTNER. AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO DO THAT. MY HUSBANDS ENTIRELY SUPPORTIVE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL IN. WE'RE A SPORTS FAMILY. SO THAT HELPS TOO. >>WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE...I GUESS
SINGLE PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN THAT ARE INTERESTED IN GOING INTO SPORTS LEADERSHIP OR JUST THE SPORTS
INDUSTRY IN GENERAL? >>UH YOU KNOW THERE ARE NO JOBS TOO SMALL. AND I THINK, ESPECIALLY IN
SPORTS. BECAUSE IT IS ALL HANDS-ON DECK IN SPORTING EVENTS. THAT'S, THAT'S THE POINT, IF
YOUR MISSION AT THE END OF THE DAY IS TO PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE, WHETHER IT'S AT THE REC LEVEL, OR THE
COLLEGIATE LEVEL OR THE PROFESSIONAL LEVELS, THEN EVERYONE HAS TO BE ALL IN ON WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE PROVIDE
THAT OPPORTUNITY. THE OTHER PIECE IS IT'S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP WITH MENTORS. I'VE HAD MANY MEN AND WOMEN
MENTORS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN FANTASTIC WITH GIVING ME GOOD ADVICE, AND TELLING ME WHEN TO SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP.
AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT ALONG THE WAY. >>MARY-RACHEL REDMAN.