Beth Goetz was named University of Minnesota interim Athletics Director on August 7, replacing Norwood Teague. A lot of local sports fans may have asked who is Beth Goetz? Prior to taking over as interim AD, she worked for Teague as Deputy Athletics Director and senior woman administrator. In her new role she oversees the department’s $100 million-plus budget, 25 sports, and more than 300 staff members and 700 student-athletes.
Goetz came to Minnesota from Butler University where she was Associate Athletic Director and senior woman administrator from August 2008 to February 2013. Prior to working at Butler, she spent 12 years at the University of Missouri-St. Louis with assignments in athletic administration and as women’s soccer coach. She was an All-American soccer player at Brevard College in North Carolina. After transferring to Clemson, she captained the 1995 soccer team.
Since taking over as interim AD, Goetz has kept a jam-packed schedule but Sports Headliners was able to interview her recently. The following profile (edited for brevity) covers various subjects to help introduce Goetz to readers. Learn about her heroes growing up, whether she has interest in becoming the full-time AD, and how she describes her management style.
Your sports heroes? I grew up in St. Louis, so I am a baseball fan through and through. You gotta be a diehard Cardinal fan to live there. When I was a kid, my dad used to call me B.G.—obviously my initials—but it really was about (Cardinals Hall of Fame pitcher) Bob Gibson. I loved the Cardinals. I think from the time when I was about eight (years old), I could list the starting lineups.
Soccer is my sport of choice, and everybody loved Mia Hamm. We’re not that far apart in age, and she was certainly the first sort of female athlete icon that I had.
We also had season tickets to the football Cardinals when they were in St. Louis. I grew up in a sports family so we were pretty engaged.
If there is a secret to your career advancement it is: I think it’s the same thing we tell our student-athletes. A lot of it is about preparing everyday for the next opportunity. When the opportunity is there, or when you see something you’re interested in, say yes.
If you’ve said it once, you’ve said it a thousand times: You can’t go wrong doing the right thing for the right reasons.
What’s the one thing you’ve learned very quickly as interim AD? Well, the volume of my e-mails has gone up a little bit. (Also) I don’t know if it’s as much learned as reaffirmed, that we have a tremendous staff and coaches. They do a great job. In this role, I really get to see in every single area how great the staff is, and how much work and dedication they have.
When will you decide about being a candidate for the permanent AD position? It’s not something I am even thinking about. President (Eric) Kaler asked me to step into a leadership position and right now we’re just in the thick of it—the fall sports started off to a great start. They’re doing great things, and everybody else (winter sports) is now kicking in. With all that, that’s really where my focus is. No thought on doing anything other than being as good at the role I am in as I can be for the time being.
Do you think you’re interested in the job? Again, it’s not really something I am thinking about. I think it’s really important to be focused on the job I have in front of me everyday. That’s where I think my time is best spent, thinking about what my responsibility is right now.
Favorite movies ever? I liked Hoosiers. Obviously, I worked at Butler (film site) so that was a piece of that, but I always was a Hoosiers (movie) fan. I did like Major League growing up. I enjoy movies but I don’t watch them all that often.
What’s your worst personal habit? Hands down (it’s) Diet Dr. Pepper. I usually have at least two pops a day, and that’s probably two pops too many. I drink a lot more water now than I used to.
People who work for Beth Goetz can be confident that: I think they can be confident that I am going to treat them with respect and that I am going to value them. It’s not about working for (me). It’s collaboration, so we’re going to work together to accomplish whatever goals that we have.
Books on your nightstand currently? Most recently I just finished “Boys in the Boat”—that (book) really talks about the early days of rowing at (the University of) Washington, (with) crowds of over 100,000. It was the largest attended sporting event back in the day (1930s). …It’s a good read.
Four or five famous people you would invite to dinner? My first choice is always going to be my family, and there’s more than four or five (of us). I am not sure how I would narrow down that. There are six of us in my immediate family just to start with. Mom and dad, and I’ve got three younger sisters. Four girls and we all live in four different states.
Describe your management style: I would say I am collaborative. I think everybody has a viewpoint that can be valued and different perspectives on what’s going to make us more powerful. So I think it’s about thinking big and making sure you evaluate and take into account every constituency that you serve when you’re making decisions.
If you have any downtime, what do you most like to do? I like to run. Running might be overstating it these days. It’s probably more of a jog.
There is no better food for dinner than: I can eat chicken a lot of different ways, and I love Chinese food. If it was Kung pao chicken that would taste pretty good.
Your favorite music and artist? I’ve always liked Lighthouse quite a bit. I am a 80s kid. “80s on 8,” or whatever the XM Channel is. I still really like my 80s.
The best thing about your smartphone? Probably when the battery dies.
What really makes you laugh? I don’t think there’s not a day when we’re not laughing about something (here) in the office. There’s nothing healthier for anybody than to make sure you’re laughing and enjoying what you do.