7QUESTIONS+PLUS

Like a lot of guys, Carthage Athletic Director Robert Bonn uses golf to unwind. He adds that if he could swap places with anyone for one day, he would pick Steve Williams (Tiger Woods’ caddie). If Bonn’s passion for golf is a testament of anything, it shows his drive to succeed -- he just received the honor of NCAA Division III Athletic Director of the Year for the West Region -- and that motivation rubs off on the numerous Carthage athletics teams that have triumphed at the individual, conference and national level. It’s sometimes hard to keep pace with Bonn, who makes a point of attending every home athletics event he can. But we were able to catch up with him ... And we didn’t have to step on a golf course to do it ...

Robert Bonn will now take your questions:

Receiving the honor of NCAA Division III Athletic Director of the Year for the West Region is a major achievement. How will that change you and where do you go from here? I am very honored to receive the award but it represents the efforts of many people: President Campbell, who is a strong supporter of Carthage athletics, and all of the coaches and staff who work for me. Together, we have accomplished great things, from new facilities to all of the team successes.

How do you juggle overseeing 22 varsity sports? In the next couple of years we will be at 24 varsity sports with the addition of men's and women's lacrosse. It is very time consuming because I make an effort to supervise and support every home contest. It is the best way to evaluate how the coaches and teams are performing and to learn what is needed to compete at our level.

How exciting is it that Carthage is undergoing and is about to embark on some major campus initiatives to improve dorms, the student union and athletics facilities? I don't know of a college in the country that is doing more to improve their school. Carthage has long been an excellent college but we are not a well kept secret anymore. Students and their parents are visiting, applying and enrolling in record numbers.

How do you explain adding women's golf, men's volleyball, women's water polo, and men's and women's lacrosse in the past several years when not many other area colleges have any such programs? There is something exciting about having the courage to create something that no one else sees and making it work. I have total support, and in fact, am encouraged to make our athletic program more comprehensive and inclusive.

The CCIW has shown remarkable stability over the years with only Carroll leaving in the past 30 years or so. Do you envision Carthage looking for a different conference home in the near future, perhaps with more Wisconsin schools? --From Mark Short, Kenosha, Wis.
Carthage is a charter member of the CCIW going back to the time when our campus was located in the town of Carthage, Illinois. It is very unlikely that we would want to join a new conference, when the quality of athletics and academics in the CCIW is at such a high level. Very few of the private colleges in Wisconsin will play us. This year will mark our final football game against Carroll, as they are dropping us from the schedule for the third time.

Do you ever feel you are pushing sports on your own kids too much? I was lucky that my two boys really enjoyed playing sports, but I see parents pushing their children far too much, especially at the high school and college levels. To play a sport at the collegiate level, a student must have an exceptional desire and passion to participate.

Carthage is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Do you consider yourself religious? I am a strong believer in God, in that we all have a purpose in life and that some day our actions will be evaluated. I once read a great quote that I try and follow every day, "The ultimate test of a person is how you treat people who can't possibly do anything for you."

Many of the college's athletics teams are tops in the conference and even ranked as elite programs in the country. How do you account for the school's so many athletics successes? First and most important, we hire excellent coaches who can recruit talented student-athletes and teach. Second, we have improved our facilities to help attract talented students and coaches and to make their sport participation more enjoyable. Third, we emphasize the value of competing to the best of your ability and being a winner.

Division III football means playing in front of a couple hundred people in the stands. Do you ever wish that Carthage could pack thousands of fans into Art Keller Field like the Division I/II football teams (assuming you had the facilities to host that many)? I am very content with 3-4 thousand fans attending our football games. Our future renovations for Art Keller Field plan for that many seats. A Division I football game is very exciting but I am much more comfortable at the Division III level. I believe that it is the most appropriate and realistic level to participate in collegiate athletics while getting an education.

How difficult is fund-raising and finding money for so many programs that require cash and facilities that need to be kept up to date? The challenge of any not-for-profit organization is to generate enough funding to accomplish your mission. We have been blessed at Carthage with wonderful support from our alumni and friends as well as the Kenosha/Racine community.

Do you really think that Carthage needed to change from Redmen to Red Men? Do you wish the school could have kept the name and the logo with the feathers? The change was very dramatic for our alumni, especially when they didn't believe they were offending anyone. It was a difficult position for Carthage, as we had passionate athletic alumni who did not want to change, passionate individuals who felt we were offending native Americans and the NCAA requiring that we change or they would restrict our athletes and teams. I believe in the end that the best compromise was reached.

What do you do to unwind? I play golf but unfortunately it usually causes more stress for me than my job. It is one of the most difficult sports to master and I tend to become too competitive with myself while trying to conquer the sport.

If you could swap places with anyone for one day, whom would you choose and why? I would trade places with Steve Williams, Tiger Woods caddie. I am fascinated with what it takes to have such athletic greatness and would like to learn more about what makes him tick.

What's one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I am a highly competitive person.

If money were no object, what hobby would you like to try? I would like to take golf trips around the world.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I was born in Canada and have lived and worked in five states. I would like to spend time traveling throughout Canada and the United States.

What is the theme song for the movie that is being made about your life? "We are the Champions", by Queen. I think it is really special to be a part of a team that wins a championship.

If your house started on fire, what one (non-living) item would you take with you on your way out the door?
My golf clubs.

What is your favorite restaurant in Kenosha? Gateway Café, and owner Peter Kyriazes. I love the fact that so many elderly folks go there for good food at a reasonable price. Pete makes them feel like a million when they come in and brings a smile to their faces.

What is the most enlightening piece of advice ever given to you? My wife, Michele, always tells me to never give up on a kid no matter how many times they fail because they need your support. It just takes longer for some to figure it out.