Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Five Minutes With ... Joe Haklin

Wabash AD Joe Haklin
Name: Joe Haklin

Institution: Wabash College

Title: Director of Athletics and Campus Wellness

Education: Bachelor's in history, Wabash; M.A. Athletic Administration, Wayne State

I am originally from ... Chesterton, Indiana. 

Why do you have an awesome job? I interact with talented student-athletes, faculty, and staff on a daily basis. They are interested in a wide variety of things and that piques my interest. I try to give them the tools they need to be successful.

When did you know you wanted to be an athletic director?  I earned my masters degree in 1981 rather early in my coaching career. Once I achieved that goal, I felt that at some point I would put it to use as an athletic director.

Favorite thing about Wabash? Wabash has great school spirit. It takes great pride in the accomplishments of its student-athletes. They are supported by the entire institution.

Favorite thing about the NCAC? It’s vital that conference members share the same educational values and philosophy. The NCAC member schools do share common values relative to education and athletics.

How would you describe the philosophy of NCAA Div. III? Students play intercollegiate sports because they want to. They play because they feel the experience is worthwhile to them. They do not play to entertain the rest of the campus. The learning is in the playing.

How did your collegiate experience help to prepare you to be an administrator at the Div. III level? I was able to succeed as a student-athlete at Wabash College. I have lived the experience first-hand as a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in history while playing three varsity sports: football, basketball, and baseball.

Why did you choose to work at a NCAA Division III institution? I enjoy the fact that you can have adult conversations with student-athletes at Division III institutions. You can discuss such things as study abroad experiences, internship experiences, service experiences, and classroom and lab experiences. It’s fun to watch young people grow and develop over a four year period to become leaders in their field.

What are the toughest issues facing Div. III athletes today?  Too much to do and not enough time to do it. They have to be careful not to get over-extended. They can only do so much and still do it well.

If you could excel at any competitive sport which would you choose? Golf. Without question, golf is the best game to age with. It tests your physical tools, your judgment, and your emotions. And it does this in beautiful surroundings.

What’s your favorite sports team/Who’s your favorite athlete? My favorite sports team is the Indianapolis Colts. My favorite athlete of all- time in any sport is Walter Payton. He embodied all that is good about sports. I loved his work ethic.


Any Pet Peeves? I have a hard time with people who complain about a situation but offer no concrete ways to make it better. If you have a beef, tell me how to improve the situation.



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