For 31 years, Jim Sheehan worked almost every Hofstra sporting event, spending countless hours behind the scenes to make sure everything with Hofstra Athletics ran smoothly every single day.

But, at the end of 2019, his three-decade run with Hofstra Athletics will come to an end.

“I only expected to be at Hofstra for a short time,” said Jim, who started his time at Hofstra back in 1988. “The late Bill Esposito, former SID at St. John’s, who was one of my many mentors, said the optimal tenure in sports information should be 5-7 years. But the exciting growth at Hofstra in the late 80s and early 90s kept me here. Hofstra is a special place and it has been fantastic to see the great changes and additions, both athletic and non-athletic, over the years.”

Throughout his 31 years at Hofstra, Jim has been part of some incredible moments, but he points to his family and the people at the university when asked about his favorite memories during his career.

“Personally, the two [moments] that stand out were when my daughter, Jillian, was born in 1992 and when my granddaughter was born in 2018. They were definitely the greatest moments, without a doubt,” Jim said.

“Sure, there were many great Hofstra moments, but it was the people: student-athletes, alums, coaches, staff and administrators that stand out for me,” he added. “I enjoyed the friendships and relationships with these people and watched so many student-athletes grow into special people.”

Sports information is a full-time job to the extreme: Jim works seven days some weeks and is on call 24 hours each day, responding to media requests and any other emails and texts he receives throughout the day and night.

But he pushes through and keeps a smile on his face, even when he’s sending out game recaps at 3 a.m.

Because that’s the kind of person he is.

“My credo has been, ‘do something good for somebody every day and treat people the way you want to be treated,’” he said.

These unconventional hours can make family life difficult, but Jim is adamant about keeping that connection strong, even with his unpredictable work schedule.

“Family is not just very important, it is the most important part of my life,” he said. “They have picked me up when I have been down and kept me grounded when things were good. Unfortunately, this career is not conducive to the greatest of family life. Sports information has taken a great deal of time away from family and friends.”

“I love my family and I know I, and the job, haven’t made it easy on them over the years. They are my foundation,” he added. “Everything that I have done in my career, for better and for worse, I did with them in mind.”

Anyone who knows Jim knows that you can’t have a conversation with him without a laugh.

“Humor and fun have made difficult times a little better,” Jim said. “Those who know me know that I have great, different, strange and warped sense of humor. I love the shock value in humor. I hope I didn’t offend anybody too badly along the way. It was unintentional.”

Even though Jim is saying goodbye to Hofstra, he’s planning to continue his time in the work force, just with a more conventional job.

“This chapter at Hofstra is now over, and I am moving on to something else,” he said. “I am sure that I will pop up working at other sporting events in the future as I have already booked a bunch of games to work.”

“I am not going out on the porch and getting ready to die,” he added jokingly. “I’m looking forward to a new, normal full-time job, and having more time with family.”

Image Courtesy of Jim Sheehan