Austin Druse

Two years ago, the sports world halted when the NBA suspended its season. Uncertainty, fear, and an unrequited love of the game left young Jerod Fox, a then-graduate student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, in the foxhole alone. Now as UMKC’s Athletic Communications Director, he appreciates the adversity. 

“When the pandemic hit, the Graduate Assistants in the department were cut, and I actually ended up working at Walmart for a couple of months,” Fox said. “Thankfully, (Deputy Athletic Director) Curt Jacey said they were able to make room in the budget [and bring me back].”

Fox enrolled at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2019 and eventually earned his Master of Arts in May, 2021.

“I have this deep love for sport, but I also saw the inequities of it all.”

Post-college life can be difficult. Young professionals are usually told “just put the time in” and “keep their heads down.” Which is great advice – until there’s a pandemic. 

“There were definitely some worries of burnout, but I think I was too busy to even get burnt out. I plugged along, survived the year and was thankfully recognized for the work that I did with a full-time position,” Fox said. 

When speaking of Fox’s hire, Jacey said “Jerod worked tremendously hard and never wavered during a very difficult 2020 pandemic-related year. You know you have the right person when they can successfully navigate those waters.”

Fox’s feelings of burnout, however daunting, never got to him. But, during the brunt of it, he pondered the societal clash between playing sports and flattening the curve.

“I constantly thought about the fact that we were out playing games while thousands upon thousands of people were dying due to the pandemic,” Fox said. “I have this deep love for sport, but I also saw the inequities of it all.”

Approaching the halfway point of his first year in the role, Fox has his eyes set on how to bolster UMKC athletics communications. 

“I know that we’ve got a group of hard-working individuals that want to help this organization,” Fox said. “It will be important for [us] to find the ‘voice’ that gives the best opportunity to succeed in social avenues.”