Perseverance, dedication and a desire to continually learn are attributes that fit Kevin Primm, winner of the Eastern Athletic Communications Association (East-Comm) 2023 Bill Esposito Award, perfectly.
The Bill Esposito Award is presented to a graduating college senior who wishes to pursue a career in athletic communications. The Award is named to honor the memory of one of the true patriarchs of the sports information profession. Bill Esposito served as the Sports Information Director at St. John's University in New York for 25 years. He served as a past-President of ECAC-SIDA in 1972-73 and was the organization's Irving Marsh Award recipient in 1973. He was inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 1984. Bill Esposito passed away in 1995.
Primm will receive his award on Thursday night, June 22, as part of East-Comm's annual workshop, which is taking place at the Sheraton Springfield (Mass.) Monarch Place.
A native of Massapequa Park, N.Y., Primm has loved sports since he can remember, and both played and been around the game of baseball for just as long. At Massapequa High School, he made the varsity team as a senior after being cut the previous year, showcasing his commitment to achieve his goals. While at MHS, Primm also was a member of the Broadcast Club, coordinating and reading the morning announcements while also working at the school's sporting events.
Like many at Farmingdale State College, Primm commuted to the school over his four-year undergraduate period, studying sport management while working for the Town of Oyster Bay in its parks department near his house, assisting with field maintenance and as an ice rink attendant. After initially not making the baseball team as a freshman (in the spring of 2020, which wound up being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Primm worked hard and made the team the following year, serving as a three-year member of the Rams' pitching staff.
Leading into this past fall, Primm needed to complete an internship in order to fulfill his graduation requirements in FSC's sport management program. Enter a conversation with the school's Director of Sports Information, Dominic Suhovsky, who along with Director of Athletic Communications, Tom Emberley, set Primm up with an internship – all while he was participating in fall ball for the baseball team, and working his Town of Oyster Bay job.
From there, Primm dove right into his internship hours with Emberley and Suhovsky, first learning the NCAA Live Stats programs for soccer and volleyball by observing the pair, before taking over primary inputting duties for those sports by the end of September due to his ability to learn this quickly. He continued to showcase a willingness to learn, and took a similar approach with the NCAA Live Stats program for basketball. By the time his fall semester ended in the middle of December – well over his 100 required internship hours – Primm was also inputting statistics for the Rams' basketball games.
When the semester ended, the senior asked to have a discussion with Suhovsky and Emberley in which he wanted to offer his help going forward over break, and beyond, as his schedule would allow. Little did Primm know that he had made such an impression in the athletic department, that he was going to be offered a paid student assistant role through the remainder of the academic year. He worked conference championship basketball games in February, juggling working before and after the championship final with the Town of Oyster Bay, and was ever present for both lacrosse teams' matches, as well as for softball games that did not conflict with his baseball and work schedules – showcasing a work rate that went above and beyond the call of duty.
Of no surprise to anybody around the Farmingdale State athletic department who has gotten to know him, Primm started an online graduate certificate in teaching business and marketing at Oswego State, and will continue to work with the Town of Oyster Bay and Farmingdale State athletics before pursuing further studies to place himself in the best possible position to succeed in athletics at the college level, and otherwise.
Q: Who are your mentors in the athletic communications business, and in sports in general?
KP: Tom Emberley and Dominic Suhovsky, for certain. If they didn't afford me the opportunity to take on an internship, I wouldn't be receiving this award. (Massapequa High School baseball head) coach Tom Sheedy provided me the chance to try out and make the team after I was cut the first year, which really rekindled my dreams of playing baseball in college. Our baseball coaches at Farmingdale State, including (head coach, Keith) Osik and (assistant coach, Michael) McCabe, and really all of these mentors along the way, just confirm that what you were doing is the right thing, and kept my passion for sports going.
Q: How did you balance school and work?
KP: Through a lot of creative time and schedule management. During the winter, for example, I worked Friday through Sunday at the town ice rink, which is also around the time where a lot of basketball games were. So I would work early in the morning, come over to FSC and work the basketball game or games, and then head back to the rink and work the rest of the day. These instances forced me to really take advantage of smaller pockets of time that could otherwise have been free time. For example, budgeting a couple of hours one morning to complete an essay because I knew I would have class and then practice in the spring, and sometimes a night lacrosse game to help at. Looking ahead at the start of the semester was very important for me, because I knew the pockets that I would generally have in order to accomplish my academic goals.
Q: What is the best advice you would give to student workers?
KP: Having a strong and consistent commitment is essential. That, and time management, are what will help you to gain valuable experience in a really great profession.
I remember meeting with Tom and Dominic about the internship, and Tom mentioned that "you will get out of it what you put into it." And he was dead right, because arguably I put a lot into my efforts and it resulted in the opportunity to receive this award.
What they're saying about Kevin Primm:
"I am thrilled to learn that Kevin has been selected as the recipient of the 2023 Bill Esposito Memorial Award. Kevin's unwavering dedication, strong work ethic and passion for sports have made him an invaluable asset to the Farmingdale State Athletics Department. He has a commitment to excellence and has shown his willingness to go above and beyond. He is always striving to learn and I am truly grateful for his outstanding work. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Kevin on receiving this well-deserved award."
- Dominic Suhovsky, Farmingdale State College sports information director
"Kevin's dedication to the Farmingdale State baseball team and the Athletics Department was evident during his three years. I am happy to see him receive this award, recognizing his commitment, knowledge and tireless work ethic. He was a true asset to the FSC baseball team, and I am proud to have been a part of his journey."
- Keith Osik, Farmingdale State College head baseball coach
"Kevin Primm has been quite an asset to the Farmingdale State College athletics family – especially in the last year. He puts 110 percent into everything he does, which was clearly evidenced by his willingness and desire to go above and beyond with his internship. Kevin's time management skills are wise beyond his years insofar as what he balances on a daily basis, and I cannot emphasize how happy I am to not only see him earn this prestigious accolade, but also to be able to call him a colleague in the very near future."
- Tom Emberley, Farmingdale State College director of athletic communications