At the heart of Dartmouth athletics -- covering the intercollegiate competitions, arranging the intramurals, assembling the club sport spectacles and maintaining the sporting facilities -- is one man: Director of Athletics Richard Jaeger.
Jaeger has worked at the College for over 30 years. He joined the Dartmouth admissions office in 1964 and served as director of admissions for 10 years before becoming head of the Dartmouth College Athletic Department in 1989.
Jaeger, a member of the Class of 1959, said he acted as "air traffic control" of the athletic department.
"There are a myriad kinds of undertakings that comprise our reason for being and I get my very capable crew to formulate an action plan," he said. "It is very broad ranging and an always interesting array of business and complaints and observations [about the department] because of the visibility and sensitivity of athletics."
Deputy Director of Athletics Robert Ceplikas said Jaeger "is responsible for the whole show here."
"It is a complex enterprise involving an awful number of employees and a tremendous number of students to take advantage of facilities," he said. Jaeger "has got to keep that all running which is a considerable challenge."
Ceplikas said Jaeger provides "very positive leadership for the department."
"We run one of the largest athletic programs in the country ... yet we do so with considerable more modest resources than many of the institutions we compete against," Ceplikas said. "So I think [Jaeger] has done a remarkable job of attracting and retaining top quality coaches ... and we do so in a really challenging budget environment."
The wide range of offerings by Dartmouth athletics make management very difficult, Jaeger said.
"One of the biggest challenges faced now is scheduling -- keeping recreational possibilities out there for users, and keeping all the teams well served with practice venues and games that have to be scheduled and run," he said. "That doesn't happen without a first rate crew. That's why I often refer to myself as an air-traffic controller."
Jaeger said his goal was "to create as many opportunities and chances for positive rewarding athletic experience and participation that we possible can from the casual recreation realm all the way up to the intercollegiate games."
For Jaeger one challenge is hiring and retaining good coaches for the intercollegiate team.
"I think we've hired some awfully fine coaches and kept some awfully fine coaches on board," he said.
Much of the Big Green's success can be attributed to Jaeger.
"We're well aware that many of our coaches could be paid higher salaries at other institutions but have chosen to stay here in part because they like and respect Dick Jaeger," Ceplikas said. "I think Dick has created a kind of positive supportive environment that makes for an enjoyable work place and team spirit that enables us to retain an awful lot of highly sought coaches who could certainly pursue other opportunities."
Jaeger said, "We want a quality experience with good chances for participation for exercise, for fitness, and for success whether it is just building up your body and fitness or participating in a team and having some good witty experiences. This means you have to think about how you do that, it presumes you have a first rate staff and you keep your facilities top rate."
During his seven years working for the athletic department Jaeger said he tried to cultivate a family in the department.
"I try to keep working together as a team," he said. "It can be challenging being a diplomat sometimes and sometimes a mediator. You try to identify problems as soon as you can and try to make some little difference."
"From my point of view, you couldn't ask for a better boss," Ceplikas said. "He is a great optimist and he is very dedicated. He is just an incredible, likable and charismatic guy to come work for day in and day out."
Ceplikas said Jaeger's long time relationship with the College "has enabled him to engender tremendous support for our programs from alumni body and various constituencies that have worked with and respect him."
"This is all part of making our programs run as effectively as possible," he added.
Jaeger left Dartmouth in 1959 with a degree in English. Jaeger said it was random circumstance that led him back to the Big Green.
"I was teaching English and coaching football in White Plains, NY when I got a call from Hanover High inviting me to head their English department," Jaeger said.
Jaeger worked with the principal of Hanover High School during Dartmouth years and had practiced teaching at the school.
After accepting the position of English department chair and working for two years, Jaeger said it was another coincidence that led to his rejoining Dartmouth.
"I was literally walking down the sidewalk in 1963 and I ran into the [then] director of admissions who asked if I would like to work in admissions," Jaeger said.
Initially, Jaeger declined the offer to work at the College.
"I had been working at revising the English curriculum at Hanover High," he said. "I was enjoying what I was doing and I felt to quit at that point wasn't ethical to the people" at the school.
But the next year, admissions again offered him a position, and Jaeger accepted.
"It was totally by chance, and yet I have totally enjoyed it," he said. "Dartmouth is a special place for me because of what it stands for and it's blend of opportunities and people."
Jaeger will be 60 years old in January. He is currently married to his second wife, Tuck School Associate Director of Admissions Sally Jaeger after his first wife died of cancer in 1992. He has one daughter and one son. His daughter, Elizabeth Jaeger, graduated from Dartmouth in 1983.
