The 10th annual Tom Waddell Symposium for Sports and Values at Springfield College in Dodge room A/B took place last week, and featured guest speaker Kris Rhim, who graduated from the college in 2021 and even won the award himself in his senior year.
“[Winning the award] was awesome,” Rhim said. “Tom did so much in terms of leveling the playing field and especially with the Gay Games, so I was super honored to win the award.”
Waddell graduated from Springfield in 1959, and his contributions to sports and LGBTQ+ advocacy are unparalleled. As an Olympic decathlete, Waddell challenged conventional norms and later founded the Gay Games in 1982, providing a platform for LGBTQ+ athletes to compete openly and proudly. His vision transcended athletics, promoting a message of unity, acceptance and the celebration of diversity. The annual event in Springfield serves as a large reminder of his enduring impact and the ongoing fight for equality in sports, and also leveling the playing field.
Currently serving as the NFL Nation beat reporter for the Los Angeles Chargers at ESPN, Rhim’s journalistic journey began at Springfield, where he majored in Communications and Sports Journalism (COSJ). His experiences as a track and field athlete at Springfield and his roles at The Boston Globe, ESPN’s The Undefeated and The New York Times have equipped him with a unique perspective on the intersections of race, culture and sports, but Rhim almost didn’t stay on Alden Street.
During Rhim’s sophomore year, he was concerned about his future. Both of his siblings went to NYU and Cornell, respectively, and he feared that Springfield College wouldn’t be enough on his resume.
After voicing his thoughts with COSJ professor Martin Dobrow, who was the moderator of the event and discussion, Rhim became convinced he should stay. Ultimately, Rhim’s mother let him know that he was at Springfield for a reason, and she was correct.
Rhim also looked back on a fond memory where he was working for the Atlanta Falcons, and got accepted into one of the most prestigious programs in the New York Times Fellowship, and asked Dobrow if he should leave his job for the NYT in 2022. At the event, Dobrow said that he simply told him, “It’s the New York Times”, but Rhim quickly stopped him.
“No, he swore while saying it’s the New York Times,” Rhim said while laughing.
Rhim’s work is characterized by a commitment to storytelling that challenges the status quo. His coverage of the Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback room, believed to be the first entirely Black quarterback room in NFL history back in 2023, spotlights his focus on narratives that highlight underrepresented communities within sports. Rhim even had a podcast while he was at Springfield called “Liberty, Justice, and Ball,” which featured a combination of basketball and social justice, with his co-host being Dobrow.
The event provided a space for dialogue, reflection and inspiration, reinforcing the values that Waddell championed throughout his life. After Rhim’s Q+A and discussion with Dobrow, Dillon Mortensen was given this year’s Tom Waddell award. The award is given to a student-athlete who seeks to level the playing field, and contributes his or her all to the community.
Mortensen is a senior defender for the Pride soccer team who was honored for the widespread variety of his volunteer work off the field, and more specifically with Team IMPACT. The organization pairs kids with serious illness and/or disabilities with college teams to create long-lasting relationships and experiences for the kids.
Friday’s event honored its namesake’s legacy while highlighting the ongoing work necessary to achieve true inclusivity in sports. Through the insights shared by Rhim, attendees were reminded of the transformative power of storytelling and the importance of continuing to challenge barriers within the sports community.
“Being back here is great,” Rhim said. “It’s cool to see a bunch of familiar faces. I always wanted someone to come back and speak to us, to show me I can do it. So to be in those shoes now is amazing.”