From teaching finance to coaching men’s basketball, many of you have probably heard of or have been honored to have met Coach Ray Shovlain.
Hometown: Born in Des Moines and lived in Ottumwa, IA from age 2 until before moving to Clinton in Junior High. Graduated from Clinton St. Mary’s High School.
Nickname: Rocky
Educational Background: B.A. in Accounting from SAU, MBA from SAU
Time Spent at SAU: SAU Student 1975-1979, Part-time 1980-81, and have been here ever since.
Campus Involvement: Teacher, coach, Director of Athletics before those positions, Dorm Director of East Hall, Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Assistant Dean of Students
What you do in your down time: Trout fishing with my daughter, Katelyn.
Life Motto: Mind your P&Q’s – Means focus on how quickly and positively one makes adjustments. Life is not fair, but that is a positive statement as God provides the power/opportunity to make our own choice.
Favorite Phrase: Great as Always – Always Great.
Favorite Food: Catfish nuggets on the grill
Favorite Drink: Diet Mountain Dew
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite TV Show: It’s a tossup between Andy Griffin, Seinfeld and Jimmy Fallon
Favorite Movie: I have several: Tommy Boy, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Sting, and Titanic
Favorite singer/songwriter: Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash
Favorite Sports Team: Packers
Favorite place to eat (doesn’t have to be in QC): Buff Lakes on a gravel road outside of the Maquoketa State Park
Hobbies: Reading
Dream Career: Right here – the big time is where you are right now
Where do you see yourself in 10 years: SAU
Why did you choose to coach basketball? I actually thought I wanted to coach football, but there were not enough games. Basketball has a lot more games like life. You win, you lose. You got to get back up the next day and go again.
Favorite SAU basketball memory: Playing against NBA Great, Larry Bird when he played at Indiana State University, my 1st pass of the game. He stole it and went down the floor and dunked the ball over me. We/SAU vs. Indiana State were tied at half-time 35-35, Larry went to the Boston Celtics and I stayed here.
Would you consider winning professor of the year multiple times one of your greatest achievements? Why/Why not: Definitely, I think because it made me feel I had made a difference in these students, helping them to think and better prepare themselves after they leave SAU.
How and when did you starting drinking Diet Mt. Dew: When we changed athletics department sponsorship from Coke to Pepsi. Which was a long time ago. I like Diet Mt. Dew a lot better than Diet Coke.
If you could be any celebrity who would it be? Why: Jimmy Fallon. I think he is unbelievably funny and talented. Even when he claps, it’s funny. He makes people laugh in a good way. Four to five good belly laughs a day refreshes the soul.
Dream Adventure: Joining the Peace Corp.
If you could have superpowers, what power would you have? Don’t know if this counts, but the ability to provide peace of the mind and soul.
Who is your role model? Why: My Mom and Dad were outstanding examples on a daily basis to work hard, treat people the way would want to be treated, combined with a strong faith in God. I totally indebted to what my mom and dad provided myself, my brothers and sisters and my family.
Best Memory at SAU so far: Too many to count. There is one that when SAU NYSP program was selected as the #1 program in the entire country in 1992 of 250 other universities that participated. NYSP was the national youth sports program. NYSP was a program that provided a sports/education camp for 235 kids ages 10-16 for 5 weeks. It provided 5 sports activities/education components every day. Free transportations to and from campus, breakfast and lunch as well as taking field trips in the Quad Cities. Truly Great Program. 1992 Silvo Conte Award of Excellence.
If you were stranded on a beach and could only have ONE thing, what would it be? Why? Wilson, for companionship (from the movie Cast Away).
*Photos Courtesy of SAU and QCtimes.com