Q&A With Whitman’s Director of Athletics

As a coach, teacher and administrator, Kim Chandler has spent over 30 years supporting college athletics—and her six years at Whitman have been a highlight. Between attending games, teaching a Women and Sport class, overseeing dozens of varsity and club sports teams, and raising a 2-year-old, she’s a busy person. But she jumped at the chance to chat with us about Whitman’s amazing student-athletes. 

1. What drew you to Whitman?

After I ended my coaching career, I wanted to be part of an institution where they really valued academic rigor. But in the very same conversation, we could talk about athletic success, we could talk about winning and about competing, and that one didn’t challenge the other.

2. What inspires you about Whitman’s student-athletes?

I’ve never seen students work as hard as they work here. And I mean that in the classroom and also in terms of athletics. It’s: “What do I need to do? How can I do this better?”

3. What’s your best coaching advice?

Every teacher that you had since kindergarten and every coach impacts you in some way. So I think the big thing is to be the kind of person who empowers and believes and supports and pumps sunshine into young people.

4. What was your college sports experience like?

Basketball has been a huge part of my life for many, many, many years. I had a chance to have a really phenomenal academic experience [at Ohio Northern University]. Because I hurt my knee, I went on a fifth year in terms of a medical redshirt. So I picked up along the way three bachelor’s degrees, a teaching certification and a coaching certification.

5. Who’s been your biggest influence?

Both my dad and my mom were huge in terms of advocating and putting me into a number of things, even as a small kid. I did tap and art. I painted. I played piano. I did tumbling. I was even in etiquette school, believe it or not. They did so many things to provide opportunities. So I really credit them—their expectations, their motivation to someday go to college and to do things that make you happy. 

6. What do you think draws student-athletes to Whitman?

Our students come here wanting the best that they can get in academics. They’re terrific students, and they also want to think about an option where they can compete. They can have a highly charged, highly passionate athletic experience—and also be successful, which means winning or winning in their own way as they excel and develop over their four years here at Whitman.  

7. What’s your vision for the future of Whitman Athletics?

I think for us it’s just continuing to find ways that we can excel to support the young people that are here. We always talk about the fact that they only have four years for the rest of their life to play this game at this level with this kind of camaraderie. And it’s really important that we do all that we can to help get it right.

8. Do you have a favorite Whitman Athletics memory?

There’s so many! I think one of the things that we often talk about here is that we’ve had teams that have had sustained success for quite some time. Climbing the mountain is hard enough, but staying on top of the mountain is really, really hard. I think about our women’s swimming program. They’ve won the Northwest Conference Championship the last six out of eight years. And I think about all the contributions of every member of that team. 

I also think about the special moments where those highs are maybe not as high, when student-athletes come in to talk with you about a really stressful situation. They’ve lost a parent, something’s happened. I think anytime you can be there and you can support them, those times are equally of value.

9. What’s an accomplishment you’re especially proud of? 

Last year, Whitman unveiled James Hayner Field and also built the Edwards-Moore Clubhouse at Borleske Stadium. The fact that we were able to do both of those projects in a single year, much less to have the donors fund that with significant support—to see not only one but two of those come to fruition—is just really amazing. So I am grateful for all the folks that helped us get that accomplished.