Get to know Ian McCaw

A sit-down with Liberty’s new AD

 

Sports Editor Luke Dillard had a chance to catch up with newly-hired Liberty University Athletics Director Ian McCaw to talk about his transition to the Lynchburg area and his plans for
Liberty University athletics.

Q: How has the transition been into the Lynchburg area?
Answer: It’s been a great transition.

The people have been really friendly (and) very welcoming.

I love the community.

It’s a great place to live.

I’ve really been impacted by the quality of the people here at Liberty and also the amazing campus and facilities that we have to work with here.

We’re very blessed, and perhaps we’ll be able to do some great things.

Q: Have you eaten at any good restaurants in Lynchburg yet?

A: There are a lot of great options.

A couple I really have enjoyed are Waterstone Pizza and Shoemakers.

Those are a couple that are good.

I’m kind of making the rounds.

Q: Who would win in a game of 1-on-1, you or Jerry Falwell Jr.?

A: That’s a great question.

We’re both very competitive people.

It would probably go into overtime.

I don’t know. I think we’ll call that one a tie.

Q: How will you build off of (former Liberty Athletics Director) Jeff Barber’s success and how will that lead in to what your vision is for Liberty athletics?

A: There’s no question we have a lot of great pieces in place right now — the facilities, some great coaches, a staff, the student athletes.

There are wonderful things in place already.

What we’re really focusing on now is a strategic plan to really chart the next five years and what we need to accomplish to elevate this program in college athletics.

I’m really encouraged by what I’ve seen, and I think we’ve got some great things on the horizon.

Q: What are those major goals you would like to reach over the next five years?

A: The three parts of our vision are we want to train champions for Christ, we want to provide a world-class experience for our student athletes, athletically, academically, spiritually and socially, and then we want to achieve victory with integrity.

We want to win, but we want to win the right way.

That’s really the foundation of how we’re going to run our program.

Q: Do you have any favorite professional sports teams?
A: I really don’t follow pro sports all that much just because when you’re so invested in college, that’s where you spend your time.

That becomes kind of your vocation and also your hobby.

But when I do follow pro sports, I really just follow former student athletes I know or coaches who I know and that’s sort of how I connect to pro sports.

Q: What is your favorite TV show?

A: I’ll have to go with “Fixer Upper” on HGTV.

We know Chip and Joanna Gaines.

My wife taught them, and we know them personally, so I’m gonna have to go with them.

Q: Can you describe how you will work with Liberty’s Title IX Office during your tenure?

A: We’re going to be very proactive in working with the Title IX Office, so we’ve invited them to come and speak to our student athletes.

We’re looking at bringing in some outside speakers and really just doing a great job of educating our coaches, our staff and our student athletes on Title IX and making sure everyone knows the responsibilities and also — from a student athlete’s standpoint — create a high level of awareness regarding interpersonal violence.

 

Q: What did you want to be growing up as a kid?

A: When I was about five years old, I was convinced I was going to be a professional hockey player.

As I got older, I kinda thought more along the lines of business and had the incredible blessing to be able to combine my passion for sports and my passion for business and turn that into a career.

Q: What is your favorite sweet treat?

A: I’ll go with dark chocolate-covered almonds.

I like those.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: I grew up just outside of Toronto, Canada.

I was one of those kids who played whatever sports (were) in season.

I was out there playing with my friends, and I really enjoyed doing that.

That was just a passion of mine as long as I can remember.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about being at Liberty?

A: The thing I enjoy the most is connecting with people who are passionate about Liberty athletics.

I’ve had a chance to meet with a lot of our alumni, our donors to the Flames Club, our faculty and staff, our leadership, students and student athletes.

It’s just been fun to hear people’s enthusiasm for the university and passion for the athletics program.

That’s really important, because if you want to be successful in college athletics, you really need to bring all the constituents together, and I can really sense that that’s starting to build, that everyone is starting to come together and pull in the same direction and elevate this program.

I’m just a piece of the puzzle, but I hope we can do some really good things.

Dillard is the sports editor.