Dropping a successful program is never easy for an athletic director. But, in the case of men’s gymnastics last year, the decision came easy for O’Dell. As a requirement to join the Association of Mid-Continent Universities now called the Mid-Continent Conference, NIU had to renew the baseball program. In order to make room for baseball and comply with Title IX of NCAA regulations, O’Dell decided to drop the successful men’s gymnastics program. Due to the decreasing number of high school participants and the increased number of recruits coming from overseas, the decision to eliminate the gymnastics program was relatively easy and obvious for O’Dell.

“When we made the proposal to drop the men’s gymnastics program, I knew there would be an emotional response. But, it’s important for me to make my decisions based on facts, not emotions. The facts were black and white, loud and clear. I had to base my decision on what program least met the demand of the population. It was not hard to figure out when only 39 Division I gymnastic programs were left and only 58 high schools in the state were participating in gymnastics. We also had to do most of the recruiting with post cards. Where as, 270 Division I schools particpated in baseball and look at the number of people who participate and can relate to the sport of baseball.”

O’Dell also took some heat when Associate Athletic Director Leo Hensley, who headed the development and communication departments, left the program. It was O’Dell’s decision, and he said the vision and Hensley conflicted.

“I’m not going to get into personal matters, but sometimes the match is not right and it’s the decision of the administrator or the manager to see that. It was my fault that the match was not right. I make mistakes,” he said.

After graduating from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, O’Dell got his start as a high school football coach in Broken Arrow, Okla. He also taught biology and physiology. His life-long goal of coaching was fulfilled and he was content.

He then got a chance to move up and coach at the collegiate level. He coached at Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Iowa State and Minnesota.

“I realized that I was not going to be a Division I head football coach, there were only so many opportunities,” O’Dell said. That’s why he decided to put on the tie and pursue an administrative position.

O’Dell started his administrative career in 1984 at Minnesota, heading its marketing department. During his tenure at Minnesota, the season ticket sales for football went from 23,000 to 45,000. O’Dell installed one campaign after another using aggressive marketing strategies to bring the Twin Cities together to support the Golden Gopher athletic programs. One of the biggest campaigns was called the “Gold Rush.” “That campaign was successful because so many people volunteered to help financially, giving their time and their efforts. The major advertising agencies and public relation firms donated their time, and the radio and TV stations provided us with free advertising time. That campaign didn’t take much money at all. It takes that kind of rallying and enthusiam to make those things happen,” O’Dell said.

Bob Hicks, who worked under O’Dell at Minnesota said, “I enjoyed working for Gerald. He was very successful, very efficient in his marketing strategies and he was always looking for things to renovate. He’s a very ambitious individual. The season ticket sales under Gerald was four times higher than it is now.” Hicks still works at Minnesota.