Bruce Kirsh has been involved in intercollegiate athletics for more than 35 years — every single one of them at Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire. He began his career as a baseball student-athlete from New Jersey, moved into coaching and eventually became an athletics director. Today, he serves as the institution’s vice president and athletics director.

When he first arrived on campus, a city kid born in Manhattan, the rural environment was a big adjustment for him. But he met a woman who later became his wife, and the pair stayed in Rindge, New Hampshire.

He misses coaching — mostly the excitement of game day, but also teaching the game to student-athletes during practices and even the craziness of recruiting.

"Anyone who has competed, whether it’s playing or coaching — I’m not sure you ever get that out of your blood," he said.

In his current position, Kirsh oversees facilities construction at Franklin Pierce and continues to head the athletics department and the campus recreation department.

When he retires — though he has no specific plans to do so yet — he believes he’ll leave Franklin Pierce sure that he left his fingerprints on an institution that was only 10 years old when he began his career — even younger when he arrived as a student.

"The last day I drive down the road here, I’ll know I have really left what I think is my mark on the institution," Kirsh said.

Kirsh is leaving his mark on the NCAA as well — as a member of the Division II Committee on Infractions. He began his term nearly three years ago and will complete service in January 2008. He currently chairs the committee.

He became involved in the NCAA committee infrastructure at the urging of Franklin Pierce President George Haggerty, who served a year as chair of the Division II Presidents Council. Kirsh said he chose the infractions committee because he thought he could make a difference in student-athletes’ lives as a member of what he sees as one of the more prestigious NCAA groups.

The experience, he said, has made him more aware of overseeing the policies and procedures at his own institution.

"I see others who have made mistakes, and it certainly opens your eyes and helps you educate yourself about trying to run the best athletics program you can at your own institution," he said. "It opens your eyes to different issues throughout Division II."

His first six to 12 months on the committee were spent learning from the veterans — just sitting back and evaluating the infractions process. He said he recommends a similar path for other new members.

"Evaluate the goals and objectives that this committee has," he said. "Once you understand that, you can perform your job at the highest level."

Kirsh said he was surprised at the number of schools that do enter the infractions process in Division II, but he said most are resolved before a hearing ever takes place. He understands that the hearings can be nerve-wracking and intimidating for those appearing before the committee, but he hopes that officials at those institutions will be honest and sincere instead of defensive. Rather than being viewed as a strictly punitive body — though that element still exists — Kirsh said the committee members hope that the officials from schools that appear before them treat the experience as an opportunity to educate themselves about what went wrong and how to prevent the same thing from occurring again.

"Learn from the experience, become a better person in terms of your leadership and understanding of the NCAA rules and regulations," he said. "Mistakes are made. Learn from them. Make your institution better."

Kirsh said he knows his term on the committee will be over before he realizes it. The work, he said, has become an important part of his responsibilities.

"I’m very appreciative of the opportunity," he said. "When it’s over, I’ll miss the interaction and the entire process — and the people I’ve worked with."

He’s not sure whether he’ll seek to serve on another NCAA committee — it’s getting late in his career for taking on new responsibilities. He’s discussed other committees with his colleagues who serve, but in his heart, the infractions committee was the place he felt he could put his talents to the best use.

"This was one of the more prestigious committees that I thought would do more work and make a greater contribution to the organization," he said. "It’s certainly been interesting."