Jane Teixeira begins new position as head of Humboldt State athletics
Humboldt State has a new permanent athletic director for the first time since 2016 in Jane Teixeira, who officially started the job April 6. With COVID-19 ending all sports at HSU for the semester, Teixeira has been adjusting to the area and the position as much as she can.
“I’ve enjoyed my time exploring as much as I can under the circumstances,” Teixeira said. “It was an interesting drive up here to try to make the change in location in these unprecedented times. Beautiful landscape coming up here, and I’m really happy to be here. Every morning it’s nice to hear the chickens that are across the street and be a part of this great community.”
Even without the luxury of meeting people in person, Teixeira has hit the ground running and is doing her best to make connections with people and learn more about the athletics department and where it fits into the university.
“I’m willing to listen, I may not have the answers, I may not be able to give them what they want right away or at all, but I’m willing to listen.”
Jane Teixeira
“A lot of my two weeks have been built upon building relationships,” Teixeira said. “Getting to know what the staff needs, what they want. Where our gaps are, where we stand financially—obviously in these times things are difficult—and how can athletics contribute to getting better under the circumstances with the university as a whole.”
With the loss of football still recent in people’s memories and budget management on the horizon, Teixeira said interacting with the community around Humboldt State and listening to what they have to say will be important for her.
“I’m willing to listen,” Teixeira said. “I may not have the answers, I may not be able to give them what they want right away or at all, but I’m willing to listen. And I’m willing to take their points and understand them and say, ‘Hey, have you thought about this?’ or, ‘That’s a great point. I’ve never thought about that, let me see what we can figure out with that.’ We’re looking forward to working hand in hand and side by side with the Humboldt County community and all of our alumni.”
Teixeira also aims to focus on bringing in more quality student-athletes and using athletics as a way to bring more students to Humboldt State and give them opportunities.
“It’s all about opportunity,” Teixeira said. “Because you never know when that one opportunity happens for a student that may change their life forever. It can happen just like that. And that’s why I’m in this business.”
For Teixeira, the roster expansions would be a chance for student athletes who may get overlooked to have a chance to showcase themselves.
“You never know when you get that one student who the lightbulb goes off for them and it changes their whole entire world. So giving them an opportunity if we expand our rosters a little bit, you never know. You may get that diamond in the rough.”
