Jack Allday was the inaugural athletic director at UNT Dallas beginning in 2015 before athletics was offered. Not only was Jack an athletic director, he was a man of many talents. As UNT Dallas President Bob Mong described, “For those who knew Jack, you appreciate his many talents as a writer, musician, raconteur and business leader. He was indeed writerly, turning even the most mundane correspondence into cogent and accessible prose. People were drawn to Jack throughout his life by his good nature and big open personality. As his friend and noted author Carlton Stowers said, “Jack never met a stranger.” Jack passed away in early July of 2023, but his bigger-than-life personality will be remembered for years to come.
Jack Allday was both a mentor and a friend. He would always say, “jack of all trades and master of none, plenty of opportunity to get it done. The buck stops here.” Jack genuinely cared about people, the students, and staff, and close to the vest he kept the student-athlete. Always creating a way to never let them know there was a shortage and he’d fill in the gap. The coaches at UNT Dallas fondly remember Jack for his enthusiasm, his stories of his past, his family, and all being grateful to be a part of starting athletics from the ground up. Coach Josh Howard, “I was blessed to have an opportunity to meet and work with Jack over the past years. His legacy in life and at UNT Dallas will forever be remembered.”
Even still there was a side of Jack that was closer to his heart. He was an avid and tenured musician and loved playing the percussions or drums. Louis Armstrong was his all-time favorite, and he spoke of him in great detail. He could talk for hours about playing in a band to pay his way through college, and you could see the lighthouse shining in his eyes. He shared how starting a band was a part of who he was, and those band members were some of the greatest joys in his life. You could often find Jack playing in his band, the “Jack Allday’s Swing Shift Band” around Dallas. Jack penned every detail of his homecoming service and ensured the bandmembers were right there keeping the tempo and leading the celebration.
Kelly Perry, current athletic director spoke about her experience with Jack. “Meeting and getting to know Jack was always about learning for me. He always asked about my boys and we often talked about family and our students. He would also send me news articles that he clipped from the paper that he thought I might enjoy and mail them to me at OCU. I always liked those surprises from him. Even as I was transitioning as the new athletic director of UNT Dallas, we had a few phone calls and he was looking forward to watching from the sidelines. I miss him and will continue to showcase UNT Dallas for the special place that it is.”
Jack Allday was more than an athletic director in his personality and his passion. He will be remembered for this and for the love he had for his family and the student-athletes whom he led.