Sports Experiences

When I was a sophomore I think I knew that I wanted to do sports management. At the time I was worried because I had very little experience working in sports. My dad isn't into sports at all and has very little in terms of contacts in the sports industry. On top of that Stamford, a big city, didn't have a lot of options to gain experience or atleast when I was there experience that I wanted. Yes I could have worked in a sporting goods store or at a golf course or tennis courts, but those things never interested me.

I got concerned as a sophomore and I saw the athletic director Mr. Hathaway and I asked him how I could get his job. I had a meeting with him and he sent me in the right direction.

By my sophomore year I had done some things in terms of sports reporting. I had experience with that but nothing else in sports other than that. That year I reported on the Women's Final Four and the UConn Women's last loss and also reported on a football game.

It's actually amazing to look back at all the experiences that I have had now. Most sports management majors have similar experiences to mine. I'm not some amazing person, I do what they do, except unlike them I guess I choose to tell everyone and thats probably because I have a big mouth.

Since I decided that reporting was not for me...(almost for me because I love sports information, but not for me because I don't like asking annoying questions all day) I have had these expierences. Some are short term ones like events and some are long term like internships or jobs.

Short Term ones like events:
2010 NCAA Division II Regional Women's Basketball Tournament
Volunteered for Athletic Operations at a few Softball, Baseball and Track and Field events...maybe five total.

Long Term ones
Job as Gameday assistant in Athletic Marketing (Worked at the XL Center, Gampel and Rent and worked games for each different UConn team that has marketing tables)
Job in Athletic Communications as the Field Hockey Public Announcer
A year as a team manager with women's soccer
Intern at Franklin Pierce University and worked mostly in Sports Information and Compliance
A Husky Sport staff member (Husky Sport is when you spend time with youths in Hartford...it would be relevant if you wanted to work in a community outreach sports organization like NBA cares)
A write this blog...Believe it or not, I do write this partly because I can show people that I write about sports. Not lots of experience but it is better than nothing.

In the near future, or now
I will be an intern with the WPS's Boston Breakers
I should have a position for the next two seasons with women's soccer
I have explored getting experience with the Compliance office at school but will try to do something new and different next summer

Finally I have another internship in two years. My goal is for this internship to be a very different experience for me and one that will open new doors. I will probably look for an internship in a sport such as golf. There would be so much for me to learn and I would expand my network and experience to things beyond soccer and college athletics. I think it's important for me to do that for a multitude of reasons. Don't worry I love women's soccer but it is also good for me to get experience in other things too. Specializing in something is something that I have sort of refused to do. I think it's important to know how it all comes together. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses but I think it's important to do a lot of different things so that you have more diverse experiences that open more doors.

And on top of that I should have a Masters in Sports Management. If I have all these things and experiences by 23, I should be very happy with myself.