So You Want a Career in Sports…
From the Desk of Sonja N. Robinson, Ph.D.
“The more knowledge that you have within how an institution operates, the better served you will be.”
The Virtual Next Sports Forum held by the Black Women in Sport Foundation on April 15, entitled “Pursuing a Career in Sports” was moderated by Dr. Meriam Merrill, who was joined by esteemed panelists, Traci Green (Head Coach Women’s Tennis, Harvard University), Portia Hoeg (Executive Director and Commissioner, Centennial Conference), Dr. Jacqueline McDowell (Associate Professor of Sport Management, George Mason University), Ashly Robinson (Senior Producer, The Players Tribune), and Monique A.J. Smith (CEO and Founder, Seeds of Empowerment, LLC).
“Try to create those genuine relationships.”
The forum delved into the ins and outs of the sports industry, from coaching and administration to sports information, marketing and communications. First, it is important for all of those attracted to the wide world of sports to know that the industry consists of a myriad of occupations. While the most obvious are the positions that deal with coaching, management or oversight, just about any ‘traditional’ career path -- whether it be business, medicine, finance, or law -- has a place in sports. That said, those seeking entry into the business need to figure out where their passions, talents, and interests lie. Be creative, think outside the box, and if at all possible, find someone who has your dream job and do your research.
On Your Mark (Research)
It’s worth taking a pause right here because the “do your research” step goes beyond doing a google search for ‘careers in sports’ (but it is a start!). The research stage may sound dry but it actually has the potential to be an exciting launch into a new career or a refreshing slide into a transitional experience. You get to dream of all the possibilities: pretend you are in first grade again, looking at the shapes in the clouds and answering the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Then, search for anyone doing your dream job (or something close to it, even if it is in another industry) and write down the pit stops -- professional, educational, and personal -- that they took along the way. Allow yourself to ‘fan-girl’ a bit, and become genuinely interested in their journey. Write down a few questions you’d love to ask, and then, find a way to reach out (you may attempt to connect via LinkedIn or other social or physical networks). You may not always get a response, but the more authentic and genuine you are about learning from (not manipulating or using) the person, the better your chances for a valuable interaction.
Next, start putting a plan in motion, beginning with your goals and based on the potential steps you may need to take, given what you’ve gleaned from your research and outreach. Take note: it’s easier to get to where you’re going if you have an idea of where you want to end up.
“Talk to a professor. It amazes me how many people don’t reach out to someone who has their dream job. Talk to us about our journey. Talk to us about your journey. Ask for advice on your application. Basically, get the inside scoop. Don’t try to do it alone. ”
As you set your goals, understand that you have to also take the time to know yourself so that you can make adequate action steps to get you from here (where you are now) to there (where your dreams, strategies, and achievements will take you). As difficult and anxiety-ridden as the Covid-19 pandemic time may be, one positive outlook is that you have time to do some personal preparation work.
“Write your goals down. Whatever you have in mind for your career path, write it down. It makes a huge difference.”
The time spent on self-preparation, self-awareness, and educational pursuits all come together so that you can brand, market, and sell yourself when the opportunity arises.
Get Set (Skill Development)
The keys to your success lie in building, sharpening and highlighting your unique skills, strengths, and talents -- and you need to be able to articulate how they can make the organization you wish to join better. Practice now, get the experience when and where you can, and then, when it’s time to perform: shine.
“Diversity is a business strategy, and so if you can show your diversity of thought and what that does to the bottom line -- that’s what they’re looking for.” -- Monique A.J. Smith
“Because of Covid-19, this is the time to look for those virtual or remote internships. Some sport organizations might not be advertising those -- this is your time to sell yourself, to create your own job description and to sell it to someone else and let them know what you can do in their organization… At least get that experience.” -- Dr. Jacqueline McDowell
“I would just suggest to everyone take advantage of this time to be creative. Jot down your ideas. You’ve been putting off that documentary that you want to do… get it started. You’re never going to have a time like this where everybody’s kind of just sitting on their hands waiting for the next big thing. So take advantage of this time to just ground yourself. Humble yourself, first of all. Don’t be too thirsty to jump at the wrong job.” -- Ashly Robinson
“It’s very important to take the time to understand yourself for who you are… You can’t sell yourself if you don’t know yourself.”
Go (Mental Toughness)
Equally important as your introspection and professional development is your mental preparation for the obstacles that face black women entering, sustaining, and transforming the sport industry. Mindset is a trending theme these days for a reason. While many are working to lessen the barriers to entry, it still remains the experience of many women of color that the playing field is not level, that the ‘glass ceiling’ is still difficult to penetrate, and that the informal hiring ‘clubs’ still don’t naturally include or even see you. This is where it is important to find out from your peers, mentors, and champions what you may encounter, strategies for dealing with the challenges, and the coping mechanisms to help you recoup after you’ve come through on the other side of a rough situation.
“Always stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
“Definitely have a winning mindset first.” -- Traci Green
“It’s tough on multiple levels… You have to pick and choose your battles wisely. I mean, to be honest with you, the stereotype of the ‘Angry Black Woman’ is real, and if you speak up and you voice your opinion and you believe in your craft... that can get misconstrued simply because people are not used to working with a black woman or just women in general.” -- Ashly Robinson
“You’ve got to know why you want to do the job. You’ve got to know how to face that fear. And most importantly, how to cope when you get the adversarial [challenges].” -- Monique A.J. Smith
“I think you make sure your network is that much stronger. To be a leader is to be lonely in a lot of ways so making sure you have a strong network, whether that’s your sister girls or your people at home or your family, whoever that is… To have those people in your corner is invaluable.” -- Portia Hoeg
Stay the Course (Keep the End in Mind)
Finally, when you’ve done the work, don’t let fear and weariness make you stray from your goals and dreams. Keep those childlike aspirations at the forefront, remembering always what made you excited about the job in the first place. You know it will be difficult, you know you will need to sell yourself, you know you will have to prove yourself twice as much as the other less-invisible applicant, but your call to the profession is deeper and more meaningful because you are needed.
“Representation does matter.” - Dr. Miriam Merrill
“Trust yourself, have confidence, and take that step in your career — that next step — when you’re ready.”
“For a young professional wanting to get into this game, storytellers are needed. We need people behind the scenes creating the content, editing the content, producing the content.” -- Ashly Robinson
“In athletics, the great thing about it is, a lot of it is about proving yourself… You focus on that goal. You focus on what you need to do and you just make it happen. And you don’t dwell on the negativity, and you find the path where you need to find the path. So, I would just tell folks, keep pushing on. There is a role for you, there is a path for you, and a lot of us are breaking the ceiling for you. And we recognize that and we’ve been very mindful of that and we want to lift as we rise up the ranks too.” -- Portia Hoeg
So... you want to work in sports? Then watch the webinar, be inspired, write the vision, and get ready to go to work!
Sonja N. Robinson, Ph.D., is an Associate Consultant with 122 Consulting Group. Dr. Robinson is an expert in diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, executive coaching, and organizational culture development. You can follow her on Twitter @TheDoctorSN.