In a drastic shift of scenery, culture and etiquette I now find myself in a complete different world of professional sports than I was in only weeks ago. Perhaps it was the immediate transition from one continent to another, one industry to the next that exposed so many differences and has revealed so many answers. Throughout the past three weeks, one conclusion has made itself unquestionably clear; working at the NFL Media Center in Tampa, Florida is about as far away as one can get from Seoul, Korea.
The Land of the Morning Calm is a quiet and majestic place, filled with beauty and shades of mystery. Understandably, part of its mystery lays in my inability to comprehend the language. Still, the professional etiquettes of Korean professionals are particularly polite and rooted in kindness and respect. One bows throughout salutations and exchanges business cards immediately when meeting a new co-worker or prospective client. Most importantly, Koreans will ensure that they act in a respectable manner, fearing an unintentional insult above all else. All conversations are mostly tranquil, divided by an equal set of give and take.
Then there is the Super Bowl, “Americas Game,” which is an entertainment anomaly in itself. Luckily, this is my second Super Bowl. As a result, I am not as star struck as I was last year, but I think working this game immediately after time in Asia has made a strong impact and has taught me a lot.
Here, we see the openness of the American sporting industry. Strolling through Radio Row, one can overhear a wide assortment of howls, laughter and screams. People are hugging each other, texting while talking and dressed to the nines. The NFL Network has televisions scattered all across the Tampa Convention Center providing coverage of every second of Super Bowl madness. Players are paraded in front of the media, asked questions for hours and followed like paparazzi.
A little bit different than Samsung Thunder’s “Free Hug” program that takes place after every home game, eh? It is truly overwhelming to see the blatant differences in sports through such a small time frame and large scale. The aspect I find most interesting about these differences is that each culture (and media culture for that matter), exists to naturally. In Seoul, the nature of a sporting event takes place in accordance with the country’s unique culture. Naturally, it is the same for Americans and the way they consume, celebrate and live with sports. Neither is better or worse, it is simply sporting cultural relativism.
As a disclaimer, I will acknowledge that this is not a truly fair comparison as the Super Bowl is a once-a-year extravaganza and this country’s highest touted event. On the flip side, it helps to observe and analyze extreme scenarios, as they can often expose differences the greatest.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed pondering the subject of cultural differences in sports, most of which have been influenced by our trip to Korea. As a result, I will seek to explore some of these questions and themes in my Masters Project, hopefully learning a lot about the world of sports along the way.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Gamsa Hamnida...Hungu!
Right now, it is Sunday night and our trip is sadly very close to coming to an end. We have just returned on a long bus ride from the Paeju English village where we played sports with Korean kids, ate dinner with Korean interns looking to practice English and watched a local B-Boy dance performance. The bus ride home provided an ideal opportunity for introspection and reflection of the previous experiences in Seoul…some of which I am happy to share with you.
I am not sure how effective it would be to write about every place we have visited over the course of our adventures in Korea, as our trip itinerary serves that helpful purpose. Nonetheless, for those curious, the following list has most of what we have done this trip. With every organization we have visited, we were greeted with the utmost respect and admiration, always by an extremely important and active representative of the organization who gave us a lovely gift and treated us to a scrumptious and high quality Korean meal.
Here we go….SK Wyverns baseball team, FC Seoul, 2002 World Cup Stadium, Samsung Training Facility, Samsung Thunders game, Samsung Hi-Clear Badminton team, NEST, 1988 Olympic Museum, Chosun Ilbo Newspaper (biggest in Korea), IB Sport Marketing, Blue House Tour (Korean version of America’s White House and Canada’s 24 Sussex Drive), Peter Kim, CG Media – VP Program Sales and the staff and students of the Physical Education Faculty at Kyung Hee University. Tomorrow, we have our final meeting with Puma Korea before heading to the airport. My jacket is filled with business cards from people at all these places who are very enthusiastic and supportive of our studies and eagerly encourage us (all USF SM students) to reach out and find a way to work with them in Korea.
On top of all of this has been the rapid pulse of a booming city. With free time, both collectively and individually, we found ways to connect to Seoul. Whether it was through the interesting bathing at a Jimjilbang, tasty sips of Soju with Korean students or touring local museums, we will all have left this city with a much greater understanding for the Korean people and first-hand experience with their generosity and pride.
Of course, as with anything in life, there will be more emotions that will flow from this trip once it is over. I already know I will soon talk about Jason, a student who has joined us for every leg of the trip. This week has been part of his internship for a Korean Sport Marketing firm and he has been doing a great job. Relatable as an aspiring sport management professional and appreciated for his everlasting help in explanations and translations, he has infused the trip with incredible character.
Lastly, on behalf of all the students from this class, I would like to thank Dr. Choi. All of our lectures have been interesting and thought provoking. The networks extended to us, not even to mention all of the local experiences, could never, ever have been achieved otherwise. We all know how much effort he has poured in to this and are extremely grateful.
I look forward to updating this blog with some after thoughts of the trip. Right now, for our last evening, I am about to join some friends in the lobby and visit the famous Noryangjin Market which is a 24-hour Fish Market…a bit late for raw fish but one last attempt to make the most of such unique surroundings.
Thanks for reading. For any questions about our trip to Korea or the USF Sport Management Program email me at ccsterling@usfca.edu.
I am not sure how effective it would be to write about every place we have visited over the course of our adventures in Korea, as our trip itinerary serves that helpful purpose. Nonetheless, for those curious, the following list has most of what we have done this trip. With every organization we have visited, we were greeted with the utmost respect and admiration, always by an extremely important and active representative of the organization who gave us a lovely gift and treated us to a scrumptious and high quality Korean meal.
Here we go….SK Wyverns baseball team, FC Seoul, 2002 World Cup Stadium, Samsung Training Facility, Samsung Thunders game, Samsung Hi-Clear Badminton team, NEST, 1988 Olympic Museum, Chosun Ilbo Newspaper (biggest in Korea), IB Sport Marketing, Blue House Tour (Korean version of America’s White House and Canada’s 24 Sussex Drive), Peter Kim, CG Media – VP Program Sales and the staff and students of the Physical Education Faculty at Kyung Hee University. Tomorrow, we have our final meeting with Puma Korea before heading to the airport. My jacket is filled with business cards from people at all these places who are very enthusiastic and supportive of our studies and eagerly encourage us (all USF SM students) to reach out and find a way to work with them in Korea.
On top of all of this has been the rapid pulse of a booming city. With free time, both collectively and individually, we found ways to connect to Seoul. Whether it was through the interesting bathing at a Jimjilbang, tasty sips of Soju with Korean students or touring local museums, we will all have left this city with a much greater understanding for the Korean people and first-hand experience with their generosity and pride.
Of course, as with anything in life, there will be more emotions that will flow from this trip once it is over. I already know I will soon talk about Jason, a student who has joined us for every leg of the trip. This week has been part of his internship for a Korean Sport Marketing firm and he has been doing a great job. Relatable as an aspiring sport management professional and appreciated for his everlasting help in explanations and translations, he has infused the trip with incredible character.
Lastly, on behalf of all the students from this class, I would like to thank Dr. Choi. All of our lectures have been interesting and thought provoking. The networks extended to us, not even to mention all of the local experiences, could never, ever have been achieved otherwise. We all know how much effort he has poured in to this and are extremely grateful.
I look forward to updating this blog with some after thoughts of the trip. Right now, for our last evening, I am about to join some friends in the lobby and visit the famous Noryangjin Market which is a 24-hour Fish Market…a bit late for raw fish but one last attempt to make the most of such unique surroundings.
Thanks for reading. For any questions about our trip to Korea or the USF Sport Management Program email me at ccsterling@usfca.edu.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Anyang Haseo...Ham-Samneda
A wise friend of mine once told me that he loved the first 48 hours of traveling the most. The rationale behind this bold statement was the pure love of being in a totally foreign environment and living by perception and intuition alone.
I had kept this philosophy near my heart before embarking on this great journey with my fellow classmates. After 24 hours of what feels like the longest day I’ve ever roamed, I am filled with smiles, a deep respect for the country I visit and still vast curiosity.
Our day started early, before the rise of Seoul’s sun. Living in San Francisco, I forgot all about darkness, gloom and cold weather. It didn’t take long to remember what it is like and to be partially honest, (despite my devout pride in being Canadian) I’m sort of excited to forget.
Our group boarded the bus with visible breath at 8:00am and headed to SK Wyverns stadium in Inchon, a suburb of the capital. The bus was filled with an inquisitive aura. We had landed late the night before and had seen very little of Korea and had few interactions with it's people. Suddenly, we were on a bus headed to meet and great the front office staff of the 2007 and 2008 KBO Champions. No one knew what to expect, yet after the visit, no one was disappointed.
At first, we were given a tour of the stadium by the team’s equipment manager, which included photo sessions on the field and a 1993 Joe Carter-esque running of the bases by yours truly (*note – all Torontonian boys born after 1987 will do this if presented the opportunity). They had explained some of the stadium’s planned renovations, which were very creative and interesting. After toying around the team’s gym and batting cages we were escorted to a conference for they day’s first lecture on the professional sporting industry.
It was incredibly well prepared, intriguing and interesting. The presenter had outlined SK Wyverns progression since their inception in 2000, outlining different marketing decisions they made and the corresponding results. All of this information was presented in the background of the nature of Korean professional sports, which is extremely different than those in North America. Understanding the blueprint motivations for creating professional teams in Korea as well as learning the ownership structure of these teams served as a great stepping stone to understanding this foreign culture and industry.
After the informative lecture and helpful Q and A session, the staff of SK Wyverns treated us to a delicious traditional Korean meal. Kimchi, Bulgogi and Bimbimbap, oh my! It was so delicious and served as a great opportunity to digest the information we just learned through casual conversation and culinary experimentation.
A great start to what will be an incredible trip. I have to stop now, as the Seoul nightlife is calling my name but I do look forward to sharing new experiences as the trip goes on.
All the best from Seoul. Wish the rest of Cohort 27 was here to explore.
I had kept this philosophy near my heart before embarking on this great journey with my fellow classmates. After 24 hours of what feels like the longest day I’ve ever roamed, I am filled with smiles, a deep respect for the country I visit and still vast curiosity.
Our day started early, before the rise of Seoul’s sun. Living in San Francisco, I forgot all about darkness, gloom and cold weather. It didn’t take long to remember what it is like and to be partially honest, (despite my devout pride in being Canadian) I’m sort of excited to forget.
Our group boarded the bus with visible breath at 8:00am and headed to SK Wyverns stadium in Inchon, a suburb of the capital. The bus was filled with an inquisitive aura. We had landed late the night before and had seen very little of Korea and had few interactions with it's people. Suddenly, we were on a bus headed to meet and great the front office staff of the 2007 and 2008 KBO Champions. No one knew what to expect, yet after the visit, no one was disappointed.
At first, we were given a tour of the stadium by the team’s equipment manager, which included photo sessions on the field and a 1993 Joe Carter-esque running of the bases by yours truly (*note – all Torontonian boys born after 1987 will do this if presented the opportunity). They had explained some of the stadium’s planned renovations, which were very creative and interesting. After toying around the team’s gym and batting cages we were escorted to a conference for they day’s first lecture on the professional sporting industry.
It was incredibly well prepared, intriguing and interesting. The presenter had outlined SK Wyverns progression since their inception in 2000, outlining different marketing decisions they made and the corresponding results. All of this information was presented in the background of the nature of Korean professional sports, which is extremely different than those in North America. Understanding the blueprint motivations for creating professional teams in Korea as well as learning the ownership structure of these teams served as a great stepping stone to understanding this foreign culture and industry.
After the informative lecture and helpful Q and A session, the staff of SK Wyverns treated us to a delicious traditional Korean meal. Kimchi, Bulgogi and Bimbimbap, oh my! It was so delicious and served as a great opportunity to digest the information we just learned through casual conversation and culinary experimentation.
A great start to what will be an incredible trip. I have to stop now, as the Seoul nightlife is calling my name but I do look forward to sharing new experiences as the trip goes on.
All the best from Seoul. Wish the rest of Cohort 27 was here to explore.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Excitement, Anticipation and Curiosity
At the end of our Sport Marketing class, Professor Andrew Choi was delivering his final speech before distributing the course evaluation forms. While bidding his final farewell to the students, Dr. Choi openly asked our class how many students would be interested in potentially taking an international sport immersion class abroad. Around half of the class’s hands were in the air - some instantaneously and others gradually, but all in all, the unified group of raised arms signalled the first breath of life into a special endeavour.
Since that moment, Dr. Choi has poured in an incredible amount of effort into making our upcoming Global Sport Management Immersion Week a reality. There will be 11 of us taking off for Seoul, South Korea tomorrow (eight students from the San Francisco campus and three from Southern California) on what should be an educational and empirical adventure of a lifetime. Dr. Choi has worked relentlessly in creating the most beneficial itinerary for our class, one that blends our understanding of a foreign sporting industry with a new and exciting culture.
The aims of the course are laid out in the syllabus, which offer some insight into the objectives of the class. ..
Korea is one of only a handful of countries in the world which has hosted both the FIFA World Cup (2002) and the Summer Olympics (1988) – two of the largest sporting events in the world. Considering the small size and population base of the nation, the Korean sport industry has seen remarkable growth and success in modern history, generating top-10 performances in recent Olympics, massive followings in professional leagues, and elite status in grassroots programs in such sports as golf, baseball, and taekwondo.
This course aims to provide a sport-cultural immersion program in Korea to learn about the global perspectives in sport management. Topics include, but not be restricted to, international sporting events, state-of-the art sport venues, sport business practices, sport policies, sport media and broadcasting rights, sport management education, and student athletes in Korea. In addition, the course will provide ample opportunities to learn about the social, cultural, and historical aspects of Korea.
As a student, I couldn’t be more excited for a course and I know my peers share the exact same sentiment – otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it! The tasty foods, the historic sights and the interaction with local Koreans are all such exciting prospects. Not to mention a totally different and important perspective of the global sports scene. I’m confident we will all grow individually and collectively from this once-in-a-lifetime expedition.
Our flight leaves in less than 12 hours which means the anticipation continues to mount appropriately. Based on a promise made to all my friends in Cohort 27 who sadly can’t join us for this class, I’ve pledged to keep everyone up to date and informed by updating this blog on a consistent basis. I hope everyone has as much fun reading it as I will have writing it!
Lastly, although I look forward to thanking him in person tomorrow at Inchon airport, I want to express my gratitude to Dr. Choi for giving us the chance to participate in such an incredible opportunity. All of the students are so appreciative of his efforts. He’s worked furiously to make this happen and we all are extremely grateful and look forward to enjoying and learning about his country’s special culture.
Since that moment, Dr. Choi has poured in an incredible amount of effort into making our upcoming Global Sport Management Immersion Week a reality. There will be 11 of us taking off for Seoul, South Korea tomorrow (eight students from the San Francisco campus and three from Southern California) on what should be an educational and empirical adventure of a lifetime. Dr. Choi has worked relentlessly in creating the most beneficial itinerary for our class, one that blends our understanding of a foreign sporting industry with a new and exciting culture.
The aims of the course are laid out in the syllabus, which offer some insight into the objectives of the class. ..
Korea is one of only a handful of countries in the world which has hosted both the FIFA World Cup (2002) and the Summer Olympics (1988) – two of the largest sporting events in the world. Considering the small size and population base of the nation, the Korean sport industry has seen remarkable growth and success in modern history, generating top-10 performances in recent Olympics, massive followings in professional leagues, and elite status in grassroots programs in such sports as golf, baseball, and taekwondo.
This course aims to provide a sport-cultural immersion program in Korea to learn about the global perspectives in sport management. Topics include, but not be restricted to, international sporting events, state-of-the art sport venues, sport business practices, sport policies, sport media and broadcasting rights, sport management education, and student athletes in Korea. In addition, the course will provide ample opportunities to learn about the social, cultural, and historical aspects of Korea.
As a student, I couldn’t be more excited for a course and I know my peers share the exact same sentiment – otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it! The tasty foods, the historic sights and the interaction with local Koreans are all such exciting prospects. Not to mention a totally different and important perspective of the global sports scene. I’m confident we will all grow individually and collectively from this once-in-a-lifetime expedition.
Our flight leaves in less than 12 hours which means the anticipation continues to mount appropriately. Based on a promise made to all my friends in Cohort 27 who sadly can’t join us for this class, I’ve pledged to keep everyone up to date and informed by updating this blog on a consistent basis. I hope everyone has as much fun reading it as I will have writing it!
Lastly, although I look forward to thanking him in person tomorrow at Inchon airport, I want to express my gratitude to Dr. Choi for giving us the chance to participate in such an incredible opportunity. All of the students are so appreciative of his efforts. He’s worked furiously to make this happen and we all are extremely grateful and look forward to enjoying and learning about his country’s special culture.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Cohort 27 Accomplishments
It took me a while to come up with my first entry for 2009. Originally, I had thought to string together a “Best of…” compilation to sum up the year in sports, but decided against it acknowledging there are so many other media sources that can provide more insightful coverage. At a brief loss for content and ideas, I confided in a dear friend, Raiders co-worker and USF Sport Management graduate in Will Kiss who provided sage advice.
The challenges of looking back on an entire year in hindsight and introspectively digesting are extremely difficult. Despite the rapid speed that time fleets at, 365 days fits quite nicely as a period of time to evaluate all one has strived for, accomplished and experienced.
For some reason, whenever I think about any personal achievements made since moving to the Bay Area, it all comes back to the orientation dinner in July, 2007. There are 35 strangers sitting in a room. They have no experience in an industry they so passionately love. They’re all willing to do anything to get in and ultimately love their jobs and careers.
It is incredible to see the progress we have made as a cohort one year and a half after starting the program. If I would have presented the following list of positions in the Bay Area sporting industry to our class at orientation, I don’t believe anyone would think it is possible. Well, it’s all true. Impossible is nothing.
The following is a partial list of positions held by students in Cohort 27 throughout the year of 2008. Many students have done additional internships at organizations not listed here. With such great progress in only one year, it seems as if the sky is the limit for 2009 and beyond.
As you will see the variety of organizations and positions our class is involved with spreads across all facets of professional, collegiate and other areas of the sporting industry. With the exception of very few, all of these positions were attained after starting the Sport Management Program.
(*Because I have not had the full disclosure of my classmates, no names are attached to the positions. If anyone wants their name attached to their title, kindly e-mail me and I would be happy to put it up)
Cohort 27, 2008
Organization: San Francisco Giants
Position: Baseball Operations Intern
Organization: 2008 US Open, USGA
Position: Championship Office Intern
Organization: Dunkshoot Magazine (Japan)
Position: International Basketball Scout
Organization: Mavericks Surf Ventures, Inc.
Position: Environmental Manager
Organization: Giants Enterprises
Position: Sales Coordinator
Organization: Stanford University
Position: Marketing Associate
Organization: Cal Athletics
Position: Assistant Director of ticket sales, Marketing
Organization: 42nd International Children’s Games
Position: Liaison to Honk Kong, China delegation
Organization: San Jose Earthquakes
Position: Corporate Accounts Manager
Organization: Comcast Spotlight
Position: Sports Sales
Organization: Roller Soccer World Cup 2008
Position: President of Organizing Committee
Organization: San Francisco 49ers
Position: Football Operations Intern
Organization: Decathlon Health Club
Position: Assistant Athletic Director
Organization: Emerald Bowl
Position: Media Services Coordinator
Organization: NFLPA
Position: Salary Cap/Arbitration Intern
The challenges of looking back on an entire year in hindsight and introspectively digesting are extremely difficult. Despite the rapid speed that time fleets at, 365 days fits quite nicely as a period of time to evaluate all one has strived for, accomplished and experienced.
For some reason, whenever I think about any personal achievements made since moving to the Bay Area, it all comes back to the orientation dinner in July, 2007. There are 35 strangers sitting in a room. They have no experience in an industry they so passionately love. They’re all willing to do anything to get in and ultimately love their jobs and careers.
It is incredible to see the progress we have made as a cohort one year and a half after starting the program. If I would have presented the following list of positions in the Bay Area sporting industry to our class at orientation, I don’t believe anyone would think it is possible. Well, it’s all true. Impossible is nothing.
The following is a partial list of positions held by students in Cohort 27 throughout the year of 2008. Many students have done additional internships at organizations not listed here. With such great progress in only one year, it seems as if the sky is the limit for 2009 and beyond.
As you will see the variety of organizations and positions our class is involved with spreads across all facets of professional, collegiate and other areas of the sporting industry. With the exception of very few, all of these positions were attained after starting the Sport Management Program.
(*Because I have not had the full disclosure of my classmates, no names are attached to the positions. If anyone wants their name attached to their title, kindly e-mail me and I would be happy to put it up)
Cohort 27, 2008
Organization: San Francisco Giants
Position: Baseball Operations Intern
Organization: 2008 US Open, USGA
Position: Championship Office Intern
Organization: Dunkshoot Magazine (Japan)
Position: International Basketball Scout
Organization: Mavericks Surf Ventures, Inc.
Position: Environmental Manager
Organization: Giants Enterprises
Position: Sales Coordinator
Organization: Stanford University
Position: Marketing Associate
Organization: Cal Athletics
Position: Assistant Director of ticket sales, Marketing
Organization: 42nd International Children’s Games
Position: Liaison to Honk Kong, China delegation
Organization: San Jose Earthquakes
Position: Corporate Accounts Manager
Organization: Comcast Spotlight
Position: Sports Sales
Organization: Roller Soccer World Cup 2008
Position: President of Organizing Committee
Organization: San Francisco 49ers
Position: Football Operations Intern
Organization: Decathlon Health Club
Position: Assistant Athletic Director
Organization: Emerald Bowl
Position: Media Services Coordinator
Organization: NFLPA
Position: Salary Cap/Arbitration Intern
Friday, December 5, 2008
...My City By The Bay
In some sense, I feel guilty about it. Having written for weeks now and not paid the city of San Francisco due diligence is a sin. After all, it is the city that serves as the blueprint and the foundation for all of our experiences. To say that we, as students and citizens of the world are lucky to live in San Francisco is a complete understatement. It is a blessing and a gift, one that we are each proud of and seek to maximize on a daily basis.
It is a daunting task; don’t think it isn’t for a moment. What could one writer possible say about “The City By The Bay” that hasn’t been said or sung? There is obviously something majestic about a place that attracts the likes of Frank Sinatra, Jack Kerouac and Mark Twain. Instead of playing into typical clichés of “The City”, I choose to offer an individual perspective about what makes San Francisco such an incredible city to live in and an ideal backdrop to study and grow from.
When I moved to San Francisco in July 2007 (the start of Cohort 27), I was a tender 22-year-old Canadian who didn’t know a soul in the city. Soon after exploring the vast variety of museums, beaches and parks of ‘Frisco, I discovered that I was not alone in being alone. One of the most unique aspects of this city’s population which peaks just over 700,000 is that most of the people inhabiting its shores are young and were actually born in a different city or country.
Currently, I live with three individuals whom I did not know before moving here. One is from North Carolina, another from North Dakota and the other Germany. My friends who live close by share a flat made up of a Southern Californian, an Alaskan and a Norwegian. These are only two households of a city filled with twenty-something young adults.
Sounds unique? Welcome to life in San Francisco; a hotbed of youth, diversity and excitement. Part of what makes the community of San Francisco so tight knit and friendly is the city’s infrastructure. As opposed to a traditional American city’s layout (from my personal experiences) of long stretches of highway divided by strips of plazas (necessitating a personal automobile), San Francisco is crammed tightly together and driven by public transportation. With every street in the city filled to the max with houses, apartments and flats, the masses almost have no choice but to live in harmony.
Additionally, the resources for culture and healthy living in this city are abundant and easy to take advantage of. There are new museums and academic centers popping up around the city constantly. A good example of this is the new California Academy of Science (http://www.calacademy.org/) which serves as the typical San Franciscan establishment – environmentally friendly, innovative and educational. (A list of the city’s museums can be found here:
http://sanfrancisco.about.com/od/museums/tp/museumsinsanfrancisco.htm
Lastly, I would like to address perhaps my favourite aspect of San Francisco – the weather. Perhaps it is my cold Ontarian roots that relish in nice weather all year long (yes, I was utterly fascinated by fog when moving here) but not having to wear a toque, gloves or jacket all year long do make a difference. There are sports leagues that play soccer, basketball and football outdoors 12 months a year! Nice weather, coupled with a city filled with bike lanes and jogging trails also means that healthy activities are carried out and socially encouraged. A small city (as previously mentioned) promotes walking to destinations that are easily attainable. It has it all.
Briefly, I have charted some of my favourite reasons for living in the city of San Francisco. Please notice I did not mention anything about Alcatraz, Cable Cars or two spectacular bridges. Don’t worry, these classic landmarks aren’t going anywhere. I was just trying to portray the aspects of San Francisco that one can fall in love with as a resident, not a visitor. I hope I have been able to offer some unique insights of San Francisco. The city and everything I love about it, made it quite easy to write.
If you have any questions/comments about San Francisco or the USF Sport Management Master’s Program, feel free to write me at
cssterling@usfca.edu
P. S - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4QkTvK2OEw
It is a daunting task; don’t think it isn’t for a moment. What could one writer possible say about “The City By The Bay” that hasn’t been said or sung? There is obviously something majestic about a place that attracts the likes of Frank Sinatra, Jack Kerouac and Mark Twain. Instead of playing into typical clichés of “The City”, I choose to offer an individual perspective about what makes San Francisco such an incredible city to live in and an ideal backdrop to study and grow from.
When I moved to San Francisco in July 2007 (the start of Cohort 27), I was a tender 22-year-old Canadian who didn’t know a soul in the city. Soon after exploring the vast variety of museums, beaches and parks of ‘Frisco, I discovered that I was not alone in being alone. One of the most unique aspects of this city’s population which peaks just over 700,000 is that most of the people inhabiting its shores are young and were actually born in a different city or country.
Currently, I live with three individuals whom I did not know before moving here. One is from North Carolina, another from North Dakota and the other Germany. My friends who live close by share a flat made up of a Southern Californian, an Alaskan and a Norwegian. These are only two households of a city filled with twenty-something young adults.
Sounds unique? Welcome to life in San Francisco; a hotbed of youth, diversity and excitement. Part of what makes the community of San Francisco so tight knit and friendly is the city’s infrastructure. As opposed to a traditional American city’s layout (from my personal experiences) of long stretches of highway divided by strips of plazas (necessitating a personal automobile), San Francisco is crammed tightly together and driven by public transportation. With every street in the city filled to the max with houses, apartments and flats, the masses almost have no choice but to live in harmony.
Additionally, the resources for culture and healthy living in this city are abundant and easy to take advantage of. There are new museums and academic centers popping up around the city constantly. A good example of this is the new California Academy of Science (http://www.calacademy.org/) which serves as the typical San Franciscan establishment – environmentally friendly, innovative and educational. (A list of the city’s museums can be found here:
http://sanfrancisco.about.com/od/museums/tp/museumsinsanfrancisco.htm
Lastly, I would like to address perhaps my favourite aspect of San Francisco – the weather. Perhaps it is my cold Ontarian roots that relish in nice weather all year long (yes, I was utterly fascinated by fog when moving here) but not having to wear a toque, gloves or jacket all year long do make a difference. There are sports leagues that play soccer, basketball and football outdoors 12 months a year! Nice weather, coupled with a city filled with bike lanes and jogging trails also means that healthy activities are carried out and socially encouraged. A small city (as previously mentioned) promotes walking to destinations that are easily attainable. It has it all.
Briefly, I have charted some of my favourite reasons for living in the city of San Francisco. Please notice I did not mention anything about Alcatraz, Cable Cars or two spectacular bridges. Don’t worry, these classic landmarks aren’t going anywhere. I was just trying to portray the aspects of San Francisco that one can fall in love with as a resident, not a visitor. I hope I have been able to offer some unique insights of San Francisco. The city and everything I love about it, made it quite easy to write.
If you have any questions/comments about San Francisco or the USF Sport Management Master’s Program, feel free to write me at
cssterling@usfca.edu
P. S - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4QkTvK2OEw
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Volunteer Opportunities : This is Your Life
Nothing good comes easy.
This fundamental life-lesson that is especially prevalent in the world of Sport Management. For those who enter the industry without any connections and are forced to fend for themselves, there are two magical words that will become forever etched into their memories: volunteer opportunities.
The Bay Area is plentiful with chances to gain professional exposure. Between the five professional sports teams in the area, handful of NCAA athletic programs and traveling tournaments that find their way to this geographic region, one can be certain that if they want to get involved they can.
Volunteering opportunities are essentially like tryouts for a sports team. You’re never certain how many positions are available (if any, which is the majority of the case) and you never know too much about the talent you are going to be working with. Ultimately, one recognizes that the impression they leave from their one day of volunteering can serve (in a good or bad way, pending performance) as a reflection of a person’s personality, work ethic and attitude.
Bearing all of this in mind, I would like to share a story about my first experience with a volunteer opportunity....
It was a cold and foggy San Francisco morning and I awoke with much anticipation. I was about to meet up with a few of my classmates and volunteer for the San Francisco Giants Jr. Giants Annual Golf Tournament. Having started the USF Sport Management Program one week earlier, I was finally provided the chance to prove my worth.
It was a lot of fun as Giants baseball players, both former and current checked in to the course. Along with the ball players, there were a variety of Bay Area sports legends participating in the event that raised money for the Jr. Giants foundation.
My first job, working with my lovely classmate Nancy Pike, was to distribute bubble gum to all the participants before they teed off at our hole. Although the job sounds mundane, it was quite fun because you get to meet and greet each athlete and Giants executive staff as they approach your hole (this is where the whole audition aspect comes in to play).
Being a Canadian and new to the Bay Area sports heroes, I recognized only a handful of the athletes. One who stood out was Jim Plunkett, the Raiders quarterback who won two trophies and was named Super Bowl MVP. I handed him his gum in a courteous fashion and briefly introduced myself.
As the afternoon moved a long, so did our responsibilities and I was soon moved to a hole where I was distribute special pins. It was the same drill as before. After one group had hit their balls, the next approached and it happened to be Plunkett’s group. I handed all of the players their pins and politely asked how they were all doing. Soon after, “Plunk” made a remark to the group how I was moving up in the world as I had gone from giving out gum to pins. Of course, this mildly sarcastic comment was met with a burst of laughter and rosy cheeks on my behalf. The group played on and the afternoon quickly came to a close.
Upon reflection, I thought more and more about Plunkett’s comment and feel that it fits a much bigger picture about working volunteer opportunities. On the surface, distributing either bubble gum or a pin is not ideal, but if taken with the right attitude and direction, it can bear unlimited fruit.
I sometimes work with Jim Plunkett in the Raiders broadcasting department. Of course, he still has no absolutely no idea who I am. But, the exchange we shared, aside from teaching me a lesson, motivates me immensely to do accomplish something absolutely incredible and then find Jim Plunkett and make some witty remark about a moment he could never remember. Such are the motivations of life.
This fundamental life-lesson that is especially prevalent in the world of Sport Management. For those who enter the industry without any connections and are forced to fend for themselves, there are two magical words that will become forever etched into their memories: volunteer opportunities.
The Bay Area is plentiful with chances to gain professional exposure. Between the five professional sports teams in the area, handful of NCAA athletic programs and traveling tournaments that find their way to this geographic region, one can be certain that if they want to get involved they can.
Volunteering opportunities are essentially like tryouts for a sports team. You’re never certain how many positions are available (if any, which is the majority of the case) and you never know too much about the talent you are going to be working with. Ultimately, one recognizes that the impression they leave from their one day of volunteering can serve (in a good or bad way, pending performance) as a reflection of a person’s personality, work ethic and attitude.
Bearing all of this in mind, I would like to share a story about my first experience with a volunteer opportunity....
It was a cold and foggy San Francisco morning and I awoke with much anticipation. I was about to meet up with a few of my classmates and volunteer for the San Francisco Giants Jr. Giants Annual Golf Tournament. Having started the USF Sport Management Program one week earlier, I was finally provided the chance to prove my worth.
It was a lot of fun as Giants baseball players, both former and current checked in to the course. Along with the ball players, there were a variety of Bay Area sports legends participating in the event that raised money for the Jr. Giants foundation.
My first job, working with my lovely classmate Nancy Pike, was to distribute bubble gum to all the participants before they teed off at our hole. Although the job sounds mundane, it was quite fun because you get to meet and greet each athlete and Giants executive staff as they approach your hole (this is where the whole audition aspect comes in to play).
Being a Canadian and new to the Bay Area sports heroes, I recognized only a handful of the athletes. One who stood out was Jim Plunkett, the Raiders quarterback who won two trophies and was named Super Bowl MVP. I handed him his gum in a courteous fashion and briefly introduced myself.
As the afternoon moved a long, so did our responsibilities and I was soon moved to a hole where I was distribute special pins. It was the same drill as before. After one group had hit their balls, the next approached and it happened to be Plunkett’s group. I handed all of the players their pins and politely asked how they were all doing. Soon after, “Plunk” made a remark to the group how I was moving up in the world as I had gone from giving out gum to pins. Of course, this mildly sarcastic comment was met with a burst of laughter and rosy cheeks on my behalf. The group played on and the afternoon quickly came to a close.
Upon reflection, I thought more and more about Plunkett’s comment and feel that it fits a much bigger picture about working volunteer opportunities. On the surface, distributing either bubble gum or a pin is not ideal, but if taken with the right attitude and direction, it can bear unlimited fruit.
I sometimes work with Jim Plunkett in the Raiders broadcasting department. Of course, he still has no absolutely no idea who I am. But, the exchange we shared, aside from teaching me a lesson, motivates me immensely to do accomplish something absolutely incredible and then find Jim Plunkett and make some witty remark about a moment he could never remember. Such are the motivations of life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
