![\"\"](\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/NAIGStudents-3.jpg\")
<\/a>SPMA student Liam Miller checks on race information in the announcer\u2019s booth during the U16 Female 3000m final canoe race at the Welland International Flatwater Centre.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cAll of our students have completed in-class training to prepare them for their current in-the-field roles,\u201d says Cousens.<\/p>\n
The training, which began in February, included project management, games hosting skills for a multi-sport event, problem-solving, cultural competency training and an introduction to indigenous people in sport in Canada.<\/p>\n
Brock students are involved in all aspects of the games, including:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Venue lead and Athlete Village management<\/li>\n
- French-English translation<\/li>\n
- Medical staff and athletic therapist support<\/li>\n
- Press management and social media relations<\/li>\n
- Volunteer operations, including accreditation<\/li>\n
- Sport specialists, in charge of timing, results, scoring and athlete support<\/li>\n
- Cultural Village support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Fourth-year SPMA student Rob Cheevers, who is volunteering as the venue manager for the Welland International Flatwater Centre, says the course experience has been a \u201cperfect complement\u201d to what students learn in class.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have the opportunity to work as a team to create work plans, solve problems and apply the skills we\u2019ve learned in lecture in a practical setting. It has been an unforgettable experience,\u201d Cheevers says.<\/p>\n
This is the fourth time the Department of Sport Management has partnered with a major games to offer this course. Students have previously gained hands-on experience at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am\/Parapan Am Games, the Ontario Winter Games in 2014 in Muskoka and the Ontario Summer Games in 2014 in Windsor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith each games, we learn something new and constantly evolve to improve our training for the next time,\u201d Cousens says. \u201cThe event hosting experience students gain by participating in a major games in this capacity have resulted in full-time jobs for graduates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through a second initiative, seven current and former Brock students are working with Brock University\u2019s Centre for Sport Capacity to administer surveys collecting economic impact information of the games. Their work will kick off a new Sport Consulting@Brock initiative.<\/p>\n