Students

  • Taela Ritchie – Exit Blog, Event, Marketing, and Communications Assistant

    Friday, April 19, 2024 | By

    As I near the end of my internship at the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC), I find myself looking back on the incredible journey of personal and professional growth I’ve experienced over the past eight months. From day one, I was welcomed into a welcoming environment that not only encouraged me to excel but also provided me with the tools and opportunities to do so. As I move on from this chapter of my life, I extend my gratitude to Grace Nelson and Dr. Julie Stevens. Throughout my time at the CSC, their constant support and willingness to offer guidance has been amazing and I appreciate them continuously presenting me with opportunities for growth and learning. This internship has exceeded all my expectations, and I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity.

    Throughout my time at the Centre there were many opportunities to expand my professional portfolio and knowledge. One of the most rewarding experiences during my internship was leading the planning of a book launch event. Taking on the role of the main planner for this event allowed me to navigate through all the details of event management. From coordinating with AV and custodial to securing a venue to implementing social media marketing strategies, every aspect of the planning process refined my project management skills and deepened my understanding of event planning. My time at the CSC also afforded me the opportunity to learn how to develop a website. Crafting a website for a Sport Management Professor honed my skills in content creation and layout design. Collaborating closely with the professor, I tailored the website to meet his specific needs, honing my abilities in client communication and project management. This project enhanced my technical skills and gave me confidence to create more web development projects if needed. At the CSC, I embraced the role of crafting a magazine using Canva, a graphic design platform. Through this project, I honed my skills in graphic design, colours, and imagery to convey the magazines messages.

    I am immensely grateful for the opportunity I had at the CSC. It has been a transformative experience that has not only allowed me to grow both personally and professionally but has also equipped me with invaluable skills and knowledge that I will carry forward into my future careers. Working alongside a dedicated and supportive team like Grace Nelson and Dr. Julie Stevens has been a privilege, and their guidance and mentorship have played a significant role in shaping my journey during my time at the Centre for Sport Capacity. I am deeply thankful for the trust they placed in me and for the countless opportunities they provided for learning and development. This internship has truly been a cornerstone in my professional growth, and I am grateful for every moment spent at the CSC.

    Categories: Students

  • Matthew Amos – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | By

    Sports have been the focal point of my life since a very young age. Growing up I played various sports ranging from hockey to basketball and it was my experience participating and watching these that made me want to work within the sport industry. Sports can be used as a tremendous outlet for positive change in the world by promoting physical activity, teamwork, and creating growth within communities. Being a part of that culture is a huge reason why I am excited to intern at the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC). 

    Hi, my name is Matthew Amos, and I am from Wawa, Ontario. In case you haven’t heard of it, it is a small town just north of Sault Ste. Marie. I love watching and participating in most sports; however, I am most interested in hockey by far. I grew up playing in the Wawa Minor Hockey Association throughout elementary school and high school and have recently got back into playing this year in Brock’s intramural league. I am currently in my fourth year at Brock University studying Sport Management and graduating in the spring of 2024. This winter I will be interning in the CSC’s Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator position. Most of my professional experience has been blue collar labor work, so I am very excited to finally get my foot in the door of the sport industry and work closely with a variety of organizations. 

    Since I have always been interested in sports and business, enrolling in Sport Management was an easy decision. I have learned so much in the last four years of my program that will help me in my future career. Some of my favorite courses were Professional Engagement for the Sport Industry, Sport Marketing, and Sport Management Ethics. These three courses have really helped me to discover my interests and taught me many useful skills that will help me in my career such as proper professional communication, research, and critical thinking skills. Another course that supported my learning was Quantitative Analysis for Sport Management. It was difficult learning about data analysis and the many different formulas that come along with it; however, I did have a lot of fun with the challenge and it made me want to learn more about data management. My love and passion for sport and business will guide me while working for the CSC. I cannot wait to learn various technical and interpersonal skills that will help me develop as a professional such as: 

    This position was recommended to me by our experiential education coordinator at Brock. Upon reviewing the CSC’s website and the description of the internship position, I immediately knew that this was an experience I did not want to pass up. A few past events that immediately stood out to me were the 2023 Club Development Workshop and the CSC’s involvement at the 2023 Grand Slam of Curling. I thought that the CSC’s work with various organizations and the topic of both events were extremely compelling and something that I would be interested in engaging in. From there, I applied for the position and conducted an interview shortly afterwards with the CSC’s Director Dr. Julie Stevens and the Centre Coordinator Grace Nelson. Both Dr. Stevens and Grace did a tremendous job introducing the CSC and giving me a better idea of what the internship would entail. The marketing and event management aspect of the position stood out to me and the chance to learn more about valuable digital programs used at the Centre such as WordPress, Canva, and Google Analytics. After just a few days here I was given the opportunity to explore both the CSC’s Instagram and LinkedIn accounts and got familiar with both WordPress and Canva. I look forward to utilizing my data management and Canva skills throughout this position. 

    I am still unsure of what I want to do with my professional career path; however, the CSC is giving me a lot of opportunities to explore the sport industry and find the career path that I would like to pursue. I am extremely excited to learn more about project management, marketing, and data analytics. I have always been interested in data analytics, especially when it comes to hockey and evaluating a player’s ability. I am hoping the Centre’s engagement with data analytics will help me grow my understanding of using data and data management in the workplace. 

    Overall, I am very excited to be a part of the Centre for Sport Capacity team, I am so thankful to finally be working within the sport industry and with sport organizations. Sport is a huge passion of mine; I wholeheartedly believe that sports can change people’s lives for the better and have a very big impact within people’s communities. I am confident that the CSC will teach me valuable skills that I can then utilize to make a difference in the sport industry. I encourage all students to get out of their comfort zones and to try to learn as much as possible throughout university to try and make a difference in the world. 

    Categories: Students

  • Jonathan Pinnington – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Thursday, December 14, 2023 | By

    Only three months ago, I entered my internship at the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) as the Marketing, Communications and Event Intern. How fast time has flown, as I near the end of my internship. I can now look back at my four months at the Centre and see how much I have grown both as a person and a professional. 

    To begin, I would first like to thank Dr. Julie Stevens, Director of the CSC, and Grace Nelson, Coordinator at the CSC for granting me this internship opportunity. From the beginning, Dr. Stevens and Grace asked me what I wanted to get out of my placement so that they could tailor the internship to my interests and goals. From then on, I knew the CSC was the place I wanted to intern. The team’s openness and enthusiasm for my interests would ensure that this internship would both meet and exceed my expectations and anticipated outcomes, which it did. 

    During my time at the CSC, I was constantly given opportunities to not only develop new skills, but also to strengthen my pre-existing skills through various tasks. Being a visual and hands-on learner, I was encouraged to dive right in and experiment with my creativity on Canva when making content. This allowed me to gain experience in independent work while also experimenting with new ideas for different designs and styles on social media, and website layouts. Grace encouraged me to let my creative mind flow which made me feel that my creativity was encouraged and not being stifled.  Additionally, this encouragement to work artistically allowed me to create some of my most original content to date. As part of my daily tasks, I was able to showcase my content through the CSC’s X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts, for which I posted over 70 pieces of content combined and created over 100 pieces total. One of the designs I am most proud of is my Women’s History Month Post highlighting Dr. Stevens’ co-authored book titled “Too Many Men On The Ice: Women’s Hockey in North America.” 

    My most memorable experience at the CSC was having the opportunity to attend, plan, manage, and host various events. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the Grand Slam of Curling in Niagara to conduct an event impact analysis. At this event, I was tasked with asking spectators, vendors, and volunteers to complete an event impact analysis survey, to determine what impact this event had on the Niagara region. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet employees at Sportsnet who gave my colleagues and me a behind-the-scenes tour of the Grand Slam, and we got to learn about the broadcasting and management of a large-scale event.  

    Further, during my four months at the CSC we hosted; a Safe Sport Hybrid Forum titled “Can Sport Regulate Itself?”, a Book Launch and Author Reading, and lastly a Club Development Workshop on emotional labour in coaching. I was very fortunate to experience being the lead event planner and manager for 3 of these 4 events, for which I gained many valuable skills such as leadership, working collaboratively with others, and communications. These skills can be applied to my future career as I will always be working with others to collaborate on various projects, tasks, and/or events. 

    Moreover, the CSC allowed me to develop and strengthen my skills in communications, decision-making, social media proficiency, and competency in digital softwares. Developing these skills were learning objectives I set out for myself at the beginning of the internship. I gained experience in communications through writing emails and social media captions. This along with Grace’s comments about tone, consistency and cohesion, audience, and message, has allowed me to become a much more competent and stronger writer. Regarding decision-making, this is something I found quite challenging at the beginning of my internship as I was new to the CSC and was not yet familiar with their brand. I now feel I am much more confident in making decisions regarding administrative communications, social media designs, event planning and execution.  

    Moving into social media proficiency, while I had experience with Instagram prior to my placement, LinkedIn and X were new to me. Having the opportunity to use and interact with these platforms daily has allowed me to become much more proficient with social media. Lastly, prior to my time at the CSC, my competency in digital softwares was an area I was eager to expand my skills in. At the CSC, we use softwares such as Canva, Google Analytics, and WordPress among others. These softwares were new to me and I can now say I am much more competent in using these platforms to create designs for social media, to collect analytics, and to design websites. 

    Overall, my internship placement at the CSC has both met and exceeded my expectations. The skills and knowledge I gained were crucial to my personal and professional development. I am forever grateful for the opportunities the CSC provided me and would highly recommend an internship at the CSC to any fourth year Sport Management Student. I look forward to a future career in the sports world using what I have learned during my time at the CSC. 

    Categories: Students

  • Devan O’Connor – Entry Blog, Project Assistant

    Monday, November 27, 2023 | By

    My passion and joy for sport and recreation was established at a very young age. Sport has been a constant that has not only driven foreword in life but also connected my family together for as long as I can remember. Participating in sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball fueled the passion I have for this industry, and the opportunity to play five years of varsity volleyball reinforced this passion. The benefits volleyball has provided me in my life, the way it has challenged and helped my grow as a person, and the opportunity it presented to give back to my community (coaching the young athletes of tomorrow), is something I deeply cherish. So rarely do we get the opportunity to do what we love, so when the opportunity to work with the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) came up, I knew I had to chase the chance to contribute to such an amazing organization.

    Hi! My name is Devan O’Connor, and I am from Milton, Ontario. I am currently in my fourth year of study as an Honours Environment and Tourism Management Student, with a minor in Geography and Environmental Sustainability at Brock University. In the fall of 2023, I had the opportunity to interview with the CSC for their Project Assistant position. A graduating requirement of the Geography and Tourism department is the completion of our TOUR 4F99 Internship course, and it was here that I came across a job posting that made me so excited I knew I had to apply. In the first moments that I met Grace Nelson and listened to her talk about the Centre, I knew this was where I wanted to be. The passionate way she spoke about the Centre inspired me, and it was in those first moments I knew what a special opportunity I had in front of me. As of now, it has only been a month of working with the CSC, but every person I have met and every meeting we have, fills me with so much joy and promise and I look forward to the eight months that I will get to spend here. Since beginning I have had the wonderful opportunity to begin work on our project within the Centre, generating research for the “State of Sport in Niagara Report.” The opportunity to learn from individuals like Grace Nelson, along with CSC Director Dr. Julie Stevens, and many other members of the CSC team has been an amazing opportunity.

    The CSC’s driving force is knowledge mobilization. Knowledge mobilization works to understand and expand the capacity of sports organizations while acknowledging the challenges faced by these organizations and collaborating to create new initiatives and solutions. The opportunity to expand my knowledge past the practical experience I am familiar with, and step into a new role that focuses on research-based learning to create solutions is what most excited me about working with the CSC. The ability to better understand how to translate my own internal and practiced knowledge within sport organizations, support it with conducted research, and create practical solutions within that process is a skill I was actively looking to practice and love the challenge this process has since presented for me. A balance between constant learning and individual progress, combined with a chance to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who challenge me to think outside of my own experience is truly what makes working with the CSC unique and special.

    As a mature student who has actively worked in the sport industry in multiple veins, I want to push myself to be a force of good within the Centre and use my experience to offer creative and new perspectives and insights on the projects we complete during my time. My current experience working within the Halton and Peel regions as a youth mentor, athlete development officer, and volleyball coach all support what I am looking to accomplish with the Centre. In everything I do I look to see how I can align my own goals for personal growth with the organizations I represent. Being a varsity athlete has taught me to act with the upmost respect and care, as everything we do reflects on those we represent. I am proud to be a new member working with the CSC and am excited to represent and support them. The ability to uplift a community is a unique and beautiful experience, and it is a challenge that I am so excited to tackle.

    Categories: Students

  • Antonia Miksic – Entry Blog, Project Assistant

    Thursday, November 23, 2023 | By

    Throughout my time at Brock University, I always knew I wanted to get involved in one way or another. As the COVID-19 pandemic caused the university to shut down and move to online learning, it impacted the opportunities available to students. As these restrictions were lifted, I was eager to get involved and find opportunities to engage and connect with others.

    Hi! My name is Antonia Miksic, and I am from Oakville, Ontario. I am a fourth-year Concurrent Education student with teachable’s in Geography and History and a minor in Urban and Planning Studies. I am currently enrolled in a full-year internship course (GEOG 4F99) which corresponds with my position at the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC). Until the end of the 2023-2024 school year, I will be working with the CSC as a project assistant generating a “State of Sport and Recreation in Niagara” Report where I am interested in exploring the relationship of nature and outdoor tourism as well as gender inclusivity in sport.

    Throughout my university experience, I have completed a handful of research projects where I have gained knowledge and learned new skills to help prepare me for future opportunities in the workplace. As I found an interest in research, I knew I wanted to find an internship opportunity related to this field. When applying to different internship opportunities, the CSC stood out to me the most. As a geography student, I was eager to contribute my knowledge of tourism and relate it directly to the “State of Sport and Recreation in Niagara Report”. In addition to the hands-on and real-world learning experience this project includes, the final report will be distributed across the Niagara region. I mean, who could pass up on an opportunity like that!

    Growing up I always participated in some form of sport. My experiences in sports such as soccer, hockey, dance, and gymnastics provided me with opportunities to engage with others and learn from many role models. Given my background in sport and educational interests in geography/tourism, I believe I can provide the CSC with ongoing knowledge and connections with personal experiences as well as an open mind willing to learn something new every day! My positive attitude and dedication to the position will be a great asset to the team!

    Within the past month during the beginning stages of my internship, I have had the opportunity to meet and begin research with the CSC Director Dr. Julie Stevens, Coordinator Grace Nelson and classmate Devan O’Connor generating research for the “State of Sport and Recreation in Niagara Report”. The CSC is full of welcoming and supportive individuals which has made starting this role a great experience so far and I am eager to continue and learn from the whole team!

    During my time working with the CSC, I hope to be a valuable asset to the team and incorporate new ideas with a positive attitude and an open mind. Something so unique about this experience is the various perspectives team members will incorporate to generate this report. It is a new opportunity that has been great so far and hope to thrive as my experience with the CSC continues. As the pandemic impacted many opportunities to get involved, I knew I needed to put myself out there and be a part of a team which is what I envision while working with the CSC!

    Categories: Students

  • Taela Ritchie – Entry Blog, Event, Marketing, and Communications Assistant

    Wednesday, October 04, 2023 | By

    Hi! My name is Taela Ritchie. I am a fourth-year student in Business Communications at Brock University from the city of Barrie, Ontario. I am very enthusiastic about starting my placement as the Event, Marketing, and Communications Assistant at the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) at Brock. 

    With assistance from my academic advisor, I was introduced to the internship course (Internship in Communication, Popular Culture or Film, COMM 4F00). In wanting to weigh all possible career options within the field of Business Communications, I gave myself the opportunity to explore the idea of Public Relations (PR) and Social Media (SM).  

    Upon reviewing the list of internship possibilities, I was immediately drawn to the CSC at Brock University. I believe that the CSC will afford me the opportunity to see in action how sports can be implemented into my profession and help me identify if PR or SM are where my passions align. While interning for the CSC, I wish to learn a variety of strategies, skills, and techniques that are used by SM to gather the target audiences’ attention and stop scrollers in their tracks. Additionally, I want to use this internship as an opportunity to meet new people and develop relationships with others who are interested in the same field of work as myself, to build my professional community.  

    Growing up, my siblings and I were very engaged in sports; from playing a variety of different sports to watching them on the TV, my siblings and I were immersed in the sport community. I have, for as long as I can remember, been intrigued by the prospect of pursuing a career in sport, however I wasn’t sure what opportunities were available to me. Since the first days of my Business Communications program, I have had the chance to explore different job opportunities within the sports industry. I have had a high interest in the field of PR agency and SM, giving me the chance to work behind the scenes within the industry. I also thoroughly enjoy the concept of damage control and conflict resolution which are factors within the sport industry. These are important factors to consider in the sport industry because in the face of conflict you need someone well versed in crisis communication so the organizations reputation does not get tarnished, and they can bounce back. Although I feel drawn to the concept of being a sport PR agent, I never had the opportunity to really explore what this would look like. I am interested in pursuing a career in the field of PR and SM as it allows me to be the “middleman” and communicate with the public on behalf of the company, through various SM platforms.  

    I see myself being an asset to the CSC team as I bring a positive attitude and am always willing to try something new; learning and growing from educational experiences. Throughout my program so far, I have learned how to communicate (in various forms such as written, oral, non-verbal, digitally, reports, and proposals), ethics and etiquette, active listening, conflict and crisis communication, developing strategies to achieve and measure goals, and inter- and intra-communication within the professional and public environment. This placement opportunity will allow me to build relationships with individuals and companies in the world of sport and sport research. 

    In everything that I do, I aim to be a force for good. It is important to remember who you represent and to do so honorably and respectably, whether this be your family, your school, your sports team, or your place of employment. I take pride in the person I am and the work I accomplish and aim to improve the CSC’s output for good through events, marketing, and communications to all members of the public and target audiences.   

    Categories: Students

  • Jonathan Pinnington – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, September 15, 2023 | By

    From a very young age, I knew I wanted to work in sport. Participating in various youth community sports such as hockey, soccer, and baseball was beneficial in me gaining a passion for sports and the sport industry. In addition, it has also helped me see the many values and benefits that sport brings to both an individual and a community. This is why interning at the Centre for Sport Capacity was a must for me!

    Hi, my name is Jonathan Pinnington, and I am from Toronto, Ontario. I am a fourth-year student at Brock University studying Sport Management. This fall of 2023, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to intern with the Centre for Sport Capacity at Brock University, in the Marketing, Communications, and Event Intern position. If there is one thing to know about me, it is that I am an avid sports fan. I love all sports, but hockey is by far my favourite (being a die-hard Leafs and Penguins fan). During my time at Brock, I have been fortunate enough to continue playing sports, participating in various intramural teams. My most notable-non-academic achievement is being a member of Brock’s Men’s Ultimate Frisbee Team, for which I am currently serving as the team President. As an outgoing and creative individual, I am excited to bring these two traits to the Centre and continue to develop both personally and professionally.

    Entering my fourth and final year, I had heard about the opportunity to acquire an internship through many of my professors. After expressing interest in acquiring an internship, I was directed to Brock CareerZone and began looking. I recognized the Centre for Sport Capacity immediately after having its Director, Dr. Julie Stevens, as a professor in my third year Sport Management Field Work course. I was intrigued about the Marketing, Communications, and Event Intern position as I have always enjoyed those three areas. Specifically, the creative aspect behind them. The idea of being able to use my creativity in those areas was very enticing, so I applied and was granted an interview.

    As already indicated, I am very outgoing and creative and am excited to bring these two traits to the Centre. I am especially excited to get to work with and get to know my fellow colleagues, while continuing to learn more about the Centre and the work they do in various areas of sport. Now in my fourth year, I have realized that I really enjoy marketing and brand management. Specifically, putting my own creative touch on an existing brand or creating and developing my own brand. Honestly, I really like just being able to unleash my creativity on projects. One thing that I was really impressed about from my interview was Dr. Stevens and the Centre Coordinator Grace Nelson’s commitment to tailor the internship to my learning style and strengths. I am a very hands-on learner and like to be able to get my hands dirty and immerse myself in whatever I do. After a few days here, Grace and Dr, Stevens have definitely followed through on their actions! I have been able to explore the Centre’s LinkedIn and Instagram accounts while also getting to experiment with the different design features on Canva and WordPress. I find their commitment and ambition to their colleagues and interns is crucial to personal and professional development as well as experiential education. These are two things Dr. Stevens is very passionate about and likes to incorporate in every setting. I speak from experience having her as a professor. That’s why, after completing my first week here, I knew the Centre was the right choice for me.

    The biggest thing I want to accomplish at the Centre is to build, grow, and expand the Centre’s brand. I feel that I can accomplish this by using the many lessons and skills I have learned from my past experiences. One past experience that I feel will help me accomplish my goal is my time as the Social Media Coordinator for Brock’s Women’s Basketball team in my third year Sport Management Field Work Course. In that role, I gained experience in social media management (running the team’s Instagram account) and digital editing softwares (e.g., Boxout Sports to create game day graphics). Both skills are easily transferable to my position here at the Centre as I will be managing the Centre’s social media accounts and creating professional content with Canva. One thing I want to accomplish is becoming proficient with social media management and using digital editing softwares, such as exploring and playing around with different designs, features, fonts, etc. on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Canva. Another area I hope to become more proficient in is communication, explicitly learning how to communicate effectively in a professional workplace setting and in meetings. I feel that working alongside my colleagues here at the Centre as well as with other Centre members and partners on various events, initiatives, and workshops will help me accomplish this goal. Personally leading meetings, new initiatives, and workshops will also be beneficial in strengthening my communication skills. The last area I hope to strengthen is decision-making. Throughout my time at Brock, I have always been hesitant about making decisions on projects, most notably decisions about micro details, such as fonts, design style, and other elements. During my short time here, I have already needed to make decisions on various projects, and I already feel I am becoming more confident in making those decisions. I hope that by working alongside my peers, I continue to gain more confidence.

    Overall, I feel I can be a force for good within the Centre by bringing my extroverted personality, enthusiasm, and creativity to the workplace each day. I feel that the lessons I have learned both in class and in life, as well as my enthusiasm for sport will help to both improve the Centre’s output and offer new perspectives and insights on projects and events. Moreover, I feel that I can use my creativity skills on various projects such as planning events like the Safe Sport Forum and Unleash Your Influence Webinar and posting on social media to further grow and expand the Centre’s brand. I hope to continue to learn as much as I can and continue to develop both personally and professionally.

    Categories: Students

  • Adam Green – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, August 11, 2023 | By

    I entered this internship three months ago hoping to learn new skills and develop as a student and a professional. I am now grateful to state that the Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) has exceeded my hopes and allowed me to expand my knowledge in various operational areas.  

    Hi, my name is Adam Green, and I am going into the fourth year of my Sport Management degree at Brock University. During the Summer 2023 term, I served as the Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator (Intern) for the CSC. It is difficult to narrow down what I learned during this experience as the CSC provides such a wide range of developmental opportunities. For the time being, I can outline my development in the three main pillars of the internship. 

    To start, my marketing skills have improved significantly throughout my experience at the CSC. I took on the role of maintaining and enhancing the visual brand of the Centre through the creation of designs for its social media. I was able to effectively promote the services that the CSC provides as well as expand its reach through creative visuals and strategic copywriting. I am especially proud of launching the CSC’s official Instagram account. This was such a valuable experience managing an entire launch and execution of a professional organization’s social media platform. These are the types of experiences that are hard to come by in an internship, making the CSC so unique in its developmental opportunities.  

    Additionally, being an Intern at the CSC has helped me to refine my communication skills. Through daily interactions with my team, in-person meetings with our members and industry professionals, and networking at events in the community, I was able to consistently practice my oral communication. One of my favourite experiences at the CSC was leading our Smart Start activation booth. During this activation, I was able to practice my oral communication when pitching the value of the Centre to incoming Brock students. Developing my written communication skills was also a learning objective of mine interning for the CSC. Thankfully, I was able to craft emails, social media captions, reports, blog posts, and more during my time with the Centre which did wonders in improving my professional written language. 

    The Centre for Sport Capacity also supported my progress in event management. I had the opportunity to build the CSC’s Safe Sport hybrid forum from the ground up. I gained experience in event research, goal setting, target audience analysis, budget creation, risk assessments, engagement strategies, and overall event planning. On top of this, managing the planning of an event allowed me to reach out and make a variety of connections. I was responsible for initiating discussions with expert consultants, speakers, professors, and AV employees, whose insight will all play a role in the success of this event. The CSC Safe Sport forum is happening on November 17th at Brock University, I am excited to see it come to fruition. 

    Overall, the knowledge and experience I have gained at the Centre for Sport Capacity will last me a lifetime. I would like to thank Dr. Julie Stevens, the Director of the CSC, and Grace Nelson, the Coordinator of the CSC for all their support in my learning experience. Throughout my internship this summer, I have helped the Centre grow as it has helped me grow, and I will always be grateful for this. 

    Categories: Students

  • Cameron Hubscher – Exit Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Friday, August 11, 2023 | By

    Just three months ago, I began my internship as the ‘Marketing, Communications, and Event’ Intern at the Centre for Sport Capacity. Now that it is coming to an end, I can take a birds-eye view of what I’ve done at the CSC, and the lasting impact the Centre will have on my career. 

    Firstly, I would like to thank Dr. Julie Stevens, Director of the CSC, and Grace Nelson, Coordinator at the CSC, for granting me this opportunity. From the first time I met them during the interview process to my last day at the Centre, I have been treated exceptionally well. They have granted me every opportunity to succeed and grow. If you are a student interested in gaining experiential education, the Centre for Sport Capacity is an organization that offers so many amazing opportunities.  

    Throughout my time at the Centre for Sport Capacity, I was constantly given opportunities to develop skills that I already considered my strengths while being supported in areas that I wanted to develop. From a day-to-day perspective, my tasks revolved around content creation for the CSC’s Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, responding to emails, attending meetings, and collaborating with the rest of the CSC team on supporting our members. This allowed me to develop skills surrounding copy writing, social media and web design, and the management of social media accounts across multiple platforms. I was also granted the opportunity to attend four events: Parasport Ontario’s Niagara Parasport Festival, Niagara Geoparks’ Niagara Trail Summit, Sport Niagara’s Launch Event, and Brock University’s SMART START activation for incoming students. Being a part of these events as well as numerous meetings allowed me to develop my networking skills.  

    My main task throughout the duration of my internship at the Centre was to reimagine their social media, website, experiential education, and events analytic databases. The CSC collects a lot of data in order to engage their target audience, enhance social media and website performance, and analyze the Centre’s growth. I was in charge of finding ways to collect data in an efficient and sustainable manner. This meant developing Excel databases that could be replicated for future semesters while connecting them to the CSC’s Master files. To accomplish this, I utilized a number of different Excel formulas that count, sum, average, and sort the range of different metrics the CSC collects. With formulas that are linked to various different sheets and other files through the CSC database, retrieving analytics from semester-to-semester and over the course of a year is an effortless process.  

    While being in charge of the CSC’s data management, I was tasked with defining the terminology of the databases, gathering key metrics and comparing analytic performance across the Centre’s social media, website, experiential education, and event analytics. This resulted in the production of a number of internal reports used to showcase the growth of the CSC to the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. Due to the statistical evidence of growth within the Centre, the CSC was able to acquire operational support until the end of 2024. Seeing the results of my work at the Centre was a major source of gratification. It also reinforced my commitment to leave the CSC with a method of sustainability for their data collection.  

    One of the projects that I am most proud of is my legacy piece. This document is a culmination of all the terminology that makes up the databases, the process of data management at the CSC, visuals, and external resources. Within these topics are the definitions of each term in the databases and their application for the Centre, data collection methods, and the steps to add data into the Semesterly and Master CSC files. Future interns will be able to search through and reference this document when participating in the data collection process. As a legacy piece, I am happy to know that my work will be supporting the Centre long after my time has passed.  

    As I conclude my internship at the Centre for Sport Capacity, I feel that my professionalism, technical skills revolving around social media and Excel, as well as my ability to translate and mobilize knowledge can be considered assets going forward in my Sport Management undergraduate degree, and beyond. While I will continue my professional development beyond time at the Centre for Sport Capacity, the foundation the Centre has given me for my career in sport is something I will never forget. Leaving filled with pride knowing that my impact on the Centre will go beyond my internship, I am excited to see what’s to come for the CSC!  

    Categories: Students

  • Adam Green – Entry Blog, Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator

    Thursday, May 11, 2023 | By

    My involvement in sport since an early age has profoundly impacted my physical and mental health as well as helped to build my core values. This is the reason I want to pursue a career in sport, to give back what it provided me to others in the community. Having said this, what better way to get involved in the sport community than to work for the Centre for Sport Capacity? 

    Hi, my name is Adam Green, and I am from Oakville, Ontario. I am going into my fourth year as an Honours Bachelor of Sport Management student at Brock University. This summer of 2023, I will have the opportunity to intern for the Centre for Sport Capacity in the Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator position. I am excited to work with the CSC team in these upcoming months and develop as a student and a professional. 

    I found this position while scrolling through internships on Brock CareerZone. I remember immediately stopping as I recognized the CSC brand from a few events I had seen on social media. The position description intrigued me as I had prior experience in event management, marketing, and communication-driven positions. I also noticed it was an excellent opportunity to develop a variety of skills. After a great first impression of the organization, I began researching the Centre for Sport Capacity, and it was only then that I knew where I wanted to intern. Looking through the CSC website gave me a great idea of the variety of services and programs we provide within the sport community as well as the numerous events we host and support. Examples of events that intrigued me were the Promotion of Safe Sport in Canada forum and the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay. The CSC portrayed an organization committed to developing its interns and the sport community, which connected with my own values and vision. 

    So, I applied right away and am fortunate to now be writing my entry blog. I am very enthusiastic as I start my position at the CSC and begin to meet the team and settle into my new working environment. The two aspects that excite me the most about my internship are working to help improve and develop upcoming CSC events such as the Safe Sport Forum and marketing our brand on social media. Throughout my coursework at Brock, I have noticed that I gravitate toward event management and marketing. This could be due to my natural creativity, leadership, and communication skills which I can apply to my upcoming projects at the CSC. 

    Even though I find myself enjoying certain areas more than others, I am still unsure what I want to specialize in within the sport industry. Thankfully, this internship position offers numerous paths for me to explore and develop my skills. That is what makes this CSC internship unique, it will give me experience in a diverse set of operational areas which will help me to understand what career best suits my strengths. While keeping an open mind, I am hoping to learn and accomplish upcoming projects through the planning and management of events, the navigation of digital content creation, and the development of my verbal and written communication. I am also excited to step outside my comfort zone and learn about areas such as data analytics, who knows, I might enjoy it!  

    Overall, it is hard to narrow down what I hope to learn and achieve as this experience offers such a wide range of development opportunities. For now, I will try to soak it all in and bring what I currently possess to the team. I can deliver effective leadership skills through past supervisory volunteer positions for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, I can utilize my event management and marketing skills through contributions to the various events and promotions of the Brock Sport & Business Association, and I have built strong communication skills from many team-oriented environments. I look forward to applying my strengths in this position, but more importantly to developing my weaknesses, and learning new skills.  

     

    Categories: Students

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