Dreams To Reality- My Internship With Villarreal CF
Six months ago, I was not sure what I wanted to do with my last summer before graduating college, until I received an email regarding an internship with Villarreal CF. I have always wanted to travel to Europe and experience life in another culture and atmosphere. Since I have been playing soccer all my life, I have so much love for the game. As this opportunity appeared before me, it was like a childhood dream come true. Not many people are lucky enough to say they have traveled to Spain or interned with a European soccer team. I however, was the lucky one this summer. Going into it, my hopes were to gain connections and insight in the sports business world, but this experience was much more meaningful than that.
From day 1 to day 30, the internship with Villarreal exceeded my expectations. I wanted the full experience of being immersed in another culture and I got just that. First day to the office started with an hour train ride from Valencia to Villarreal. Getting off the train in a small city, I wondered how any sports team could be successful in this atmosphere. A town of only 50,000 people and the highest point of the city being at the top of the Villarreal stadium, I was amazed to see the support this team has.
This internship was structured around what I wanted to do and how much knowledge and insight I wanted to gain. Brandon, my supervisor, gave me the option of what tasks I wanted to help the club with. Since I am a Business Administration major with a focus in marketing and management, I was able to help Brandon with tasks related to expanding the Villarreal youth academy into the United States, editing the clubs LinkedIn page, and grammatically editing different published posts
I grew up playing competitive soccer in Georgia and all across the United States. With my knowledge of different state soccer programs, I enjoyed helping Brandon find clubs and areas in the United States that are potential expansion locations for Villarreal. Someday, Villarreal plans to locate themselves in or near Georgia and I cannot wait until that day!
After being acclimated to the internship, Brandon showed me around the facilities and complex. The tour amazed me, not only did I see state of the art fields, I also learned about Villarreal’s deep history and core values centered around family and growth. I was able to see the Academy and where those players live. Something that intrigued me was how the bedrooms balconies overlooked the Villarreal’s first team practice fields. Waking up in front of your dream everyday has to motivate you to pursue your dreams.
My favorite part of this whole experience was having the privilege to play with the Villarreal women’s first team. My other supervisor, Lucy, was a member of the team and made this another dream come true! Apart from playing and working alongside Lucy, she taught me a lot about making the most of your experiences and the people you meet. She is someone full of joy, positivity, and encouragment- a person that left a huge impact on my life for the better.
After 30 days, I can successfully say with a full-heart that España, Villarreal, and this internship experience was worth every second.
