Springing Into Sports — Student Intern Highlights
As we near the end of the semester, we wanted to highlight a few of the exciting experiences our seniors are taking part in during their final semester here at KU.
Erin Cole — Exclusive Sports Group
Erin Cole, originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, has spent her spring semester interning at Exclusive Sports Group, LLC in Indianapolis, Indiana. Exclusive Sports Group is a full-service sports agency dedicated to providing services to the personal and professional needs of athletes. Erin’s responsibilities vary from week to week but focus on project management. She puts in many hours of research and has become an expert in Adobe Creative Applications and Microsoft Excel. Erin is able to utilize skills and lessons from several sport management courses here at KU, specifically recalling the SMART objectives she learned in Dr. Gordon’s Sport Marketing course.
Erin has had the opportunity to work on several high profile projects during her time at Exclusive Sports Group. She has created recruiting materials such as booklets, graphics, bios, etc., and has taken the lead on the organization’s social media platforms — creating objectives and analyzing client data. Her most notable accomplishments thus far have been the creation of Shaquill Griffin’s free agency books that were presented to NFL teams and creating marketing decks for the Griffin Twins, Terry McLaurin, Jeremy Chinn, and more. One of the biggest takeaways for Erin has been how much work goes into a sports agency; the fast-paced environment was nothing new to Erin, but the amount of relationship building that takes place fascinated her. Erin is grateful for the opportunity of this experience and now has a much better understanding of contract language and what it takes to manage a player’s career from college through post-playing retirement.
When asked to reflect on her time at KU, Erin has lots of great memories from her time as Jayhawk. She gave many praises to instructors such as Dr. Gordon, Dr. Bass, Dr. Kish, and Chris Brown for their continued support. “I am going to miss the conversations with my instructors. They made class enjoyable to be a part of and provided realistic tools to help me in my future.” Erin also noted how the program provided many opportunities for networking. She has connected with many industry professional via guest speakers and was hoping to take part in the Dr. Bob Alumni Conference in 2020 (Cancelled due to COVID-19). She will most notably remember the conversations she had with many of her peers and professors over the years. “Sports is all about who you know, and I feel like the Sport Management program did a great job of allowing connections.”
After graduation, Erin hopes to continue her education within a graduate program studying analytics or sport management. Erin provided a few parting words and advice for students in the sport management program: “Don’t be afraid to reach out to any, if not all, guest speakers! When you do, select something that stood out to you in their time with you and use that to build a relationship with them. Follow up after a few months, as well! You can learn just as much from them as the instructors at KU.”
Brandon Silansky — The Basketball League (TBL)
Out of high school, Brandon Silansky knew he wanted to attend a University with a high reputation for sports management and athletics. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Brandon’s interests lie in player personnel and basketball operations. After months of networking and searching through LinkedIn, Brandon met David Magley, a former KU basketball player, and his wife Evelyn Magley, also a KU alum. The couple founded The Basketball League, a professional league, currently in its fourth season. The league was created to provide communities with a professional basketball team that gives an affordable/quality family entertainment experience.
Brandon has had the opportunity to showcase his leadership skills by taking over many tasks for the CEO. One of his favorite parts of his internship is being the liaison between the league, the Commissioner and each of the 35 teams. He has learned a great deal about communication, event planning and operational needs. Brandon learned a lot from conducting the league’s Draft Combine in late February. He was in charge of running the event, which included ensuring all team meetings, draft and combine went smoothly. Brandon is able to combine classroom learning to help him succeed in his internship. He specifically gave kudos to Dr. Gordon’s Athlete and Personal Brand course, stating that it “gave me the opportunity to succeed in my current position with TBL by allowing me to connect the dots with professional sports league(s) and create an understanding about topics such as brand identity.”
When asked to reflect on his time at KU, Brandon had nothing but positive things to say about the University and the sport management program. He gave high praises to the variety of courses offered such as Sport Law, Sport Fundraising, Facilities and Event Management, and Issues in college athletics, sighting that it allowed him to see all aspects of the industry and decide which avenue he may want to take in his career. Regarding KU, Brandon said he will cherish all of the amazing opportunities he has had. From being a student manager with the KU Women’s Soccer team to the uniqueness of Lawrence. He is grateful for the last four years spent here!
After graduation, Brandon plans to continue his education by enrolling in a graduate program while also working as as graduate assistant within an athletics department. His advice for current sport management students is to “network, network, network!” Brandon encourages everyone to step out of their comfort zone and connect with sport professionals as often as possible. For students looking for internships, he suggests being open to relocation and being uncomfortable with being uncomfortable. “Don’t take any moment for granted, and give your all in everything presented to you since you don’t know who is watching.”
Gavin Aills — AdventHealth Championship (PGA Tour)
Gavin Aills, originally from Salina, Kansas, knew from a very young age that he wanted to attend KU. His parents were big KU fans and always took him to football and basketball games as a child. KU has helped solidify Gavin’s interest in sports. He enjoys sponsorship and player personnel. His favorite teams are the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Cubs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Oklahoma Sooners, and, of course, the Jayhawks! Gavin wanted to turn his passion for sports into a profession, so he declared a Sport Management major.
Gavin has spent the last few months interning for the AdventHealth Championship, a PGA Tour sanctioned event on the Korn Ferry Tour. His responsibilities vary from week to week, with no two days being the same. He conducts sales calls, manages assets, sets up meetings, searches for custom promotional items, and even found and helped design the tournaments new trophy! The biggest project he has worked on is the organizational rebranding. “We rebranded from the KC Golf Classic to the AdventHealth Championship during my second week, so working through all of the aspects of a rebrand has been really cool to learn and be a part of.” Gavin is able to utilize skills and lessons from several sport management courses here at KU, specifically recalling branding and sponsorship that he learned in Dr. Clopton’s class.
When asked to reflect on his time at KU, Gavin especially remembered the atmosphere within the program. “My favorite thing about the Sport Management program at KU is the family-like feel that we all share within the program…I have made some great relationships and have had some unique opportunities.” He will most notably miss the connections he was able to make with his sport management professors and friends on campus. As a first generation college graduate, Gavin is excited for his future ahead!
After graduation, Gavin hopes to find a full-time job within the sport industry. He would love to stay within the Lawrence or Kansas City area as it has become home to him. Gavin also noted the possibility of getting his MBA while being a graduate assistant for a local football program. Gavin provided a few parting words and advice for students in the sport management program: “If you ever need advice or have questions, don’t be afraid to reach out. Everyone in the program, from professors, to other students, and even alumni, would be happy to help you.”
