Ism Portfolio

Sports Management
Alta De Leon
Under the mentorship of:

Melissa Jannetta
Independent Study and

Mentorship
Frisco High School
2016-2017
Interviews
Research
Original
Work
Mentorship
Product
Weekly
Blogs
Quote
You miss 100 percent of the

shots you dont take.
-Wayne Gretzky
Mission Statement
My mission in ISM during 2016-2017

is to maximize the opportunity to
work with a professional in the field of
sports management by challenging
myself to improve my skills in
speaking, time management, and in
building relationships. Under the
guidance of my mentor, I hope to gain
expertise in this field along with
mastering my networking and
communication skills among business
professionals. With hard work and
creativity, I plan on creating a final
product that will reflect all I have
learned throughout the year and will
be used to showcase my skills to
colleges and future employers.
Topic Proposal
As a topic of study, I am interested in the field of sports management.

More specifically, I would like to further my knowledge about the
law,marketing, and management portions of the business.
For as long as I can remember, sports have been in my life from my

first soccer game at 4 to swimming at the varsity level in high school now.
My passion for sports and all they embody is what makes me certain that
there is a real possibility for me to succeed in this field. Sports to me arent
just about winning but the friendships, fun and healthy lifestyle that they
provide. Throughout my childhood, I was exposed to the many aspects of
the business world by my parents. The fascinating business methods and
personal connections involved matched my interests. Thus, by combining my
interests into one I discovered a new passion sports management. After
recently being involved in an internship, the tasks I was asked to do and the
environment I was in didnt even feel like work. This experience solidified to
me that I could be successful in sports.
As an athlete, I already have a tremendous advantage in the field

because I understand the practice regimen required, the commitment
involved, and am familiar with an athlete's mentality. I have always been a
natural leader, a skill I acquired by leading teammates on the field and
classmates in school. I am extremely motivated and will work as hard as I
can to achieve the goals I set for myself. Additionally, through my
demanding schedule this year I have been able to develop my time
management skills to be successful for all tasks that I am needed for. I also
love to interact with people and this career involves someone who loves to
be personable and enjoys creating meaningful relationships. The dynamic
environment of sports and the continuous advancement of human
athleticism leads me to believe that I will never get tired of the setting. Due
to all these skills and my matching passion for sports management, I am
certain I could be successful in the industry.
S.M.A.R.T Goals
I will determine the specific field of sports management I will
want to focus my study on by November 18th. I will reach
this goal by doing more research on the marketing,law and
management divisions of the field through professional
interviews and research assessments.
I will confirm who my mentor will be by November 18th.
This requires reaching out to said mentor before this due
date to give time for their response.
I will have 50 connections on LinkedIn by November 18th.
This will prove to myself that I am out in the community
making connections with other professionals.
Digital Portfolio Link
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Research Assessment #1
Date: 09/05/16
Subject: Sports Management - Career Outlook
MLA citations:
Belzer, Jason. "Sports Industry 101: Breaking Into the Business of Sports."
Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 2 May 14. Web. 05 Sept. 2016.
Erskine, Mary Beth. "Sport Management Careers: Getting Started." Sport

Management Careers: Getting Started. Saint Leo University, 20 Nov.
2014. Web. 05 Sept. 2016.
Assessment:
Finding a job in the sports industry might be one of the hardest

obstacles that I will need to overcome. This is mostly due to the fact, that
twenty other people are competing to get the same job as me. The sports
management career field has a wide variety of jobs to choose from, but after
reviewing many articles my interests lie in a career in sports law, sports
marketing, or sports management. These specific jobs require an in depth
knowledge of an athlete or franchises business partners, degree of
involvement in sports, and their goals. The average salaries for any of these
positions range from $60,000 and up depending on the athlete or
organization for which I would be working. The industry continues to grow
with the addition of new teams, creation of management groups and the
establishment of sports organizations around the globe. A current trend in
the industry is creating an innovative way to connect spectators to the game
through their phone and eyes. They are doing this by designing apps to
enhance game time experiences. As I continue to learn about sports
management, it is important for me to stay updated on the current
developments, understand the motives behind them, and how they were
able to be executed.
The first step to being successful in the field is to increase my
knowledge on the history of the sports business as well as how the industry
works today. In order to do this, it is important to get a degree from an
accredited university. Countless universities offer an undergraduate degree
in sports management but a few qualities help determine which ones are the
best. These qualities include location, internship opportunities, alumni
connections, and professors who have recently worked or are currently
working in the field. Location is important because direct access to
professional sports teams, minor league teams and collegiate sports is how I
will be able to get internship opportunities. The most desirable places to be
are in major sports cities like New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas,
and Philadelphia. This matches perfectly with my personality because I see
myself living in the city for college and possibly after. Most programs require
students to be in an internship for parts of their junior year and most of their
senior year in college. These internships help set up connections needed to
be successful in the field. Universities that have successful alumni in the
industry as well as professors are able to offer more connections to the
students attending. As I narrow down my search for colleges, I will be taking
into consideration all of these aspects as they will help determine my
success in the future.
The articles I used highlighted the importance of networking and listed
numerous opportunities for students to get involved. This makes me ecstatic
to know that professionals in this field are helping newer generations
become successful. Their advice is valuable because they have already been
in my shoes and know exactly what works and what doesnt. One that
caught my eye was the Sports Industry Networking and Career Conference
which offered specialized help in interview scenarios. Considering the
importance of an interview in securing a job in this field the ability to get
hands on instruction of great interview techniques seems like a valuable
resource for me in preparing myself for my future career.
In conclusion, the best way to make yourself stand out in sports
management is to get a degree from a qualified university, get internship
experience, and create connections with professionals in the industry. As I
continue my research, I will work to expand my knowledge in the aspects
above as well as new areas and will dive deeper into the specific skills
needed of me to be victorious.
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Date: 9/12/16
Subject: Introduction to Sports Law
MLA Citations:
@Law_Crossing. "Sports Law." LawCrossing.com. N.p., 14 Mar. 2016. Web.
12 Sept. 2016.
Assessment:
Sports law is comprised of multiple areas in law that combine together

to execute a fair playing field within the sports business. I had previously
believed that sports law was a single entity among the law sphere as sports
management is within the business sphere but I was mistaken. To my
surprise, sports law is made up of numerous divisions of law anywhere from
contract law to immigration law. The article exposed the meticulous details
of sports that usual spectators fail to consider. One of the most interesting
being the sale of franchises between individuals. Not only must they
negotiate a deal but the sellers and buyers must be approved by the
governing franchise. The multiple components and interactions between
parties requires a knowledgeable lawyer with great communication skills in
order to get approval of the agreement from both groups. The physical and
mental demands of this job is something I could see myself doing in a couple
of years time. These countless areas revealed to me that not all law in sports
is dealing with players but can consist of franchise owners, stadium owners,
and corporations. This huge spectrum is enlightening to say the least
because it reveals that day to day work will not be repetitive but offer an
exciting mixture of options, especially when it comes to career fields.
Until now, I had only believed that the sole career in sports law was
being a lawyer for a firm and working with franchises and athletes
individually. An idea that had been appealing to me before I had learned of
the career of an in-house general counsel. There job description includes
working for a particular franchise and handling all their legal needs. My
passion to be apart of a team and support a team within my work really
intrigues me to follow this type of career; however, the competitiveness of
the position is unsettling when considering this path because it is so different
from the other sports management careers I have researched. When
considering my future I know there are no guarantees, but the likelihood of
becoming an in-house counsel is more slim than any other career path I
have studied. On the other hand, an in-house general counsel makes a
generous amount of money that would compensate the need for extended
schooling and other expenses. Overall, this career has established a clear
connection to my dream to work in sports and aspirations of working in a
challenging work environment. As I move forward with informational
interviews, I have selected to pursue a few in-house general counsels in the
area to get a better perspective of what all their job entails as well as their
journey to these positions.
The area of sports law includes all the excitement of games and
publicity but from the important behind the scenes perspective. With a wide
array of areas to concentrate in, it would really allow me to be able to
determine my strengths and weaknesses among the different categories.
Also, the large income would be a major incentive to pursuing a career as
either an in-house general counsel or just as a lawyer associated with sports
deals. Nonetheless, the availability of positions can not be overlooked when
making a final career choice. Sports law has sparked my interest and could
possibly be a path I see myself exploring in the near future.
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Date: 9/19/16
Subject: Women in the Sports Business
MLA Citations:
By Contrast, Many Women in Sports Business Get Their Foot in the

Door in Marketing, Service or Media-related Roles, Meaning They Then
May Need to Either Acquire Sales Experience Later in Their Careers or
Take an Unorthodox (read: Longer and More Challenging. "Factors That
Shape Rise of Women in Sports Business Leadership." - SportsBusiness
Daily. N.p., 7 Dec. 2015. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.
By the Time Adam Silver Retires, I Expect a Top Woman Will Be on His
Bench of Potential Successors. Val Ackerman Is Again in a Position to
Help Change the Game This Time in College Athletics. Val May
Inspire Other Women Sports and Business. "Executives Discuss
Opportunities, Advancement for Women in Sports Business." -
SportsBusiness Daily. N.p., 14 Sept. 2014. Web. 18 Sept. 2016.
Assessment:
Sports offers a no barrier atmosphere for people of various ethnicities,

races, and beliefs. This aspect appeals to millions around the globe to
participate in all kinds of sports, including myself. However, there has always
been gender inequality in the industry. I have witnessed this first hand
throughout my years in school athletics. It is even more apparent at the high
school level with more money and emphasis put on the men sports than
womens. This also encompasses the business side. Since I am a woman
interested in pursuing a career in a male-dominated field, there has already
been increased pressure for me to be successful because the opportunities
for women are so far and few in between. Women in the industry today have
made a tremendous impact on breaking the stereotype that working in
sports is a mans world and has influenced me more to pursue this career.
However at the same time, they realize the struggles still present that will
discourage and hurt future generations of women from breaking into the
industry. Even with all the odds against me, I still have a passion to be in the
industry and feel even more motivated to pursue it with the challenges
involved.
An important perspective mentioned in one of the articles is the need
for the sports business environment to change. As a current on-looker of the
industry this is the most prevalent need. Instead of continuing in the well
known path of electing men as executives and women in lower level
positions, I believe leaders of the field need to develop new standards and
strategies to include promoting the best talent regardless of gender. One
standard to change could be to not consider women as mothers. Although,
this is usually a factor when considering hiring or promoting women it
shouldnt be. Women have the right to choose to be mothers and should not
be labeled as such before any real stages of motherhood begin. Especially,
when some women choose not to have children. This affects me personally
as I currently question my interests in one day becoming a mother. This
injustice worries me because women are not being evaluated as equal to
men when trying to break into the field or even when promotions are on the
table, therefore there is an underlying problem of discrimination in the
industry. I believe as a young woman interested in this field I could promote
change through initiatives that would push leagues to promote women in
executive positions. If myself and other women start to show that women
are just as good at their jobs as men, real change could start to occur. This
aspect, although unfair, makes me feel as I could have a serious impact on
the industry as whole which could help future generations. Another strategy
I think that could help change the sports business environment to include
women as equals could be increasing the support of men in the industry to
value women as equivalents. I am familiar with the fact, that men in this
industry are known for their big egos, virile work ethics and exclusivity to
include only men in their work environment. However, I have no doubt that
if men began to empower women among the field there could be a profitable
impact to many of the organizations. This article even highlights the fact that
women are becoming more involved with the sports atmosphere from a fan
perspective and being a woman I could easily relate to this target market
possibly more effectively than men. Women can increase the retention of
female customers because we understand each other which could translate
into large profits for any organization. I could offer a new perspective, as a
woman, that many organizations have yet been exposed to. If the sports
business world opens its eyes and doors to this new generation of women
with a passion to be successful there could be a real return.
I am very interested and passionate about working in the sports
management field. Being a millennial and a women, I am confident that I
will be able to contribute a lot to helping bring organizations to the forefront
of the industry. However there is only so much I can do, people in this
industry as a whole need to be open to change to allow for an even more
profitable industry in the future. Women can change the game. I can change
the game. There needs to be an initiative by myself, others and the leaders
of today to determine who the leaders of tomorrow will be.
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Date: 10/14/16
Subject: UNT Field Trip
Assessment:
This week I had the opportunity to visit the University of North Texas.
While at the university, I was able to sit in on a couple of classes related to
my study of sports management. The most important class I sat in on,
Foundations of Sports Management, was very eye opening. I have been able
to sit in on a couple of sports management classes at a few universitys
before so I came in with a preconceived idea on what the atmosphere would
be like; however, the University of North Texas class was very different from
my past experiences. For one the class size was about three times as big as
to what I had already been exposed to. This affected the class environment
tremendously by turning a discussion more into a lecture where few people
participated. My love for being able to engage with my fellow classmates on
a more personal level proved to me in this moment that this learning
environment was not one I wanted to be apart of. By being exposed to this
type of setting I also realized some other important traits about myself; I
thrive better in small groups, I need to be apart of a lively discussion, and I
want more personable professors. These traits also work hand in hand with
the type of environment I could be most successful in for my future career.
The exposure to this setting will further help me in my study when deciding
what mentor I will work best with as well as for my future in what college I
will get the best experience from and what career I will be most successful
in. Despite the environment, the content of the discussion,sports marketing,
was very interesting. I was able to hear all about the multiple avenues of the
industry and how they were each interconnected and played a large role in
the success of the business. The amount of careful investigation involved to
determine what would sell best to the target market really intrigues me. As I
work toward my goals of narrowing down my study by November this
experience will be a great reflection for me when determining the specific
topic of my study.
Also while on campus I came to learn more about the setting and
lifestyle I really wanted for myself in the future. As I walked all around
campus, I was disinterested by my surroundings. Everything around me was
bland from the buildings to the people. Nothing had character and everyone
seemed unhappy. During my college and mentor search I have really
focused on thrilling and dynamic environments as well as people. This
confirmed to me that I have been moving in the right direction for my
college and mentor search. People and cities that are more than what meets
the eye is something I now deem necessary for my future.
My time at the University of North Texas solidified to me that I need to
continue to seek out these high energy environments that are diverse in
every aspect because these are the atmospheres I need to be apart of in my
future to ultimately be happy.
Date: 10/23/16
Subject: National Governing Bodies in Sport
MLA Citations:
"National Governing Bodies." World of Sports Science. . Encyclopedia.com.

20 Oct. 2016<http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Assessment:
The Olympics is the pinnacle event of sports involving the entire world,
an event I have admired my whole life. People with all different backgrounds
flock to TVs every four years to watch the amazing display of human
athleticism however few realize the extensive amount of work involved to
allow equal involvement as well as representation from each country for this
event. With a deep desire to understand all aspects of the sports business, I
find the area responsible for establishing this community of athletes for
global competition,national governing bodies,extremely interesting. These
bodies can represent a specific sport, a country, or even the globe. The
overarching reach they have on sports is remarkable because they help our
global society come together through sports in a peaceful and fair way. My
ambition to be apart of an environment with many cultures and backgrounds
leads me to believe I would enjoy this type of atmosphere. Another reason
would also have to be my interest in law and the regulation of fair
competition. Although they are very distinct from national leagues like the
National Football League which is the area I have been focusing on for my
study, I still feel like I would be able to be successful.
Furthermore, the leaders of these national governing bodies have an
immense responsibility to enforce and promote the sport in which they
represent. As I continue to learn more about their role in the sport society,
the more I am interested in possibly pursuing a career or position in this
area. One aspect I find very appealing is that not only do they promote fair
play but also encourage health and wellness among society which is a
movement I find necessary at this day in age. To be a part of leading this
movement along with other movements would be something I would love to
participate in. Additionally, the structure of national governing bodies are
made up of representatives from each region the body's governing over thus
I could work towards becoming involved with a specific sports governing
body in the United States. Due to my past experiences in swimming and
soccer, I feel these are the bodies of sport I would be the most productive in.
Most likely however I would try to take advantage of any opportunity in
getting a job within a national governing body because there are few
positions. Overall, the most intriguing part of national governing bodies to
me is setting up national and global competitions like the Olympics. The
intense amount of effort is beautifully showcased every games with the
athlete villages and state of the art stadiums. All made possible by these
bodies. As I work towards my goal of one day being involved with the 2020
Olympics in Tokyo this understanding of national governing bodies is
absolutely necessary. I understand that Tokyo seems a long ways a way but
if I want to get involved, now is the time and becoming apart of a national
governing body will offer me a pathway to get to this point one day in the
near future.
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Date: 10/28/16
Subject: The Olympics
MLA Citations:
History.com Staff. "The Olympic Games." History.com. A&E Television

Networks, 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.
Assessment:
My previous assessment introduced me to national governing bodies

one of the groups that is responsible for hosting the Olympics every four
years. After reflecting on their work as a whole, I wanted to understand the
origins of the Olympics, an event I have marveled for so long.
To my surprise, the games today have a lot of commonalities to its
beginnings despite the changing times. One of the most interesting facts I
learned was how the ancient Olympic games used to have only one event.
This is almost unimaginable for me due to the complex nature of the sports
world today with multiple events and levels among each different sport. This
progression shows just how much sport has changed over the past thousand
years. The overall improvement is a promising sign for someone like me who
is interested in the industry because sports continue to get more and more
attention. More notably though the way national governing bodies have been
able to harness this exponential growth and been able to successfully
execute it in to the modern games we are so familiar with is fascinating.
Another revelation to me is how the end of the ancient games allowed
for the inception of the modern games. The conclusion of the ancient games
due to unfair competition proves that the Olympics stands for only honest
play; a characteristic that is truly remarkable. This tradition among many
others is the reason why I am so fond of the Olympics. I have grown up with
these ideals and I honestly feel it has played a role in who I have become.
Although the Olympics today seem clouded by numerous doping stories, I
still strongly believe that the Olympics is still one of the most honorable
stages in the entire world to play any sport.
The Olympics role in society is by far the best benefit of the global
event. It was one of the first sporting events to allow women participation
and continues to break down the borders of inequality between different
races to give everyone a chance to be a champion. Even in the most recent
Olympics, Rio 2016, the world saw the Refugee team come together to
compete. The IOC granted these countryless individuals a chance to
participate in the games, a truly once in a lifetime opportunity. This heart-
warming opportunity makes me fall in love with the Olympics and sports
even more because it gives people who have worked so hard at their sports
a shot to be bigger than themselves.
One of my childhood dreams is to one day play a role in the Olympics.
After getting a better understanding of the origins and groups responsible I
feel that being able to be a part of this celebration would be phenomenal. As
I move forward with my study, this will most definitely be something I keep
in mind. To me being able to work and be a part of the team that makes
Tokyo 2020 a reality would be the best honor in life.
Date: 11/18/16
Subject: Roles and Responsibilities of the Olympic Games
MLA Citations:
International Olympic Committee. "FACTSHEET ROLES AND

RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES." International Olympic
Committee, 29 June 2016. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.
Assessment:
This factsheet is a perfect introduction into the beginning of my

research for my original work. My original work is to create a framework of
the sport of swimming during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. I have
been familiar with what the product of this event is because I grew up
watching every single Olympic games however I have very little knowledge
on how the games are created. This article has allowed me to better
understand who is responsible for all the different aspects which will help me
once I start focusing on each individual section.
First, the Olympics being a global event means that multiple entitys
have to be involved to allow equal involvement from all the countries. These
entities are also known as national governing bodies. Luckily, I have a good
understanding of the basics of national governing bodies due to previous
assessments. For the Olympics specifically there are 4 national governing
bodies who are involved and split up the jurisdiction of the games in order to
be successful. The highest body is the International Olympic Committee.
They own the Olympics game intellectual property and entrust it to the other
organizations to be able to set up the games. For my original work, I will not
be focusing on the duties of this body but will definitely come to understand
how they monitor the other national governing bodies involved to ensure a
successful Olympics. Another body of the games is the National Olympic
Committee. This committee represents individual countries and distributes
their jurisdiction to the Chef de Mission who represents them in all the main
discussions regarding the games. I was very interested to learn about this
position because I had not previously known it had existed. However going
forward, I believe this is a career that could definitely be of interest to me.
The national governing bodies I will be channeling in my original work will be
the International Federation and the Organising Committee of the Olympic
Games. The International Federation for swimming is FINA (Federation
Internationale de Natacion). In the framework I create I will need to
understand and apply the requirements this organization has set forth for
the competitive competition of swimming. Lastly, the Organising Committee
of the Olympic Games is the national body that delegates most of the work I
will be focused on for my original work which includes the media,
sponsorship, venues, law, and more. This organization is made up of
members from the IOC, members of the NOC, members from the host city,
Chef de Mission and other figures that help execute the games. I hope as I
look more closely into the tasks they complete I will find passion for being
involved in this event because I believe a career in this committee would be
phenomenal. As I move forward with my original work the national
governing body will be my main area of focus because they are the body
that is responsible for the areas I want to create in my framework.
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Contact Job Title Email/Phone Number
Location Date & Time Notes Follow-Up Thank You Note Sent
Diana Lambert Senior Director of Legal & Business Affairs at Dallas Cowboys dlambert@dallascowboys.net
One Cowboys ParkwayEmail
Irving,
Sent
Texas
9/1375063
Julenny Cortina Corporate Contracts Manager at Dallas Cowboys One Cowboys ParkwayLinkedIn
Irving, Texas
Connected
75063
10/10
Keisha Wyatt Marketing Manager at Dallas Mavericks 2909 Taylor Street Dallas,
LinkedIn
Texas
Connect
75226 Sent 9/13
Joe Simler Senior Manager of Corporate Partnership Sales at Dallas Cowboys jsimler@dallascowboys.net
One Cowboys Parkway Irving, Texas 75063
Charles Johnson Corporate Partnership Sales at Dallas Cowboys cjohnson@dallascowboys.net
One Cowboys ParkwayEmail
Irving,
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Texas
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Byron Bogar Assistant General Manager bbogar@texlegends.com
2601 Avenue of the Stars Frisco, Texas 75034
Donnie Nelson Owner of Texas Legends & General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks 2909 Taylor Street Dallas,Texas 75226
Floyd Jahner COO of the Dallas Mavericks 2909 Taylor Street Dallas,
LinkedIn
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75226 Sent 9/15
Alana Newhook Legal Counsel of Dallas Stars 2601 Avenue of the Stars
LinkedIn
Frisco,
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750349/15
John Garda Adminstrative Partner at K&L Gates, LLP 2149395563 2828 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201
Ray Mallouk Co-Owner/CEO of BreakAway Sports Marketing rmallouk@breakaway-sports.com
1400 Preston Road,Suite
Email400,
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Plano,Texas
9/15 75093
Rebekah Brown Senior Accountant at FC Dallas rbrown@fcdallas.net 9200 World Cup Way, Email
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Frisco, Texas 75034
Evie Baker Vice President, Human Resources and Admin. at FC Dallas 9200 World Cup Way, LinkedIn
Suite 202,
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Frisco,Texas
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75034
Melissa Jannetta Director of Business Development at FC Dallas mjannetta@fcdallas.net
9200 World Cup Way, Email
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202, 9/13
Frisco,Texas
Interview
75034 9/26 4:00 at 9200 World Cup Way
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Frisco,
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Malcom Farmer President & General Manager at Texas Legends Mfarmer@texlegends.com
2601 Avenue of the Stars
LinkedIn
Frisco,Texas
connect 75034
Sent 9/15
Jordan Woy Agent & Co-Owner of Willis & Woy jwoy@willis-woy.com 4890 Alpha Rd, Suite LinkedIn
220 Dallas,
Connect
Texas Sent
75226
Interview
9/15 9/20 2:00 at 4890 Alpha Rd Dallas,TX
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Kate Cassidy Associate legal counsel at Texas Rangers Baseball 1000 Ballpark Way #400
LinkedIn
Arlington,
Connect
Texas
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76011
9/15
Gina Owen Senior Manager of Corporate Partnership Sales at Dallas Cowboys One Cowboys Parkway Irving, Texas 75063
Chris Kingston Vice President at Learfield Sports 2400 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 500, Plano, Texas 75093
Craig Zurek Director of Media and Brand Development at Dallas Cowboys czurek@dallascowboys.net
One Cowboys ParkwayLinkedIn
Irving, Texas
Connect
75063
Sent
Interview
9/15 9/29 3:00 at 1 Cowboys Way Frisco,
NoteTX
Sent
Jeff Fink Senior Manager Sports Marketing at Verizon jfink@smu.edu 3101 University Blvd Dallas,Texas 75226
Esteban/Manuel Mariel
Owner of Dallas Futsal 1000 Hampshire LaneLinkedIn
Richardson,
Connect
TexasSent 9/20
Toni May Vice President of Finance and Adminstration at Dallas Stars 2601 Avenue of the Stars
LinkedIn
Frisco,
Connect
Texas Sent
750349/15
Erin Finegold Corporate Communications and Event Director at Dallas Mavericks 214-415-9183 2909 Taylor Street Dallas,
LinkedIn
Texas
Connect
75226 Sent 9/15
Susie Holland Associate Professor of Sports Management at SMU slholland@smu.edu 3101 University Blvd Dallas, Texas 75226
Charles Wells Contract Advisor at X Factor Sports Management LinkedIn Connect Sent 9/15
Michael Montgomery Director of Ticket Sales at Dallas Stars LinkedIn Message Sent 9/21
Lori Bland National Sales Leader for Learfield Sports lbland@learfieldsports.com
2400 Dallas Parkway, Email
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500, 9/23,
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10:00
outat9/25
2400 Dallas Pkwy Note
Plano,Texas
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Kelvin Smith Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs development LinkedIn message Sent
Interview
9/23 9/29 5:00 at 2400 Dallas Pkwy Plano,Texas
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Robin Woith Senior Director of Sales & Marketing at the Dallas Cowboys One Cowboys Way Frisco,
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Samuel Schimdt Sports Marketing Director at Frito Lay samschmidt4@gmail.com Email Sent 10/10 Interview 10/18 10:30am Note Sent
Paul Schoonover Attorney paul@KLBF.com 8350 North Central Expressway,
Email Sent Suite
10/2 650,Interview
Dallas TX 10/11
752064:00pm Note Sent
Jason Cohen General Counsel at Dallas Cowboys jcohen@dallascowboys.net
One Cowboys Way Email sent 10/28 Interview 11/2 3:30 pm Note Sent
Laura Colven Director at Genesco Sports Enterprises lcolven@genescosports.com
5944 Luther Lane Dallas,TX
Email sent 10/20 Interview 10/28 9:30 am Note Sent
Kaleisha Stuart Associate Counsel at Dallas Cowboys kstuart@dallascowboys.net
One Cowboys Way Email sent 12/6 Interview 12/10 3:00 pm Note Sent
1
Interview Questions
1. What skills are the most important in your job?

2. What prepared you the most for your career?
3. Do you mind describing your education choices and experiences?
4. What value do internships add to a prospective employee during the interview
process?
5. What is something you wish you wouldve known when trying to break into the
sports management industry?
6. How did you get to the position you are in today?
7. What is the most challenging part of your job?
8. Is there anything you would have done differently to get to where you are today?
9. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
10. What is the best part of working in sports?
11. What lead you to work in sports?
12. Who was the person that had a tremendous effect on the career you have now?
13. What is the one goal you want to achieve in the next 10 years?
14. What issues do the FC Dallas organization deal with on a daily, monthly, and
yearly basis?
15. What is the most effective approach when trying to secure a new business
relationship?
16. Do you find your target customer to be evolving or remaining stagnant?
17. What is your most valuable marketing tool to attracting new customers?
18. What is your view on the cutting edge trend of integrating technology into the
game experience?
19. How often do you interact with other sectors of the organization?
20. Do you feel there is a team atmosphere in the workplace? If so, how important
is that to the success of your organization? If not, how could you implement
more of a team concept in the overall success of your organization?
21. What do you believe is the biggest impact social media has had on your work?
22. How do you continue to build your network and keep past connections viable?
23. Do you feel there is a growing opportunity for women to be successful in the
sports management industry?
24. Where are the best places to network for newcomers to the field?
Jordan Woy Interview Notes
NFL Agent, Co-founder of Willis & Woy Management Group, Entrepreneur
Interview: 9/20/16 2:00pm at 4890 Alpha Rd Dallas,TX
1.How did you get to the position you are in today?
Started in agent business during law school; represented baseball
athletes.
Father had career in sports management with Professional tennis.
Built lots of relationships and worked hard.
Switched to football from baseball due to long process for players to
make money (he needed money in order to get his new firm off the
ground) and enjoyed the sport of football more.
2.Do you mind describing your education choices and experiences?
Inspired to go to law school by To Kill a Mockingbird movie.
Loved Texas and wanted to stay close; found home at St.Marys Law in
San Antonio.
Most valuable experiences and education gained during law school.
College is a waste of money; pay someone to teach/let you grow up.
English majors are helpful for law school because there is a lot of
reading and writing required.
Education brings you credibility; name/degree dont hold much weight.
3.What prepared you the most for your career?
Developing excellent negotiation skills.
Able to hustle to meet all the needs of his clients.
Learning good habits from his parents like cleanliness, presentation,
professional interactions, creating relationships.
4.What is the most challenging part of your job?
Very competitive atmosphere to recruit new clients.
Must be open with schedule to meet all the clients needs.
Establishing good working relationships with organizations in order to
get good contracts for his clients.
5.How often do you interact with other sectors of the organization?
Works directly with General Manager, Coaches, Player Personnel
Director, College Scouts, Contract Specialists.
Establishes connections with these people on personal and business
level because there is constant interaction.
6.What is something you wish you wouldve known when trying to break into
the sports management industry?
Very competitive industry to break into.
Agent fees have decreased (only required to get 1.5% of contract
instead of 3%)
Agents spend a lot of money on clients with no guarantee on return.
(range from $50,000+)
7.Do you find yourself reviewing and creating the same contracts repetitively
or are you constantly challenged to develop new contracts?
NFLPA created baseline contract that every player uses and then is
edited depending on organization involved.
8.Describe your day to day work.
Off Season: recruiting mode; traveling a lot to scout out new clients,
meet with players and develop very personal relationships with them
and their family. Vacations and business workshops for clients.
Season: travel to games every week, clients without a team- must call
each organization to see if there are any openings or if player could
possible practice with team.
9.What value do internships add to a prospective employee during the
interview process?
Doesnt hire often; works with small group (3-12)
Hiring Process: someone who loves personal service, outgoing
personality, able to relate and work well with players, hustler, likes
people, can network, creative, and passionate.
Not many can survive business.
10. What is the best part about your job?
Recruiting clients; because he is able to create lifetime friendships.
Traveling; multiple super bowls and MMA fights.
11. What is one goal you want to achieve in the next 10 years?
Wake up every day with a purpose and a will to live.
Be happy and enjoy work.
12. Do you feel there is a team atmosphere in the workplace?
It is very important to have a team atmosphere
Establishes a unity to help achieve the same goals.
13. What do you believe is the biggest impact social media has had on your
work?
Post information on clients.
Twitter is a great to stay updated on client actions and team moves.
14. Why Dallas?
Loves the citys atmosphere.
Economically good place to live.
Perfect for traveling around the nation and globe.
Athletes love this area and choose to stay even after career is over.
No shortage on prospective clients with top universities near by.
15. What makes you stand out from other agents when trying to secure a
new client?
Qualified with numerous years in experience.
Offers a good price and has a good track record.
Life after Football program
Personal relationships
16. What is your point-of-view on women in the sports management
industry?
Works alongside women; very qualified.
9 out of 10 would hire a woman over a man because women have their
ego in check, are hardworking, honest, and have no sense of
entitlement.
Huge opportunity for women to enter the field.
17. Do you have any advice for someone who wants to pursue this field?
Follow your passion; if it changes change with it.
Work hard, work smart; there are no shortcuts to success.
Be curious; dont be afraid to talk to people, ask questions.
Persistence is key.
Interview Assessment #1
Name of Professional: Jordan Woy
Profession: Co-Founder of Willis & Woy Management, Certified NFL Agent
Company: Willis & Woy Management
Date of Interview: 9/20
I had my first ISM interview with Mr. Jordan Woy who is a NFL certified agent
that represents athletes from Dan Bailey to Terrell Owens. As I try to determine my
career path, I felt it necessary to understand Mr. Woys background and how it
influenced the position he is in today. He was exposed to the industry right out of
high school and began to pursue this career path in college. One of the most
interesting topics we discussed was his views on higher education. His perspective
on college was that it wasnt worth the money essentially viewing it as a way to pay
someone to help you grow up. This ideal was somewhat unsettling to me as I am in
the process of applying to universities right now. However, he believed one of the
most important experiences in his life was attaining a law degree. He reflected on
how he was forced to be mature and to take responsibility for his education in order
to be successful during law school. He continued to say that the rigorous work
involved with law school is what prepared him the most for the career he has today.
As I start to consider if I want to pursue law school or not, his views offer some
insight into the work and effort I would need to give in order to be successful.
Another interesting topic we discussed was the outlook of the NFL sports
agency field. Since I am still considering all the career options involved with sports
management, it seemed fitting to discuss the opportunities available in his
particular field. He believed it was detrimental to pursue a career in his field due to
the increasing limitations. I found this shocking but understood it better once he
discussed how the National Football League Players Association comprised of the
league's players has continued to vote on legislation that lowers the commission
percentage of agents. Despite the fact contracts are reaching all time highs, agents
are being paid at the lowest commission rate ever. He says the industry itself is
already very costly and with player payments lowering it will be even harder to
make a living. This information alone is concerning to me due to the fact agents
have to spend upwards of $75,000+ of their own money or their companies money
along with multiple hours just to try and get a client without any guarantee that
they will sign with them or if the athlete will even get a contract. The extensive
amount of time,money, and risk involved with getting clients solidified to me that
agency was most likely not the career for me. As our conversation progressed, he
emphasised to me the extensive work schedule involved, essentially 24/7, because
he has clients across the country who might need him at any hour and it is his
responsibility to guide them in any way needed. Personally, I wouldn't be able to
follow this lifestyle because I believe it is necessary to have a balance between
work and personal life.
Im glad that I was able to sit down with Mr. Woy and better understand all
that was involved with being a sports agent because I am pretty sure this is not a
path that I want to pursue. Although he does work alongside other people and a
team atmosphere is necessary for the success of his business, I think I would be
able to thrive better in an environment that is focused on the success of one team
because all my efforts would be towards one thing instead of multiple clients. Mr.
Woys advice has allowed me to narrow down my study to focus more on careers in
franchises and for that I will always be grateful for him giving me part of his day to
help my future.
Melissa Jannetta Interview Notes
Director of Business Development, FC Dallas
Interview: 9/26/16 4:00pm at 9200 World Cup Way Frisco,TX
1.What skills are the most important in your job?
In charge of selling sponsorship packages that entails FC Dallas
relationship with other businesses; must be persuasive and prove
worth.
Being able to manage a sales team that is productive.
Excellent negotiation skills.
Networking skills; being able to perform cold calls.
Sense of urgency.
Creative follow-up skills; able to be personable with everyone you
meet.
Always an athlete; played college soccer for Michigan State University.
Developed a competitive spirit and time management skills.
Learned to be successful in a team setting.
Growing up in a team atmosphere.
Taking advantage of all the right opportunities.
Thriving in uncomfortable atmospheres.
interview process?
Interned with Budweisers marketing sector and ran Michigan St.
summer soccer camp.
If interested in pursuing a masters degree be sure to also participate
in internships at the same time to build up work experience.
Get involved with the sports atmosphere in any way possible;
volunteering in sports, going to games, study business.
Works directly with marketing sector.
Legal team develops contracts based on the templates her and her
team creates.
Very competitive industry to break into.
Take all types of opportunities to get work experience.
Begin to build your network early.
Managing 2 other people; has to make sure they are motivated and
just as successful as she is.
8.What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
Loves the sport of soccer.
Plays a role in expanding the sport across the United States.
9.Who was the person that had a tremendous effect on the career you have
now?
Mark Donovan, President at the KC Chiefs.
Offers her advice monthly and helps her work through challenges she
experiences at work.
Her mission statement: Leader in a dynamic, innovative sports
corporation
Wants to own her own business.
11. What issues do the FC Dallas Organization deal with?
The facility is owned by the Hunt family, City of Frisco, Collin County
and Frisco ISD therefore a lot of people are involved in making
decisions and sometimes it is hard to make everyone happy.
Need to please a large fan dynamic; relevant in the community.
work?
Allowing you to create more relationships and keep in touch with the
connections you have made.
13. What is the most effective approach when trying to secure a new
business relationship?
Taking the time to learn their business through research.
Understanding what they need and how it can match with your needs.
14. Do you find your target customer evolving or remaining stagnant?
3 target customers: millennials: more of a digital audience; families:
youth teams, parents; hispanic demographic: tradition of sport in their
culture.
Getting people to go to the game; the passionate and exhilarating
atmosphere gets people hooked.
17. What is your view on the cutting edge trend of integrating technology
into the game experience?
Important to stay ahead of the trend.
Necessary to integrate the new content into what the team is doing.
Everyday; everything they work on is a collaborative effort.
Interacts most with digital, marketing,law, and accounting.
19. Do you feel there is a team atmosphere in the workplace?
A team atmosphere is necessary to be successful.
Common goal that everyone is in pursuit of accomplishing.
20. Do you feel there is a growing opportunity for women to be successful in
There is a need to create a more diverse leadership.
Women are most common in marketing and human resources.
Teams want more women in leadership especially in revenue areas.
21. What are the best places to network for newcomers?
Young professionals in sports organizations in Dallas.
Linkedin.
Vogel Alcove: volunteer organization; great place to meet people in
sports.
22. Is getting a degree in sports management a good investment?
Advantage in getting jobs.
Business degree or specific area of business could be beneficial as well.
No mistakes in picking a major; college experience prepares you for
life.
23. Advice?
Internships that are meaningful.
Stay open to all departments that interest you; dont limit yourself.
Build network; reach out to new people.
Timing is everything.
Name of Professional: Melissa Jannetta
Profession: Director of Business Development
Company: FC Dallas
My second ISM interview was with Mrs.Melissa Jannetta who is the

director of business development at FC Dallas. I instantly felt a connection to
Mrs. Jannetta when she described her background as a long life athlete. She
had played soccer throughout her childhood and played in college and still
had a profound love for the game. This is very similar to my background in
sports however with swimming. More importantly though she remarked on
the values and skills sports had helped her develop and how they have led
her to the successes she has now. Once she explained this, I felt as if she
was inadvertently solidifying to me that sports was an avenue in which I
could be successful. While still on the topic of her background, she made it
clear that making connections was one of the many reasons she was able to
pursue her passion to work in sports. The advice of building multiple
connections and having a broad network has become very apparent and is a
necessity I need to focus on pursuing to help create the future I see so
clearly for myself.
As the interview progressed, I was able to get a better understanding
of the work Mrs. Jannetta does specifically for the FC Dallas organization. It
was fascinating to learn about all the behind the scenes work that goes into
the multiple promotions a fan experiences. Since I have been a sports fan
for many different organizations for most of my life, I immediately began to
apply the knowledge she was telling me to my past experiences. I was
impressed by how seamlessly the promotions were integrated into my
overall experience and interaction with a team. The most interesting part is
that this engagement from myself and other fans is the ultimate indicator of
how successful the organization is. The connection between the team and
fans is an aspect I would love to be apart of one day because being a
member of the dynamic team environment is very fulfilling. Furthermore,
she remarked on all the hard work she had put in to work herself up to the
director position and offered me great advice on how to get into the
business. One of the most important pieces of advice she mentioned is to
always take every opportunity related to sports that comes your way and to
always put in your best effort once you have the opportunity. The
competitiveness of the industry is what makes it so challenging to get your
foot into the door so if one is already associated with the industry and has
connections the odds of getting a job are dramatically higher. This is the
route Mrs. Jannetta took which proves to me that it this is possible a path I
could take for my future.
Mrs. Jannetta role as the creator, developer, and executor really caught
my attention. She not only does all the steps involved in the promotion but
she also manages the team that helps her. I was very intrigued by all the
work she did and is someone that stands out to me as a possible mentor.
Lori Bland Interview Notes
Director of National Sales, Learfield
Interview: 9/28/16 10:00am at 2400 Dallas Pkwy Plano,TX
Management skills.
Organizational skills.
Problem solving.
Intrapersonal skills and communication; able to customize
communication to specific person you are talking to.
Central Missouri State University; would prefer larger school now.
Minored in photography and helps her somewhat in her job but more
of a pastime.
If you pursue a masters degree get internship/work experience at the
same time.
Marketing classes at Central Missouri State University.
Connections.
Started in sales division; helped her understand the backbone of the
organization.
interview process?
Allows people to get exposure to all departments in an organization.
Internships are what you make of it!!
Make connections by getting to know people on a more personal level.
Be personable and stand out on the resume.
the industry?
The pay is not very good; not until you get to the executive level.
More people want jobs than are available.
6.How did you get into the position you are in today?
Worked in sales for Mizzou.
Moved to Dallas and worked on events through Learfield.
Works in national sales with a client relations focus now.
Managing other people.
Juggling work and personal life.
Managing other people and watching how you affect someone elses
life.
now?
Her parents worked; influenced her to be motivated.
Bosses took her under their wing and helped her get started.
To better understand the industry.
To find a balance between personal life and work.
11. What issues does Learfield deal with?
Finding a balance with clients and the schools specific standards.
Managing the expectations of every party involved.
Networking and creating connections.
13. How difficult is it to secure a business sponsorship?
Very difficult; have to show value of fan base.
Competing with other universities, IMG, professional sports franchises.
Have to explain the value of sports marketing to people and how it is
better than TV and Radio.
14. What is your view on the cutting edge trend of integrating technology
into the game experience?
Important to stay ahead of the trend.
Must customize the message to the specific outlet you are appealing
to.
Interacts with a team of 10 people.
20. How do you continue to build your network and keep past connections
viable?
Staying informed on the people you connect with lives; social media.
Network with numerous organizations; Heart of Dallas young
professionals.
21. Do you travel a lot for your job?
Used to travel a ton to college games and to the hub in Chicago.
Intern with the university's athletic department to build relationships.
Be willing to move across the nation after college for jobs.
23. Advice?
Networking.
Learn about the industry.
Get involved with the sports community.
Work experience with internships.
Name of Professional: Lori Bland
Profession: Director of National Sales
Company: Learfield Sports
My interview with Mrs. Bland was very informational and interesting to

say the least. As soon as I arrived to Learfield, Mrs. Bland showed me
around the office and explained how they utilized each area for work and for
clients. While she introduced the multiple interns working at the business,
she addressed the importance of making sure to make the most of every
internship opportunity. In her own personal experience, she gained the most
knowledge in internships with universities and other sports organizations by
working hard and always being personable with the people she interned
with. Her advice hit right at home. I pondered if I had made the most of the
internship I had had over the summer and it made me question if I was
making the most of the internship I am currently in. This really spoke to me
because it made it clear that I need to take advantage of every opportunity I
have because these opportunities can define my path tremendously. Another
piece of advice was that if an opportunity arises in the sales department of
the business to take advantage of it because this position would be able to
teach me valuable knowledge about the backbone of the organization. It had
really never really occurred to me that this could be a way into the business
but after thinking it over it makes complete sense because without people
buying the product that the organization is selling there would be no
business left to run. As I move forward with my internship search for this
upcoming summer, I will most definitely keep this piece of advice in mind.
Although not the best representation of our enjoyable meeting, the
best information Ms.Bland had to offer was on the challenges she endured at
her job. Being a new time mom, she reflected on how the demanding hours
made it difficult to balance her personal and work life. This was not the first
time I had heard this type of information but the way it had impacted her
new, flourishing life really made me wonder if I would be willing to give up
all that time to a job. After reviewing it since, I believe if I worked for an
organization that I was proud of and had a large role in helping progress it
to a new level, no matter how bad the hours were I wouldnt feel like the
work was a burden or inhibited me from doing other things I wanted to do. I
think knowing this now plays a large role in the path I take for my future. I
need to make sure I have confidence in the organizations that I work for
because if I dont I will be dishonest to myself and most likely end up
unsatisfied with life from a career standpoint.
Mrs. Bland offered me great advice on subjects I had not really
pondered and for that I will be forever grateful. As I move forward with my
study, I will make it a point to apply all the advice she imparted on me and
most importantly make sure I find a love with the organization I will be
working for because if that is not there the work is not worth it.
Craig Zurek Interview Notes
Director of Media and Brand Development, Dallas Cowboys
Interview: 9/29/16 3:00 pm at One Cowboy's Way Frisco,TX
1.What does your job entail?
Discover new business opportunities through media outlets for the
Dallas Cowboys Organization.
Responsible for preparing an executive summary.
Manages the in-house radio, signage, and other media outlets.
Manages the best media and content creation in the league.
Majored in broadcasting at Southern Illinois University.
Learned at sports business school because it was integrated into the
media major.
Many opportunities outside of school.
Ran a radio station from the ground up.
Worked at a newspaper; responsible for covering sports events.
Education provided numerous connections.
interview process?
Necessary if they want to be hired.
Looks for in hiring process: Work experience: understand
responsibility; internships: in related industry; college degree:
broadens knowledge base, shows dedication.
Lawyers: responsible for protecting the team and the Jones Family.
NFL: want to own as much of the media as possible so it interferes
with his initiatives.
Any and all challenges helped him grow and to toughen up in the
industry.
Multiple benefits; traveling, discounts, parties.
People atmosphere.
7. What issues do the Dallas Cowboys deal with?
Organization runs lean; very low man power requires work to create
budgets for outside contractors.
Everyone busy at the same time during the season.
Very demanding hours and required to work holidays.
Other peoples actions in the organization reflect on you.
Interacts with a team to create projects.
Very much a team atmosphere.
9. What is the most effective approach when trying to secure a new business
relationship?
Understand the business of the person you are talking to.
10. Describe your main goals.
3 Key Performance Index(KPIs): better brand awareness and
enhancement, fan engagement, increase revenue.
High quality content management that increases fan engagement.
Continue to give fans reason to be happy with the team.
Experience in sports helps you get jobs as well.
12. Advice?
Give credit where it is due.
Very difficult to get into sales the first year due to lack of training.
Most franchises have interns start out in fulfillment then if they work
hard enough can gain opportunities to move up.
Network.
When applying for jobs sell how you can help them reach their goals.
Make your resume stand out in accordance to what you are applying
for.
Start in minor league teams.
The more work knowledge you have the better off you are.
Know and understand how to manage projects.
During internships become the head on small projects.
Alumni connections are very important!
Name of Professional: Craig Zurek
Profession: Director of Media and Brand Development
Company: Dallas Cowboys
In the short hour that I interviewed Mr.Zurek in, I learned so much

about his career path and what it takes to be successful in the sports world.
I will be forever grateful for him for giving me his time and advice since it
has already proven to be so beneficial for my study.
One of my biggest takeaways from our discussion, was on how
important it is brand yourself. Being the Director of Media and Brand
Development for the most valuable sports franchise in the world, the Dallas
Cowboys, he understands what is necessary for a brand to be successful. He
explained to me how all the factors that go into making a brand successful
can be easily translated to branding yourself. I had never considered myself
as a brand but after he walked me through the connections it was crystal
clear.
Every time you connect with a new person it is vital to make a good
first impression on them because that is how they remember you and your
name. By consistently presenting yourself in this way, you begin to create a
brand for yourself and if done in a unique yet professional way can lead to
people remembering you. This piece of advice has already helped me to
shape the way I present myself while networking with other professionals
during my other interviews. Furthermore, I also reevaluated the word choice
and demeanor I used when talking to professionals to make sure it was
professional and friendly because these are the characteristics I want people
to remember me by. I was able to correct some areas that I think will now
make me more presentable and hopefully more memorable in the eyes of
these new people. Another aspect he mentioned is that a vital part of the
brand of you is the work you present and the way you perform it.
Throughout ISM, I have made sure to always present my best work but now
I feel that there is even more emphasis to always be on top of my game
since this is how others will see me. Mr. Zurek brought even more attention
to the fact that the way the work is done is just as important if not more
important than the work itself. If I were to carry myself with a bad attitude
while I worked to complete any assignment the people around me wouldnt
respect me as much and my boss could look down on me as well. I couldnt
agree with him more on the aspects that my work needs to be an accurate
representation of me and that I need to always approach everything with a
positive,motivated attitude. Going forward, I will continue to work on the
brand of Alta De Leon as it is how others will perceive me. Especially in the
sports industry where most jobs are given based on relationships and
experience, the brand of me will be the ultimate factor of my success in my
career.
Kelvin Smith Interview Notes
Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Learfield
Interview: 9/29/16 5:00 pm at 2400 Dallas Pkwy Plano,TX
Understand law.
Must pay extremely close attention to detail and understand all the
risks involved.
Excellent people and social skills
Undergraduate at Stanford University; getting out of Texas helped him
to broaden his horizons.
The people he met from all different backgrounds allowed him to grow.
Law school; Harvard Law.
Learning a lot during his current job; best way is by making mistakes.
the industry?
Very competitive.
NEED to network and create relationships.
Learning on the job; learning new stuff everyday is good and bad.
Unfamiliar with some stuff so has to teach himself.
6. Is there anything you would have done differently to get to where you are
today?
Talk to more people.
Originally thought he wanted to work in a franchise specifically
basketball.
Keep an open mind.
Helping people; lawyers are a necessary part of the process therefore
he plays a crucial role in the teams success.
Being able to contribute to a greater cause.
now?
Mike Jenkins CEO of Learfield; helped him get into the industry.
Multiple mentors that have helped guide him.
Work directly with a franchise.
10. What issues does Learfield deal with?
The numerous colleges representing.
NCAA compliances.
Current debates in the industry; paying college athletes.
11. What is the best part of working in sports?
Many perks; free sporting events.
12. Do you find yourself reviewing and creating the same contracts?
Different contracts depending on the specific college however there is
a template for some of them.
Interact with people from each university.
Team atmosphere is the best part.
work?
Monitoring multiple social medias; risk potential is very high.
viable?
Attending conferences and connecting through people you already
know.
Reach out periodically to connections you have already made.
Not necessary to be successful.
17. What inspired you to go to law school?
Brother is a lawyer.
Didnt know what he wanted to do going out of college and knew the
degree would open many doors.
18. Do you mind describing your law school experience?
Very intense environment and was very stressful.
Didnt enjoy the east coast.
19. Advice?
Meet as many people as you can.
Maintain relationships.
Most opportunities go to the people you know.
Build network off internships.
Name of Professional: Kelvin Smith
Profession: Director of Legal and Business Affairs
Company: Learfield
Through my interview with Mr. Smith, I was able to discover that he is

one of the most positive people I have ever met. Not only did he greet me
with a warm smile but was also very honest about his career which has
helped me tremendously in my study.When he told me about his path to the
position he is in today, he described his obstacles as being the most
important part. This reflection really touched me because I also have a
strong belief that obstacles are put in front of us to help us improve. He
continued with the fact that each challenge he endured he was able to learn
something and grow. Hearing this piece of advice from someone who had
achieved a Stanford Undergraduate degree and a Harvard Law degree, only
solidified to me further that learning in this atmosphere would be a
requirement. Nonetheless, having this aspect in a career is something I find
appealing because I would be able to continue learning while also pursuing
my passion. As he continued telling me about his experiences and challenges
in the sports industry during our interview, I could tell how passionate he
was about his work. Even something that seemed so minute and undesirable
he viewed as a chance to be better. This energy and interest is exactly what
I want for my future career. I crave an environment that will keep me
interested and one that I am passionate about. Furthermore after discussing
with Mr.Smith about his job as a lawyer for Learfield, I now have an
increased interest in the law area of sports. He remarked that multiple areas
of law make up sports law and that is challenging to stay informed on each
and everyone. This challenge is one I would welcome because I know it
would allow me to grow and develop as an individual. However with this
challenge comes a tremendous amount of responsibility. Since he is the only
individual in the office with a law degree, it is paramount that he is
knowledgeable on every area of law that comes up because it is on him to
make sure that the company is in accordance with the law and contracts.
With this being such a huge responsibility, it also puts a greater emphasis on
the position because without it the team can not be successful. I enjoy the
fact that a sports lawyer is a pivotal member of a team because I would
always be required to perform to the best of my ability to ensure the
organization was successful. All in all my interview with Mr. Smith really
opened my eyes to ideals that I now deem necessary for a future career.
Also with him being so open on all aspects of being a sports lawyer, I was
able to gain more interest and has now helped direct my study. I greatly
appreciate Mr. Smith for giving me his time because he helped me learn so
much about myself and allowed me to progress my study in a new, positive
direction.
Interview Questions

5. What is the most challenging part of your job?
6. Is there anything you would have done differently to get to where you are today?
7. What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
8. What is something you believe one should consider before pursuing a law
degree?
9. Do you mind describing your law school choices and experiences?
10. How do you establish your client base? Referrals?
11. What lead you to work in the area of sports law?
12. How popular is the area of sports law in Dallas?
14. In your experience, what type of client is the most challenging to represent?
15. Who was the person that had a tremendous effect on the career you have now?
16. What is the one goal you want to achieve in the next 5 years?
17. What issues does your firm deal with on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis?
18. Do you feel there is a team atmosphere in the workplace? If so, how important
is that to the success of your firm? If not, how could you implement more of a
team concept in the overall success of your organization?
19. How do you continue to build your network and keep past connections viable?
20. Do you have a business card?
21. Can I connect with you on LinkedIn?
22. Resume advice?
23. Advice?
Paul Schoonover Interview Notes
Partner of Kleiman Lawrence Baskind Fitzgerald, LLP
Professor at Southern Methodist University; Sports Law & Ethics of Law
Interview: 10/11 4:00 pm at 8350 Central Expressway, Suite 650
Representing many different people; need to be able to relate.
Able to separate personalities from legal issues.
Possessing an analytical mind.
Early interest with sharp focus; always worked extremely hard to
reach goals.
During law school, developed writing skills, critical thinking skills,
how to dig deeper into subjects mostly through a challenging
course load.
Developing efficient and productive work habits.
During college, worked in law library; helped him learn how to
do research and filing.
Editor-in-chief of law review at SMU; focused on being successful
allowed him to develop writing skills.
Grew up in Wichita Falls; wanted to stay in Texas and Texas Tech
gave him a new start.
Offered a full ride to SMU and was interested in practicing law in
Dallas after getting his degree.
4.How did you get to the position you are in today?
Editor-in-chief of law review which is very difficult to accomplish;
highly recruited right out of law school.
Surveyed many areas of law; by taking every opportunity he
could.
Highly motivated and lots of hard work.
Long hours; weekends and nights.
High client expectations.
Clients can be untruthful despite attorney-client privilege.
Other lawyers can make receiving information from discoveries
difficult.
Bureaucracy among the firm; very time consuming and
unproductive.
Multiple tasks involved to be successful: market yourself well in
order to get clients, help clients, practice law and conduct
research for cases; all at the same time.
6.Is there anything you would have done differently to get to where you are
today?
Market himself better; necessary to always have clients to help.
Having a satisfied client.
Comrodority of team projects that are bonded by a mutual trust.
Winning cases.
Completing something worthwhile.
8.What is something you believe one should consider before pursuing a law
degree?
Business of law is extremely cut throat and competitive due to
the bureaucracy set up within firms.
9.How do you establish your client base? Referrals?
Networking.
Doing hard work for your client helps get referrals.
10.What lead you to work in the area of sports law?
Took advantage of all opportunities including those in sports.
After creating connections got more referrals in the field.
11.Is getting a degree in sports management a good investment?
Dont neglect challenging course for fun courses.
Dont specialize too soon.
Not worth the investment because it is not a very difficult major.
Believed it would be better to have a general major and
specialize through a minor and work experiences.
SMU Sports Management masters program allows students to
learn at Simmons, Cox, and Dedman.
12.What issues does your firm deal with on a daily, monthly, and yearly
basis?
Contract negotiation by being able to please both sides.
Bureaucracy issues.
Client problems.
13.How do you continue to build your network and keep past connections
viable?
Personal interaction through hosting parties, dinners and
reaching out periodically.
Be indispensable to client.
Thoroughly understand how the client makes money.
14.Advice?
Be open to whatever come your way; dont miss out on
opportunities because you are dead set on a specific path.
Attend networking events; Sports Lawyers Association, Dallas
Bar Association helps young lawyers.
Ensure you always have financial security in order to have
freedom over choosing your clients.
Agile makes it easier to maintain integrity.
Name of Professional: Paul Schoonover
Profession: Professor of Sports Law
Company: Southern Methodist University
The second I met Mr. Paul Schoonover I was immediately impressed by

his strong work ethic and commitment to improvement. Through our
conversation, I continued to learn more about his small town upbringing and
how his education helped shape the person he became. With many thoughts
on higher education, I asked extensive questions regarding major decisions,
class choices, and how to be prepared for a future career. He answered all
my questions thoroughly from advising me to select a major that could be
transferred to many different career fields, to take difficult classes, and most
importantly to focus on my weaknesses in order to grow. He pushed me to
find my weakness and to work on it to turn it into a strength. I felt I was
really able to connect with him further because he too said one of his
weaknesses was writing. However, he was able to overcome this weakness
and become Editor-in-Chief of the SMU Law Review, a very prestigious and
demanding position. The way he explained his hardships and how he was
extremely motivated to be better inspires me to take on the task of
improving my own writing skills. Another part of our conservation that truly
enlightened me was our discussion on the law career field. He went to
Southern Methodist University for law school on a full scholarship which is
absolutely incredible because it shows how all his hard work leading up to it
paid off. The most humbling part is that after completing law school and
leading a very successful career as an attorney he went back to Southern
Methodist University to teach and guide young adults interested in law, more
specifically the area of sports law. He elaborated on the long hours and hard
work involved in being a lawyer and how he was able to work himself up to
the partner level. I was intrigued by his experiences and believe that I could
one day pursue this type of career. Although I am not sure if I want to work
directly in a law firm, I am very interested in working in the sports law
sector. However, with that being said it means that I would take a
tremendous pay cut. These are all avenues I need to consider when
determining if I want to go to law school to begin with. In order to go to law
school, I have to put up a large sum of money and might not be able to get
a return on the schooling if I go into a more niche area of sports law because
the competition for a job in this area is high so the pay is quite low
compared to firms. All of his expertise was so helpful in explaining to me the
law profession, advice I wouldnt have been able to get otherwise. I strongly
believe Mr. Paul Schoonover will be someone I can reach out to again to get
advice on law school because he offered to help me personally in many
areas. He was very willing to help me revise my resume in order to prepare
it for job interviews. Also, he provided a list of sports law contacts that I
could reach out to in order to get more insight on the field. I greatly
appreciate Mr. Paul Schoonover giving me his time and being very open as
well as honest in our discussion because with all of his advice I began to
truly think about one day becoming a lawyer.
Sam Schmidt Interview Notes
Senior Marketing Strategy- Sports Strategy, Frito Lay
Interview: 10/18/16 10:30am at 7701 Legacy Dr, Plano, TX 75024
Communication; writing and speaking.
Ability to work in a team atmosphere.
Organized.
Able to create connections
Undergraduate at Brigham Young University; Masters at Northwestern.
Advice: Go to the best school with the least amount of debt for
undergrad and go to a stellar school for grad no matter what the cost
is.
Northwestern Kellogg school highly honored as best marketing school
in country.
interview process?
Essentially an extended job interview.
Helps expose you to your interests.
Works with different brands; everyone in that group.
Internal issues; having to compete with other teams to get budget for
the sports marketing plan from the pepsico organization.
Cool events; Super Bowl, NBA Finals, MLB All-Star game.
Problem solving with teammates.
Improving the ROI.
Helmet for Helmet outreach program.
Integrate Frito Lay into the MLS Soccer industry.
8. What issues do Frito Lay deal with?
Regional competition hurts space in retailers and drives down sales.
Having marketing material that resonates with consumers and will
persuade their choices.
Understanding the values of the consumer and how you can meet
them.
10. Advice?
Build relationships with everyone you meet.
Get involved with sports at college.
Take advantage of all opportunities.
Name of Professional: Sam Schmidt
Profession: Senior Marketing Strategist of the Sports Division
Company: Frito Lay
Sam Schmidt is a very reputable sports marketing strategist at Frito Lay, one
of the leading investors in sports advertisement. It was extremely interesting
to hear from him about all the factors that play into marketing in the sports
arena. One of the most important areas he mentioned to me was the visual
portion. Sam elaborated on how it is necessary for the visuals in advertising
to resonate with the audience and target market because that is what
determines its success. If the visual is just overlooked than it is not effective
and an honest waste of money for the company. The purpose of
advertisements is to get customers to align with the company's products and
have them purchase them in the future. Sam explained to me that visual
advertisements is the most vital part to marketing. I found his entire lecture
on sports marketing very appealing. Being given the task to create
something creative that connects with an audience and the company, sounds
like a job I would one day be interested in. Sam also commented on the
bureaucracy in the corporate world. Although, this was something I was
aware about before meeting with him he made me realize it runs a lot
deeper in decisions than I had originally thought. He told me that even if
him and his team came up with a brilliant idea there was still a very strong
possibility that it wouldnt be approved for funding. This idea sounds
discouraging to me but at the same time would push me to work hard on all
of my tasks to show that they were worth being funded. I felt that I was
really able to connect with Sam further because he shared with me some the
scenarios that he had been in specifically. Him elaborating to me really
taught me the importance behind a no because it forces you to savor the
yes. As our discussion continued, Sam highlighted to me some of the best
parts of his job. Though many usually say the perks of attending a game or
being in a cool box is the best part, he said it was creating and implementing
marketing proposals that helped people. One of my favorites that he shared
with me was the Helmet for Helmet outreach program. This program pushed
people in the community to nominate an outstanding service member to be
an honorary player for a day. I think these types of programs are constantly
overlooked for all the good they do for society. I would love to be involved in
creating these programs and marketing them to the public in order to give
back to those who have done so much for our country. Sam has devoted a
lot of his time to marketing these programs to be successful and I can tell by
talking to him the amount of passion he has for them. When I grow up, I
want to be able to passionately talk to anyone who listens about my work.
As I continue forward with my study, I will take a lot of what he talked to me
into consideration in order to make sure that whatever path I go down within
sports management it is a path that I am passionate about.
Laura Colven Interview Notes
Director of Frito-Lay Account, Genesco Sports Enterprises
Interview: 10/28/16 9:30am at 5244 Luther Lane Dallas, Texas
Time management.
Need to be able to service client & team needs.
People skills are a necessary but comes with experience.
Played college soccer at Wake Forest.
Studied Sport & Exercise because wanted to be a physical therapist.
Interned at Genesco and fell in love; worked here ever since.
Learning about companies from informational interviews.
Internship experience from athletic department.
interview process?
Interns are the primary source of hires.
Usually require interns to complete a project for a specific client for
example a case study on a competitor.
Work with a lot of sectors within each client.
Use connections made by other coworkers to get introduced.
There is more than one avenue to working in sports.
The more education you have the better off you are.
Loves working with different groups and people across the U.S.
Having relationships that come in handy later on.
Reevaluates goals every 2 years.
Main goal is to always be happy.
Wants to be Vice president of Genesco.
Wants to be challenged.
9. What issues does Genesco Sports Enterprises deal with?
Ability to please both the client and agency.
Be able to stay in perspective.
Checking ego in business negotiations.
work?
Need to create 360 degree programs that include social media
campaigns.
Necessary to stay on top of the trends.
Show the enormous amount of experience and tools you can provide.
Previous success with other clients.
Knowledge is power; knowing who the client is and how to sell to
them.
Work with all areas of the client's business including
sales,marketing,property.
Work directly with league and team.
viable?
Keep up with connections movements.
Dont burn bridges with people because you never know when you will
interact with them again.
15. Advice?
Do as many informational interviews as possible.
Intern with the athletic department while in college.
Create relationships.
Very competitive industry.
Name of Professional: Laura Colven
Profession: Director of Frito-Lay Account
Company: Genesco Sports Enterprises
Interviewing with Mrs. Laura Colven gave me incredible insight into the
world of sports marketing. In her position as Director of the Frito-Lay
account at Genesco Sports Enterprises, she works directly with Frito-Lay and
any sports entity interested in marketing or advertising with any of Frito-
Lays products. It was certainly interesting to hear about how she interacted
as a third party to ensure everyones needs were met in the marketing
world. One of my biggest takeaways from our discussion was establishing
relationships. Although this is has been a common topic in almost all of my
interviews, she offered a new perspective. She referred to connections as a
part to improve efforts for the client and not necessarily for her own
progression in the field. First and foremost, this proved to me how selfless
Laura was. Not only did she take time to talk to me, but also introduced me
to many people in the office including interns in order to get a better scope
on what it was like to work at a sports marketing firm. Second, I was able to
understand by talking to her that everything she did was to be more
prepared to help her client be successful in all the endeavors they were
working for. Laura is an individual who is motivated to ensure her client is
happy which is something I need to emulate once I am in working in the
industry because since it is a service industry it is mandatory that the client
is always happy. Another aspect that I admire of Laura is how she had
established a plan to make sure that she was also successful. Once I asked
her where she saw herself in 10 years, she responded with how she
reevaluates her life every 2 years to make sure she is working efficiently
towards her goals. This is something I believe is extremely important in
making sure one achieves personal success. I think the best part though is
that she was working extra hard to get to that next level because that was
the goal she had set for herself a year before. In college and beyond, I will
need to take her practice into consideration to make sure that I am happy
and always moving forward in my career. Further, Laura remarked on the
importance of education, not just formal education like college, but
continuing on the path of informational interviews past ISM. She even
introduced me to someone who started her position after coming in for an
informational interview. This proved to me that informational interviews help
grasp a work environment and can lead to possible job interviews. With this
additional advice, I am more confident to continue informational interviews
beyond ISM after learning they are more commonplace among the industry.
Laura was able to offer me a lot of advice for pursuing a career in sports
management and educate me on the area of sports marketing. Our
conversation helped me understand more about a possible interest I might
pursue in the future, marketing.
Interview Questions
Hello Mr.Cohen,
Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you about your experiences
in sports law. I have sent you an email with my credentials so you can get a
better idea of who I am. Talk about ISM.
1. Do you mind describing what is required of you in your position?

5. Is there anything you would have done differently to get to where you
are today?
7. Do you mind describing your law school choices and experiences?
8. What is something you believe one should consider before pursuing a
law degree?
9. What lead you to work in the area of sports law?
12.Who was the person that had a tremendous effect on the career you
have now?
13.What issues does your firm deal with on a daily, monthly, and yearly
basis?
14.Have you ever considered letting a student shadow you? .. Says no-
Can I ask why?..... Says yes- I would love to have an opportunity to
shadow you while you work in order to gain a better understanding of
what your job entails and to further experience the industry.
(confidentiality agreements, meet whenever you are available, work
alongside assistants as well, introduce myself to you in person)
15.In your opinion, is getting a degree in sports management a good
investment?
16.Do you have any advice for someone interested in this field?
Jason Cohen Interview Notes
General Counsel, Dallas Cowboys
Interview: 11/2/16 3:30pm
1.Do you mind describing what is required of you in your position?
Understand marketing goals of partners like Ford.
Write contracts that protects client but fulfills the needs of the
business relationship.
Attended Brandeis University in Boston for undergrad.
Attended Rutgers University for law school.
Wanted to go into sports radio broadcasting originally but realized he
was behind and could be more successful going down the legal path.
Internships with Oakland Raiders and more.
Ability to be flexible and work on the fly.
Need to be able to balance work.
Strong work ethic.
Good oral and written communicator.
Well rounded understanding of many different areas of law.
4.What lead you to work in the area of sports law?
Sports Law is a combination of a lot of different areas of law like real
estate, contract, and intellectual property.
Interesting field that was challenging.
Moving between different areas of law so fast and so often.
Have to be comfortable not knowing and be dedicated enough to find
out what you dont know.
now?
Mentor who took him under his wind at the Minnesota Vikings.
7.What issues does your firm deal with on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis?
Issues with marketing and player & coaches contracts.
Employees; Dallas Cowboys has over 500 so it is very important
everyone understands rules and regulations.
Each person understands contracts being signed that defines bosses
and expectations at work.
8. What is something you believe one should consider before pursuing a law
degree?
Very expensive; large amount of work.
Be certain you want to be a lawyer; go out and watch lawyers in court
and read about current legal issues.
9.In your opinion, is getting a degree in sports management a good
investment?
Good investment if you are dedicated.
10.Do you have any advice for someone interested in this field?
Soak up as much information as you possibly can about everything
involved with sports.
Watch lawyers in action.
Network at conferences and on social media.
Name of Professional: Jason Cohen
Profession: General Counsel
The opportunity to speak to Mr. Jason Cohen came from a connection from
Mr. Paul Schoonover. Paul sent me Jasons information because they both
knew each other from being lawyers and he thought he would be a good
person to connect with about sports law. Indeed Jason was a great contact
to learn more about sports law from and in our conversation I was able to
gain a lot of insight into the field. One of my biggest takeaways from our
discussion was all of the different areas of law that comprised the sports law
industry. Although I already knew this due to previous research and from
Paul Schoonover, Jason added a new perspective of application by describing
how the area pertained to the Dallas Cowboys organization. I was intrigued
by all the different problems the Cowboys were experiencing and how the
law was being used to fix these problems. Also learning about Jasons
background in sports law showed me that different paths to getting to the
position of general counsel is possible. He had originally went down the path
of sports radio broadcasting but swiftly switched to sports law because of the
fast paced nature of the area as well as its many challenges. As I try to
figure out forsure if I want to pursue a field in sports law, he gave me a lot
of advice to determine if it is the right path for me. He suggested that I go
to nearby courthouses and watch practicing lawyers to get an idea of what
an idea of what it is like to be an acting attorney. I had never really thought
about doing that but it is actually a genius idea to get real life experience.
He really pushed me to do this because he elaborated on how large of a
commitment it is to go to law school but mentally and financially. Of course
this is something I will take into account when I finish college and decide on
the next step of my life. Another piece of advice he gave me was that when
an opportunity presents itself to take complete advantage of it. In his words
he said to soak up information like a sponge, which is something I believe I
do in all aspects of my life from my internship, my jobs, and at school. I will
continue to do this when I go to college next year too. Jason gave me a new
perspective on sports law by explaining all the aspects of his job.With him
being open to me about the real struggles involved with working in sports
and for the Dallas Cowboys I was able to grasp a better understanding of
what it would be like to work in this type of work. His insight has definitely
persuaded me further to consider a career in sports law. With my study now
more focused on sports marketing and management, I will still see sports
law show up while working in these areas and this will also give me more
perspective. Going forward, I am very appreciative of being able to talk with
Jason and will continue to keep this connection for the future.
Kaleisha Stuart Interview Notes
Associate Counsel, Dallas Cowboys
Interview: 12/13/16 3:00pm
1.Do you mind describing your background.
Undergraduate at Texas A&M University: majored in economics.
Through a Law program at TAMU connected her with Jones & Day Law
firm: one of the top 50 firms in the country.
Law school at Stanford University.
Goal to work in-house at a franchise because she enjoyed the
interaction of law and business.
Interned at Nike. As well as externed with the Nike foundation(non-
profit).
After law school became a Transactional lawyer at Jones & Day.
Through a connection with Jason Cohen worked as a secunda (loan
from a firm) to work at the Cowboys.
Decided to leave firm and begin working at Cowboys due to it being a
great opportunity to learn and get experience.
Her job includes mostly transactional law. Been assigned to litigation
for a new case.
Attention to detail; other people rely on them for their expertise.
Spelling errors can undermine credibility.
Social skills are very important in order to gain connections.
Excellent communication skills; talking and writing.
3.What challenges did you overcome to become successful?
Didnt come from wealthy background; therefore her education at
younger grades made it hard to catch back up. Lead to her pursuit of a
law degree at Stanford.
Law field is very prestigious so where you go to school matters.
4.What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming a lawyer?
Law school and writing: dont need creative writing because writing is
formulaic to be within law.
There is a lot of writing contracts with the goal of trying to convey one
idea.
5.How important is your undergraduate major if you are interested in
pursuing a law degree?
Huge caveat of different types of law; tech work and startup law need
a science or engineering background.
Study something that can still get you a job;Business degrees are
valuable.
6. What advice do you have for someone interested in one day working in
the sports law industry?
It is a very niche market therefore you need to position yourself to
take advantage of all opportunities to get experience.
Out of law school work at a firm that is well regarded and has a sports
background; Covington, Burlington, Proskauer(New York).
Need to be able to start at the bottom.
Open to take risks in order to get better.
7.Advice?
Have fun.
Grades are very important for grad school/law school.
Skills arent fixed; put effort in to improve.
Dont be discouraged by others; remember your goals.
Prioritize self care; do things that will help relieve stress.
Kaleisha Stuart Interview Questions
1. What advice do you have for someone interested in one day working in the
sports law industry?
It is a very niche market therefore you need to position yourself to take
advantage of all opportunities to get experience.
Out of law school work at a firm that is well regarded and has a sports
background; Covington, Burlington, Proskauer(New York).
Need to be able to start at the bottom.
Open to take risks in order to get better.
9. Advice?
Have fun.
Grades are very important for grad school/law school.
Skills arent fixed; put effort in to improve.
Dont be discouraged by others; remember your goals.
Prioritize self care; do things that will help relieve stress.
Name of Professional: Kaleisha Stuart
Profession: Associate Counsel
Kaleisha is unique, in that she reached out to me to offer her time to help
further my knowledge on sports law. She had heard of my study from her
colleague Jason Cohen at the Dallas Cowboys and was passionate about
helping guide other girls in pursuance in the area of working in sports.
Kaleisha was by far one of my favorite people to talk to because she was real
and honest the entire time about the realities of law school, working, and
life. As a young lawyer, Kaleisha talked about the numerous opportunities
she has already taken advantage of from working at a top law firm in Dallas,
Texas to moving to the Dallas Cowboys team to learn the interaction of
business and law. She offered some guidance when it comes to unexpected
turns of events in consideration for following my desired career path. She
expressed to me to never miss an opportunity just because it wasnt what I
was looking for in the first place and that sometimes the unexpected
opportunities can change ones outlook of the future. This had happened to
her and had worked out for the better for her. Although she wasnt getting
paid like a third year associate she was getting knowledge and experience
that wouldnt have come until partner level at a law firm. This type of
immersion available in sports law grabs my attention. She additionally
stressed the importance of writing pertaining to being a lawyer. I expressed
my concerns as at this point in time I am not a very strong writer. Kaleisha
told me that any skill can be improved and nothing is ever fixed. Never really
looking at my writing skill in this way she really inspired me to not accept
my poor writing skills but to challenge it to improve. The confidence to take
on difficult tasks is not only a great life skill but is important in work and in
life. The job of lawyer is extremely demanding and there will be times,
discussed by Kaleisha, where I wont believe I can get past it but that if I
push through it will be possible. Being able to connect with Kaleisha on so
many levels made me extremely grateful because she opened my eyes to
the true struggles of being a lawyer and working in sports law. With her faith
in me to one day be successful in whatever endeavor I choose for myself,
she gave me some pointers if that were one day to be ends up being in the
area of sports law. She mentioned out of law school to work for a big name
law firm with connections to sports. One that she told me that interested me
was Proskauer in New York City. Since I will be moving to the city in August,
this is somewhere I can look into for learning opportunities. Secondly, she
explained that being lawyer is very hierarchical and that I would need to
accept the fact that wherever I go starting out I will be at the bottom. This
honestly doesnt bother me at all because there is so much to learn at the
beginning about practicing lawyers. Lastly, she emphasized being open to
taking risks in order improve. I am someone who will do whatever it takes to
improve therefore I believe this is something that actually fits my personality
well. Kaleisha is someone I plan to stay in connection with because of all the
expertise she has to offer and her honesty to those around her.
Original Work Proposal
The Olympics is a momentous occasion in the world of sports. An

event that showcases the best athletes across the globe. As an individual
interested in the sports management business, my proposal is to develop a
portfolio for the sport of swimming in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. By using the
skills I have aquired from internships, classes and research I am going to
create an in depth plan for swimming. The portfolio will include every aspect
of the athletes involvement, the explanation of sponsorships, the marketing
approaches for the sport, a schedule of the events, rights for film and media,
and any additional measures needed to ensure the smooth running of the
sport at the Olympics. The end result will display what an athletes schedule
would look like, who is sponsoring and where in an arena, the marketing
approaches used,media personnel, and anything else required to manage
the sporting event. Being familiar with the fact that each Summer Olympic
Games is unique, I will be sure to include original ideas that are relevant,
creative, and effective. The purpose of this work is to give me a well
rounded education on the tasks and skills needed to manage a sport in the
Olympic games so that I am better prepared for a possible future working
for the Olympics.
The beginning steps of the work include researching past modern
Olympic games to understand an example of a successful event. This
research can then be applied to construct the framework of what is needed
for me to create my own successful plan for swimming at the 2020
Olympics. I will also need to conduct research on the Olympic Organization
to find out the rules for developing an event. Once I establish this knowledge
and have created the framework, I will work to apply it specifically to the
setting of the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo. While I apply it to each individual
section, I will ensure that everything worked on is plausible and can be
applied to the actual games. Each section named above will have an in depth
explanation on how it will be ran in the portfolio. I will be challenged to use
past experiences, the available tools in Tokyo, and new ideas to create a
profitable, legal, and enjoyable event for swimming, the Olympic
organization, and the world.
My goal is to be able to use this work to showcase my marketing and
time management skills as well as improve on my sports law knowledge and
understanding the work involved to set up the sport of swimming, an event
spectators enjoy watching every 4 years. With the completion of this work, I
will be better prepared for a career in the Olympics. A career that requires
creativity, professionalism, and a passion for sports.
Original Work Log
Date Hours Description of Work Completed
11/2/16 1 Brainstormed original work ideas.
11/17/16 1 Worked on a Research Assessment pertaining to my original work.
11/30/16 0.5 Read the Foundation plan and took notes.
12/7/16 0.5 Researched and read more on the Olympic plans as well as the Marketing guide.
12/16/16 0.5 Researched ideas for original work execution.
Reseached goals and plans for the upcoming Olympics to integreate the ideas
12/21/16 1.75
into my work.
12/23/16 1.5 Researched areas of broadcasting and sponsorship. Worked on presentation.
12/24/16 1 Created calenders for presentation and conducted more research.
Created an interactive journey from Frisco High to Tokyo. Worked on event

12/27/16 2
schedule.
12/28/2016 0.25 Added more slides.
12/29/2016 2 Finished the event schedule.
Finished all the global sponsorships contiribution to the Tokyo 2020 Swimming
12/31/2016 3
Competition.
1/1/17 2 Completed all the content on my slides.
1/2/17 2.5 Finishing touches.
19.5
1
1
1
Original Work Link
!
Original Work Set-Up & Completion Summary
Date/s:November 7th,2016-January 2nd,2017

Time/s:19 hours
Materials: Keynote, Search engines, Olympic World Library, Rio 2016 Media
Guide, London 2012 Media Guide, Clip n Grab, and ScreenCast.
Objective: What is involved in setting up the sport of Swimming at the Tokyo
2020 Summer Olympic Games?
Purpose: The purpose of my Original Work was to gain an understanding of
what is involved in creating the Swimming portion of the Olympic Games
Description of Process:
Researched into the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as well as past Olympics to
see what areas were needed for the event to be held. Determined the
who? Athletes. What? Swimming competition. When? July 24-August
9. Where? Tokyo, Japan. Why? To leave an impactful legacy on the city
of Tokyo and continue to promote the Olympic Movement.
Read the Tokyo 2020 Agenda to understand the main goals of the
Olympics.
Researched the Athlete portion of the Olympics including team size,
regulations, and expectations.
Researched the Swimming competition aspects.
Researched the Tokyo area and areas of competition.
Researched the sponsorships involved.
Researched the effect of the Olympic Movement and how the legacy is
created.
Utilization of Higher-Level Thinking Skills: By applying the core concepts and
past procedures as well as using higher level thinking skills, I developed
unique ideas that could be implemented into the Tokyo 2020 Games through
the schedule,sponsorship,licensing, and legacy.
Results: The end result is a comprehensive presentation of each area of the
swimming portion in the Olympic games. I learned more about the National
Governing body structure in sports. Also, different careers involved with the
Olympics that are definitely of some interest to me now.
Conclusions/Interpretations:Creating the Olympics is a long,tedious process
that must be executed correctly and impactfully in order to continue the
Olympic movement. The host city of the Olympics is revolutionized by the
Olympic games and pushed cities into a new area of prosperity.
Application/Meaning: My entire presentation can be applied to the Tokyo
2020 Summer Olympics. The presentation has also been a way for me to
explore different careers that are directly related to the Olympics
Original Work Assessment
Date: 1/5/17
Subject: Original Work
Assessment:
My Original Work gave me the opportunity to learn about the Olympics

in a whole new light. Before starting my project I had a great appreciation
for the Olympics due to the atmosphere it provided for the world to come
together through sports. Now with the completion of my project, this
mentality has grown stronger and into an increased interest to one day be
an influential member in the creation of the Olympic Games.
Through my research, I learned all about the tedious process of a city
becoming a host city for the Olympics as well as the work involved in
ensuring the Olympics are carried out correctly in this particular city. The
fact that it takes seven years for them to put on the Olympics is astounding
but also shows the tremendous amount of work required, a lot of which I
was exposed to in my Original Work. I had to constantly research
publications to determine how and why the national governing bodies did
specific practices for the Games. It continued to be a long and hard process
which made me want to work on the project less and less. However, every
once in awhile I would come across a video of an athletes victorious
moment and to see the look on their faces, the tears in their families eyes,
and the smiles on their coaches mouths made me realize that the work was
worth it because the Olympics gives an opportunity to millions of people
around the world to be great in whatever sport they desire.
As I continued on with my research, I continued to learn more and
more about the involvement of large corporations in the assembly of the
Olympics. I was surprised to discover the enormous contribution they played
in creating the Games from the budget to the athletes. The more information
I found out the more I continued to learn about their vital role in the success
of the Olympics. Each corporation has their own individual efforts, besides
the Olympics, to spread awareness about the positive atmosphere sports
provide for the youth. One of the most prominent efforts being made is by
the International Olympic Committee.
The International Olympic Committee created and supports the Sport
For Hope Program. This program helps build athletic facilities in third world
countries to help children learn about different sports and the Olympics. The
Olympics are inspiring these children to live an active lifestyle and offering
them a safe haven in sports. I absolutely love the idea of this program and
support it 100%. My goal is to one day volunteer my time in one of these
facilities to help these children realize how much sports teaches one about
life and himself.
Overall my Original Work project, exposed me to a massive amount of
information that allowed me to tremendously increase my knowledge on the
Olympic ideals, the businesses involved, and the impact the Olympic
Movement is having on the youth around the world outside of the Summer
and Winter Olympic games.
Mentor Bio
For my ISM study, I have selected Melissa Jannetta to be my mentor.

She is currently the Senior Director of Business Development at FC Dallas.
Melissa is talented, determined, and a strong leader able to truly connect
with those around her. Working alongside Melissa, has taught me about the
world of sports management as well as prepare me for a future in the
industry.
Mentor Log
Date Hours Description of Work
Met colleagues, sat in on meeting over signage for a new sponsor, and discussed
1/25/17 1
final product.
Discussed final product. Sat in on a meeting with representatives from a Mexico
2/1/17 1.5
team for an event at Toyota Stadium.
2/10/17 1 Created an outline for working on the project in order to be productive.
Determined the city for the expansion program and discussed possible avenue
2/16/17 1
for the sponsorship.
Worked on schedule for exhibition tour. Discussed working in sports mangament.
3/3/17 1
*Very impactful visit.
Participated in grassroots marketing tours and took photos for the sponsorship
3/18/17 7.5
team while at the FC Dallas Season Opener.
Sat in on a conference call with a sponsor as well as answer all my questions
3/23/17 1.5
concerning my final product.
Worked on questions I had over sponsorship presentation. Helped with a legal
3/30/17 0.75
problem. Discussed resumes and cover letters.
Sat in on a call with a sponsor that discussed the current state of their account.
4/4/2017 1 Sat in on an internal meeting to discuss the use of sponsors in an upcoming FC
Dallas Youth app.
Discussed final product. Observed meeting with team member to look over new
4/13/2017 1
sponsorship contract. Helped Melissa double check budget reports.
4/25/2017 1 Discussed final product. Listened in on a conference call.
Worked on finishing touches for my final product. Learned about the software
5/4/2017 1
Digiquest for sponsorship presentations.
5/16/17 0.5 Discussed Final Presentation Night.
Total 20
1
1
1
Mentor Visit Assessment #1
Profession: Senior Director of Business Development
Company: FC Dallas
Date of Visit: 01/25
Going into my first ever mentor visit, I was extremely nervous and
completely unsure as to what it would be like. Despite not knowing what it
was that I would be doing, I went in very prepared, as I always am, with a
checklist and my original work. As I entered into the familiar entrance, the
receptionist directed me upstairs to wait by the trophy case near the
corporate offices. The numerous trophies represented a team that had
achieved some of the highest status in major league soccer. It was surreal
to realize that I was going to be working in this environment because of an
opportunity I had from ISM. Once Melissa met up with me, she took me
around the office to introduce me to the group of people she managed.
Being introduced to each individual person by her, made me feel important
and respected because she was taking time out of busy day to make the
introductions. Following this, Melissa took me back to her office. I was taken
back by the huge office space she had compared to her colleagues. It was
then that I realized that Melissa was in fact the real deal. She was a master
in the sports industry and her office, team, and position proved it. This
excites me because it proves that I will be learning one on one with one of
the leaders of the industry. As the visit progressed, I got to be apart of a
sponsorship meeting. The meeting included getting measurements for
signage in the stadium for a newly signed sponsor for the 2017-2018
season. It was interesting to see how she worked with others to ensure the
project was done right for both the client and the team. Also, the way she
thought about multiple aspects of the project at once proved to me that
someone in her position must possess these skills in order to be successful.
After we went back to her office, she continued on with her work seamlessly.
In my entire time there, she never stopped working or took a smile off of her
face which proved to me that this job is a lot of work but if I am passionate
about it then it will all be worth it. Next, we discussed ideas for my final
product project. She looked over my original work to get some ideas about
what I had already done then she started creating ideas from it. Melissa
suggested some ideas pertaining to the Olympics and also some pertaining
to FC Dallas specifically. All of her ideas were great and proved to me the
immense background she had in sports management. As I left with all of
these new ideas for my final product, I was ecstatic because I had found a
mentor who respected me and would be able to teach me the ropes of sports
management. I am looking forward to working on my final product with
Melissa and learning more about the sports industry from the major league
soccer perspective.
Mentor Visit Assessment #2
Profession: Senior Director of Business Development
Company: FC Dallas
Date of Visit: 2/1
The second time visiting Melissa at FC Dallas I was able to get a new
perspective on the sports management industry. Up to this point, the only
experiences I had had were ones at an entry level position because I was an
intern or an observer of a specific project but now I was entering the field as
a mentee. Although it may seem as though a mentee is an equivalent of
these previously mentioned position, it is actually entirely different because I
am able to get a whole new personalized perspective while shadowing my
mentor. This visit highlighted the true benefits of being a mentee because
not only did I get to learn from my mentor but I also got to learn due to her
position. At this visit, Melissa and I discussed my product in further detail.
She offered some perspective and points of improvement for my idea, all
which I took with an open mind, that really shaped the end proposal for my
final product. Being able to hear her ideas on the industry as it pertained to
my product I knew that she could easily imagine my ideas in practice within
the sports management industry. This excites me because she will be able to
help me execute my vision into a applicable reality. As my product begin to
take shape, Melissa was even able to provide a real life example of my idea
in regards to another team that was working with FC Dallas. Melissa was
scheduled for a meeting with a foreign team that would be traveling to
Frisco, Texas to play against another foreign team. This meeting is extremely
similar to my idea making it a great opportunity to learn more about how
they approached this game and how I could use some of their ideas for my
own project. During the meeting, I observed the interactions between the
foreign team personnel and the FC Dallas personnel. It was interesting to
see how different the cultures and practices were despite the fact they were
all staged around the same stage, a soccer game. The entire meeting
introduced me to a new business practice of sports, collaboration in the
boardroom. FC Dallas wanted to be able to accommodate the team and the
team wanted to ensure it was working within the guidelines. I was
particularly fond of my mentor, who is extremely knowledgeable on the
sponsorship involved with FC Dallas and the stadium, be able to instantly
answer any questions the team. Each area discussed in the meeting was a
part of setting up a professional soccer game and it allowed me to learn
about the true measures behind setting up a game. The entire visit itself
taught me so much about sports management, FC Dallas, and my mentor.
Being able to feel what it would be like to someday work in sports, I now
have a newfound appreciation and excitement for the career. Mostly due to
the fact that I want to be able to create atmospheres that showcase the true
beauty of sports.
Product Proposal and Timeline
Introduction
A management and marketing plan outlining the process of globalizing the FC

Dallas brand in a receptive market through an exhibition tour in a foreign country.
The plan will include the target market, possible existing sponsorships and new
sponsorships that could aid in execution, brand recognition psychology, expenses
and revenue report, and marketing examples for different outlets like social media.
My goal with this plan is to offer a new revenue stream to the FC Dallas franchise.
It will be aimed at establishing a new fan base and widening the FC Dallas brand
recognition to a global scale. This will aid my mentor by proposing an outlet for
money in the budget to be spent towards growing the franchise vertically with new
fans that will increase revenue for the organization.
Review of Skills and Research
The skills I have developed thus far in ISM will be utilized to create an applicable
product. These skills include being able to conduct productive research, good
listening, creativity and innovation. As I begin to create this plan, it is paramount
that I use all of these skills and more. For example, asking thorough questions from
my mentor in order to understand the industry better will lead to an overall
improved product.
Methodology
First, I will begin researching areas that would be best suited for the execution of
this plan. This will most likely be an area with a large amount of soccer fans that
would be able to align with the FC Dallas brand. Next, I will need to conduct
research on the specific areas population in order to be able to understand how to
connect with them. Once I am able to understand the market then I will be able to
create marketing techniques that will appeal to the target market. This will involve
consulting sponsors who are most suitable for the market and developing media to
send out in order to get the brand recognition started. Lastly, I will create a
logistical overview for executing the exhibition tour for the team.
Materials
Keynote
Google
Databases
Previous sponsorship plans for FC Dallas
Consulting with Melissa Jannetta
Utilization of Higher Level Thinking
The entire plan will utilize analysis of different areas to determine the best one that
will yield the most profit. Also I will have to use creativity to create media content
that will be appealing and drive up sales that will prove for a successful
globalization.
Conclusion
This product will hopefully end up being applicable for FC Dallas in the 2018 season.
Also, I plan to learn more about the marketing side of sports management as well
as how to understand fans more. This plan will benefit the FC Dallas franchise and
the community that the plan will be focused on.
Calendar
January 30th- February 27th: Conduct research on possible markets and determine
the best possible choice.
February 27th- March 13th: Conduct research on the target market of the
community selected.
March 13th- March 27th: Conduct research on how to connect with a global
audience. Determine logistics involved for the team to travel.
March 27th- April 10th: Plan out the best media to reach the target market and
create rough drafts for each outlet. Establish the overview for the entire tour.
April 10th- May 1st: Finalize the entire plan and put the finishing touches.
Mentors Feedback on Product Proposal
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Product Log
Date Hours Description
1/25/2017 .5 Brainstormed ideas for my product with Melissa.
1/29/2017 1.5 Researched ideas from brainstorming.
1/30/2017 1 Created Product Proposal & Calendar.
2/1/2017 .5 Discussed Product Proposal & Calendar with Melissa.
2/6/2017 1 Researched exhibition games and friendlies by other MLS teams.
2/7/2017 .5 Researched NFL games abroad to get business promotional ideas.
2/10/17 1 Created outline with Melissa in order to be productive and stay on the timeline.
2/13/17 1 Researched different areas for the exhibition tour.
2/16/2017 1 Determined city for tour and discussed sponsorship for the tour.
3/3/2017 1 Picked location and focus of the tour.
Began creation of the presentation. Conducted research on psychology of fans, fan motivations and the FC Dallas
3/14/2017 5.5
franchise.
3/20/2017 1 Researched more partnership ideas by looking at other MLS teams.
3/22/2017 1.5 Planned out agenda for the tour.
3/23/2017 .5 Melissa answered my outstanding questions for the product and gave me new ideas for the presentation layout.
3/27/2017 1.5 Selected photos for slideshow and began beginning stages of infographics.
3/30/2017 .5 Discussed questions with Melissa for presenting sponsorships.
4/10/2017 2 Conducted research on fan psychology.
4/18/2017 1.5 Worked on presentation.
4/20/2017 2 Worked on content for the presentation.
5/4/2017 1.5 Worked on content for the presentation.
5/7/2017 .5 Finished Presentation.
TOTAL 37
Final Product Set-Up & Completion Summary
Date & Time:
The exhibition tour to expand the global presence of the FC Dallas brand should be
played during preseason. More specifically, during designated FIFA days to ensure the
Liga MX teams will also be available to play as well. The tour will last 5 days and 4
nights, beginning on a Tuesday and ending on a Sunday.
Materials:
The materials used in the creation of the exhibition tour plan were my mentor,Melissa
Jannetta, budget reports from previous FC Dallas preseason trips, primary research
from sitting in on meetings with sports management professionals, photoshelter for FC
Dallas images, participation in a game day to learn target market, as well as some
online research to learn best ways to market each sponsor. The presentation was
created using Keynote for Mac and Canva.
Objective/Purpose:
The purpose of establishing a global presence through the exhibition tour is to expand
the fan base for the franchise as well as increase revenue. By including sponsors in
the tour, they will also be able to connect with new markets and increase their
customer base. This tour will allow FC Dallas to connect to fans globally leading to
overall growth for the entire franchise.
Description of Process:
The idea for the tour began when determining how to grow the entire FC Dallas
franchise. From this point, Melissa and I were able to generate an idea that included
grossing a profit and interacting with fans. Following this, the proposal and calendar
were created to ensure that time was used efficiently to complete the product. Week
after week, I met with Melissa to brainstorm and edit the product. Through multiple
hours of hard work, I have been able to complete the final product.
Utilization of Higher-Level Thinking Skills:
Higher-level thinking skills were utilized in creating ideas that would appeal to
sponsors investing in the tour. By customizing the sponsorship levels, sponsors would
be more interested in participating in the tour due to the fact they would have a
more direct approach to their target markets. Also, analyzing the FC Dallas fan base
and the ideal market for the trip involved determining what would be the main focus
of the trip to ensure its success.
Results:
The completion of the product includes an in depth analysis of the target market
trying to be reached on the tour, sponsorship proposals, methods to interact with the
target market, and an expense report to determine the profitability of the trip.
Conclusions/Interpretations:
My final product allowed me to expand my knowledge on the world of soccer, from

learning what a game day is like to understanding the logistics behind sports
sponsorship. Additionally, I learned these ideas and was to apply them to my final
product in an effort to produce a plan that would be profitable for the team.
Application/Meaning:
This plan can be implemented during the next preseason for FC Dallas in 2018. By
applying the plan and configuring contract negotiations for sponsors, the team and
sponsor will be able to expand their brand and fan base globally. On a personal note,
all of the aspects that I learned about during the process of creating my product can
be used again at internships and at future career in sports management. By having
this product, I can begin to use it as a tool to appeal to future employers in the very
competitive sports business. Most importantly, this expanded knowledge has prepared
me for college this fall where I will be majoring in sports management at New York
University.
Product Progress Assessment
Date: 3/27/17
Subject: Final Product
Assessment:
From the proposal of my project, I knew that my final product was

going to be difficult. This is mostly due to the fact that I had little knowledge
about the sport of professional soccer and the progress behind establishing a
global presence within a franchise. Thankfully, Melissa has been able to
guide and educate me on all the components involved. She has done this
through our weekly discussions as well as exposing me to the real inner
workings of the organization. Melissa has allowed me to shadow her in a
meeting with a Liga MX team and participate in the game day activities at
the FC Dallas season opener. Each experience has given me a new
perspective and has helped tremendously in the workings toward the
completion of my project. With each mentor visit, I always walk away
learning something new about the sports management industry and myself.
Everything that I have learned thus far has helped my final product. Every
question that I have had about FC Dallas or the sports business, Melissa has
been able to answer in great detail and make sure I understand it.
Additionally, she has been able to answer a lot of questions for me regarding
the work atmosphere of the industry that help me personally feel more
prepared for a future career. Also, being able to observe Melissa in the office
setting has been important because it has shown me the qualities necessary
to be successful. The entirety of our mentorship relationship has been
extremely beneficial for me in helping me achieve the goals I set for myself
at the beginning of my study and this final product. I wouldnt be as
successful at my final product without the help of Melissa. As someone who
is always on top of her work, having my weekly visits with Melissa has
continued to keep me accountable to make sure I am getting my product
done. Especially since she is someone who has a strong work ethic and
expects it of those around her. This is extremely motivating to me and
influences me to work even harder. With all of her direction, my project as
progressed into something I would have never expected. Mostly for the
reasons that I didnt know what to expect from the get go. This project has
been a complete three hundred sixty degree learning experience. With about
half of the project left to complete and a little over a month to complete it, I
am highly confident that it will be ready at the deadline. Since this project
not only has my name on it but also my mentors there is a greater
emphasis on the quality of work being completed and I must strive to
accomplish it. I would never want to let down Melissa, especially after all she
has done for me thus far. I am looking forward to completing my final
product because it will be a huge win for Melissa and I, by providing a
tangible work that can represent the success of our mentorship relationship.
Mentor Evaluation of Student
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ISM Reflection/Final Self-Assessment
ISM has been an absolutely incredible journey, one that I will

absolutely never forget. I have changed both professionally and personally,
from lacking confidence to believing in myself completely. This was made
possible with all the support I had from Coach Goff and Melissa Jannetta, my
mentor. Both of these strong women challenged me to improve as well as
taught me so much about professionalism and sports management. Without
them my ISM journey wouldve been completely different.
Looking back on my journey, I accomplished all the goals I had set for
myself, from learning to manage my time better to improving my speaking
skills. Additionally, I was able to conquer my S.M.A.R.T goals as well. One of
the ones Im most proud of is, is my LinkedIn connections. My goal had been
to get 50 and I was able to surpass this and accomplish 101 by the end of
my ISM journey. I am extremely proud of this because it shows how many
people I was able to meet, have a conversation with, and ultimately create a
connection. Being able to meet this goal, is a true indicator to me that
whatever I set my mind to can be a reality. I think this is an extremely
important characteristic to have going forward into the future.
With the inception of ISM, I created a mission statement. Through this
process, I have been able to stay true to my mission statement and that has
allowed me to get the most of out of ISM. Every opportunity I had, I tried to
learn something new or improve myself. By having this statement, I believe
it really allowed me to streamline my study and in return made it more
effective. The mission statement also helped me in the process of creating
my original work and final product. These tasks were difficult and required a
lot of hard work and time but since I knew that I had a mission and goals to
achieve it pushed me to put in the work needed. My original work and final
product are some of my most proud accomplishments because they required
so much of me. However, they will be effective in landing me a job,
internship and whatever other opportunity comes my way in the future.
Every part of my ISM journey has taught me something new about
myself. Most importantly, though it solidified to me that a career in sports
management would be one I would thrive in especially in the area of the
Olympics or at a sports franchise. Being able to have this knowledge is
extremely beneficial going into college because I can now focus my efforts
into these specific areas. Also, I now have a new supporter, my mentor
Melissa, to help guide me in the industry. She will be extremely helpful in
helping me learn about current trends in the sports industry while I also
learn the basics in college. I am more prepared for college and a
professional career due to ISM. My senior year has been a time where I have
been able to learn, grow and connect and that is because of the phenomenal
opportunities set up for me through ISM.

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Sports Management

Under the mentorship of:

Independent Study and

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My mission in ISM during 2016-2017

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Subject: UNT Field Trip

Subject: National Governing Bodies in Sport

"National Governing Bodies." World of Sports Science. . Encyclopedia.com.

Subject: The Olympics

History.com Staff. "The Olympic Games." History.com. A&E Television

My previous assessment introduced me to national governing bodies

Subject: Roles and Responsibilities of the Olympic Games

International Olympic Committee. "FACTSHEET ROLES AND

This factsheet is a perfect introduction into the beginning of my

1. What skills are the most important in your job?

My second ISM interview was with Mrs.Melissa Jannetta who is the

My interview with Mrs. Bland was very informational and interesting to

In the short hour that I interviewed Mr.Zurek in, I learned so much

Through my interview with Mr. Smith, I was able to discover that he is

1. What skills are the most important in your job?

The second I met Mr. Paul Schoonover I was immediately impressed by

1. Do you mind describing what is required of you in your position?

The Olympics is a momentous occasion in the world of sports. An

11/2/16 1 Brainstormed original work ideas.

11/17/16 1 Worked on a Research Assessment pertaining to my original work.

11/30/16 0.5 Read the Foundation plan and took notes.

12/16/16 0.5 Researched ideas for original work execution.

12/23/16 1.5 Researched areas of broadcasting and sponsorship. Worked on presentation.

12/24/16 1 Created calenders for presentation and conducted more research.

Created an interactive journey from Frisco High to Tokyo. Worked on event

12/28/2016 0.25 Added more slides.

12/29/2016 2 Finished the event schedule.

1/1/17 2 Completed all the content on my slides.

1/2/17 2.5 Finishing touches.

Date/s:November 7th,2016-January 2nd,2017

Subject: Original Work

My Original Work gave me the opportunity to learn about the Olympics

For my ISM study, I have selected Melissa Jannetta to be my mentor.

2/10/17 1 Created an outline for working on the project in order to be productive.

4/25/2017 1 Discussed final product. Listened in on a conference call.

5/16/17 0.5 Discussed Final Presentation Night.

A management and marketing plan outlining the process of globalizing the FC

Review of Skills and Research

Utilization of Higher Level Thinking

De Jannett I have no Helpful to Alta's Research Alta will Not at I'm

Utilization of Higher-Level Thinking Skills:

My final product allowed me to expand my knowledge on the world of soccer, from

Subject: Final Product

From the proposal of my project, I knew that my final product was

ISM has been an absolutely incredible journey, one that I will

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