My name is Jordyn Flannery and during the summer of 2020, I was provided the opportunity to intern with Midwest Sports Productions (MSP) in Kansas City. MSP was founded in 2007 to create a fun family experience on and off the field. It is the office that hosts the most Fastpitch tournaments in the nation, covering 10 states, 100,00 athletes, and 30,00 coaches. MSP's mission statement is: "To provide an opportunity for all to come into the ballpark and leave with memories that will last a lifetime."
I had the unique opportunity to gain an internship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies had already cancelled their internships, so I was lucky MSP was still looking! The health guidelines that MSP had to follow were difficult for running baseball and fast pitch tournaments every weekend. Typically, the season starts in March, but this year it did not start until late May because of stay-at-home orders. A lot of teams were excited to be able to get back on the field and thankful they were even able to play this summer.
At the end of June, a face mask order was placed requiring people to wear masks when social distancing is not easy to follow. Many coaches were worried that their players would have to wear masks while playing and did not want to participate in tournaments if that was the case. Thankfully, the Kansas governor decided to not shut down youth sports nor require players to wear masks while playing. COVID-19 has caused a panic in coaches and parents, however MSP has handled any difficult situations with grace and has been able to find an effective solution.
Job Description
-
Tournament Administration
-
Communication via email, website, and social media with event participants
-
Answer phone calls pertaining to events
-
Take phone payments for events
-
Organize and manage event data and information including various website updates
-
Manage fastpitch@playmsp.com & baseball@playmsp.com inboxes as needed
-
Assist with weekly tournament publications (ballpark brackets/pool schedules, etc)
-
Recruitment of teams for specific events
-
Communication with teams regarding stay-to-play lodging
-
Event Set-up and Preparation at various venues
-
Assist in Team Check-in
-
Tournament Bracket updates at sites and on websites
-
Field maintenance and cleanup
-
Merchandise and supplies delivery
-
Assist in Trophy Presentations
-
Take photographs and document events
-
Assist on-site with various needs including working gate and creating a positive first impression for guests
Benefits and Achievements
This was an unpaid internship, but there were many benefits offered. We had the opportunity to network with other companies, learn hard and soft skills that can be taken into different industries and the ability to work in other services such as social media management, business development, and marketing. I was also put on charge of small projects.
Requirements and Qualifications
-
Punctual and self-motivating
-
Must be comfortable working independently as well as in a team setting.
-
Excellent verbal/communication skills
-
Attention to detail is important
-
Must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university and pursuing a relevant major, such as Sports Management, Sports Marketing, Recreation & Parks Management, etc.