POLL: Should Jeter have participated in All-Star Festivities

July 12, 2011 by

New York Yankees Star Derek Jeter made history on Saturday with an incredible 5 for 5 game while becoming the first player wearing the pinstripes of the NY Yankees to eclipse the 3,000 hit mark.  On Monday, he opted out of attending the MLB All-Star game in Phoenix, AZ due to “mental & physical fatigue”.  A MLB representative expressed the league’s disappointment in his decision to skip their celebratory event.

The game is certainly missing its biggest star on its biggest stage of the summer.  How do you feel about Jeter’s decision? Take the NetWorks Poll of the Day:

[polldaddy poll=5227611]

 

Thanks for taking the Networks Poll!!

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NetWorks Rising Star – Vencent Kirkwood

July 12, 2011 by

NetWorks is committed to supporting young professionals looking to get their foot in the door in the sports industry.  Our team has received an extraordinary amount of support throughout our careers and are truly impressed with the generation of young leaders who are ready to help take the sports industry to all new heights.  If you know of any individuals like this, please let us know about them.  If you are in a position to hire or recommend these NetWorks Rising Stars, please contact us and we will put you in touch with them.  They are our future!

Vencent Kirkwood

 

Today’s NetWorks Rising Star is Vencent Kirkwood

“Vence is someone who has a great understanding of what it takes to be successful in the sports industry.  He possesses strong leadership & communication skills and demonstrates a willingness to take on a plethora of responsibilities to help the organization be successful.  At this stage in his career, he has significant work experience that will be beneficial to any company interested in succeeding“
–Angela Taylor, President – NetWorks Sports Consulting


Name: Vencent Kirkwood

College: Wayne State University

Degree(s): Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication with Minor in Public Relations.  Master of Arts in Sports Administration – conferred June 2011


Resume Available: Yes, upon request (send email request)

Tell us a little about your background.
I grew up playing sports in the suburbs of Detroit Michigan. I began my career in athletic administration as a volunteer manager for the Mens basketball team at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

What type of work experience have you had?
My experience working in sports started as a manager for the Wayne State basketball team while in undergraduate school. From there I went on to become a graduate assistant with the Women’s basketball team at Wayne State University while in graduate school. In working with Wayne State Women’s basketball I played a major role in implementing different marketing strategies on improving our fan attendance to a more residential student fan base. Some of my main responsibilities as a graduate assistant included: monitoring study table, classroom checks, and staying current with academic reports from professors. In the summer between my two years in graduate school, I moved to the nation’s capitol and interned as a game presentations intern with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics. While working with the Washington Mystics as a game operations and new media intern, I had the opportunity to work in marketing, promotions, accounting and sales. In Washington, I was responsible for: game day operations, promotional events, and various marketing incentives. In addition, as the intern manager, I was responsible for managing ticket selling competitions and social media projects. Following my experience in Washington, I became the Group Events Seasonal Coordinator for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. While working with the Cavaliers, I was responsible for assisting in the planning, organizing, and execution of various aspects of special events at Quicken Loans Arena. In this role, I provided a high level of customer service to group leaders and members. Each one of these opportunities has taught me incomparable skills to one day be a great manager.

What type of job(s) are you seeking?
I am looking for a career in the field of sports that will be challenging and allow me to piece all of the skills that school, internships, and work experiences have given me and use the skills to help a sports organization reach its’ highest possible potential.

What is your greatest strength?
My greatest strength is my personality. I have a deep understanding of people and how to interact with people in a way that makes them feel comfortable. Networking is a skill that I have become very familiar with in college as well as in my adulthood. Networking is not only a key factor in landing a job but once you do land that job networking is what builds relationships with managers, interns, clients, season ticket holders, and even executives at higher levels. The ability to network and have a welcoming personality is a very important strength that must be honed in this great field of athletic administration. I possess that as well as experience in being able to articulate the benefits of an organization to a top athlete who is considering your team or your organization.

Tell us about a project that you completed successfully.
In 2010, I produced and co-directed the “Club 35″ documentary style video for the Wayne State University Athletic Department. The “Club 35” documentary style video highlights some of the most influential female student-athletes to play at Wayne State University. “Club 35″ is a celebration of Women in Athletics for 35 years at Wayne State University.

What experience (if any) do you have in the sports industry?

I have been a manager for the Wayne State University Men’s basketball team. I have experience as a graduate assistant with the Women’s basketball team at Wayne State University. I have experience as a game presentations intern with the Washington Mystics and also experience as a Group Events Seasonal Coordinator for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Aside from those great experiences:

Produced/Co-Directed- “Club 35” documentary style video on the Celebration of Women in Athletics for 35 years at Wayne State University

Coordinator- Wayne State University Basketball annual “Think Pink” event, which recognizes those who have suffered from breast cancer within the community.

Coordinator-Wayne State University’s 1st annual “Sock Drive”, which collects diapers for low-income families in the metro Detroit area.

Why do you want to work in the sports industry?
The best way to describe why I want to work in sports is passion. Passion is simply wanting to surround myself with a sport or an organization and becoming wrapped up in it. It is true, I want to always be around the competitiveness of sports, but it goes beyond watching the game and sitting in the seats. After all the school, internships, work experiences, and networking I have come to know that my passion now stems from getting others into the seats that I once used to want to sit in as a sports fan. The business side of sports is what drives me to continue to pursue a career in sports. I have a desire to help mold and structure an organization to be the best in performance on the field, court, arena as well as best performers in the business aspects of the game.


Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
My grandfather George W Young has had the greatest impact on my life. Although I have never met him I feel as though I have known him all my life. His life accomplishments inspire me everyday to be great.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I would hope to be working in some aspect of sport administration. Not just working in sport but using my skill sets and abilities to have great impact on the lives of those around me and the organization I am a part of.

More specifically, my ultimate goal would be to take steps toward being a general manager/president of a professional sports organization. I believe this job involves everything I have learned in school, from people, and through experiences. Being a general manager/vice president of operations brings all the pieces of a sports organization together whether it be ticket sales and service, community relations, player relations, scouting, on court performance and creating a one of a kind organization. In this role I will be able to have a part in many aspects of the organization offering my knowledge and abilities where needed

Anything else we should know about you?

Throughout undergraduate school and graduate school I have been involved in several groups and organizations that include:

Spiritual Development Chair – Student African American Brotherhood (Wayne State University 2008-2009)

Vice-President – Mercy Faith Temple Youth Department (present)

Chair of Academic Affairs – Black Student Union (Wayne State University Undergrad 2007-2009)

Board Member – College of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts Alumni Association (Wayne State University-present)

NABC (National Association of Black Coaches) – member

MBCA (Men’s Basketball Coaches Association) – member

PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) – member

Produced/Co-Directed – “Club 35” documentary style video on the Celebration of Women in Athletics for 35 years at Wayne State University

Coordinator – Wayne State University Basketball annual “Think Pink” which recognizes those who have suffered from breast cancer within the community.

Coordinator – Wayne State University’s 1st annual “Sock Drive” collects diapers for low-income families in the metro Detroit area.

My community service efforts are as follows: Scholars Together Learning Community, Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Faith Temple COGIC, Great Lakes Second Youth Department, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Harper Woods Recreational Center


For more information about Vencent or to request a resume, please send an email to info@networkssports.com




Filed Under: Blog, Future Leaders, NetWorks Newsletter Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

In Their Own Words – Monica Wiley

July 12, 2011 by
In Their Own Words profiles former student-athletes who have leveraged their experiences on the field, court, and in the pool to buoy their professional careers. They’ve had success in the classroom & in their sport, and now are enjoying tremendous success in various sectors around the world.

In Their Own Words with the Honorable Monica Wiley

As fans wait to find out the outcome of the NFL labor disputes that are taking place in the courtrooms, we caught up with a former point guard on the UC Berkeley Women’s Basketball Team who spends the majority of her days in her own courtroom. The Honorable Monica Wiley, the Judge of the Superior Court in San Francisco, tells us how her days as a student-athlete have impacted her life in the judicial system.

The Honorable Monica Wiley - San Francisco Superior Court

What is your current title and how long have you been in this position?
I am currently a Judge for the San Francisco Superior Court, a role that I have been in for 19 months.

Tell us what your specific role is with the organization?
Currently, I have a family law assignment. I handle dissolution proceedings, motions for custody and visitation, and domestic violence restraining orders.

What is your favorite part of the job?

Being able to help people in tangible ways.

What was your first “REAL” job?
Working as a researcher for NASA. Seriously.

Has being a competitive athlete helped you in your current role or during your career? If so, please tell us in what ways.
Being a competitive athlete was certainly helpful when I was an attorney practicing in the area of civil litigation. Being a litigator requires not only a sense of focus and a dedication to hard work, but also requires you to engage with others in an adversarial manner.

What do you miss and what don’t you miss about being a competitive athlete?
I miss the perfection of my body. I do not miss working out to ensure the perfection of my body.

What was your most memorable moment as an athlete? What was your most embarrassing moment?
Most memorable was definitely when my Cal women’s basketball team beat then No. 1 ranked Stanford (they were 10-0 at the time) in the first game of the Pac-10 season in 1991. Of course Stanford did go on to win the National Championship in 1992, but for one night we were victorious. I’ve never had an embarrassing moment. Or at least not one that I am about to share.

How often do you workout? What type of things do you do to stay active?
Please refer to Question 4 above (“I do not miss working out”). I play basketball every 3-4 months just to make sure that I can, and practice yoga.

If you knew then what you know now, is there anything that you would do differently in your career?
No – my career has worked out perfectly for me.

Do you have a mentor (or mentors) that has helped you along the way?
I have had several mentors in my life, but the one with the most lasting imprint is my high school basketball coach, Mary Brown. She expected excellence each and every day from her players and taught me to expect no less from myself.

Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
My parents – Paul and Shirley Wiley

Do you have any advice for young professionals and/or former student-athletes hoping to have a successful career after sports?
Find a profession and not a career – something that you are passionate about and that excites you each and every day. And always, at whatever stage you are in your profession – always find time to enjoy yourself.

Favorite Book
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini

Favorite Movie
To Kill a Mockingbird

Hobbies
Reading, movies

Favorite Place to Vacation
Clovis, CA

What’s playing on your iPod?
Nothing anyone would recognize starting with Simon and Garfunkel

Android or iPhone?
iPhone

Mac or PC?
Mac

Favorite TV Show
The Wire

Favorite Restaurant
Le Cheval

Favorite Quote
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill



 

Filed Under: Blog, In Their Own Words, NetWorks Newsletter Tagged With: , , , , , ,

NetWorks Spotlight Interview with Charles Davis

July 11, 2011 by

NetWorks Spotlight Interview with… Charles Davis, Sports Analyst, Fox Sports & NFL Network

By Tracey Savell Reavis

Charles Davis

The voice you hear when Charles Davis calls football games on TV sounds equally energetic when you speak with him one-on-one. The 13-year veteran announcer has covered college football, basketball and baseball, the NFL, NBA, PGA, Arena Football and has worked on both radio and TV. And he’s just been partnered with Gus Johnson, as the two become the lead team for Fox Sports College Football games this coming season.

Charles grew up in the small town of New Paltz, New York, but his roots are anchored in Tennessee. Partly because he was born there, and partly because it’s where both of his parents are from, he’d always wanted to return to college in the Volunteer State. Back when he was eight-years old he saw Condredge Holloway, the first African American quarterback to start at an SEC school, playing in a University of Tennessee game, and knew from that moment exactly where he wanted to play football. After four years as defensive back for the Vols, Charles left Knoxville armed with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a Masters in History.

Since football season hasn’t started yet, you can’t tune in to hear the sportscaster’s voice. But you can read the story of how he achieved success, in his own words. It will have to do for now, while we all wait for the first Saturday in September.

In your career, you’ve had a number of different sports-related jobs. How did you end up in broadcasting?
I found out a friend told a TV exec that he thought I’d be good on TV. I never knew he’d had this conversation. Then two years later the TV exec called me, asked me to try out and I got my first assignment as an analyst with Fox Sports South.

Do you remember the first game you covered, and what the experience like?
Yes, it was August 1997, Memphis State at Mississippi State. I may have been awful, but I remember I had a lot of fun and that I thought I wanted to do more of it. Now I’m working on the craft.

What was the transition like for you going from playing college sports to not being able to play as a professional athlete?
My goal was always to be in the NFL. Fortunately to prepare for life after football, I did have a Plan B. I started grad school in my red-shirt year. Then I thought about politics, I thought about law school. But I knew I wanted to stay in sports. Sports has always had its tug on me.

What would you say to people who think it’s a given that a former athlete would be able to get a job in sports broadcasting?
Yeah, I say it takes 20 years to become an overnight success. It’s like that with actors. Someone will have a breakout movie and people will think they are new and say, ‘Where did they come from?’ When they’ve been there all the time, putting in
10, 15 years, getting better. And it happens not just in movies, but in all walks of life. If it were a given, I would have started right after school. I fought my you-know-what off to prove that I am capable. I’d say very few people will outwork me. And I’ve never taken it for granted that I’ve arrived.

Can you give us an idea how much preparation and work you put into a game week? Or is it just a 3-hour game broadcast and you’re done?
Wouldn’t that be nice? I don’t typically count the number of hours I prepare, but it depends on the game. I know the teams, but there’s extensive research. The number one thing is to know the players’ names and numbers. And I look at game tape to watch for a teams’ strength, for nuances, and to learn things about players. We’re looking to tell interesting stories. We’re ‘Taking off the helmet’ figuratively of the players, to tell you something different.

What kind of career advice would you offer to anyone wanting to get into the sports industry?
I’d say be prepared. Everyone always wants the answer that eliminates the hard work. But it’s the work that keeps you there. And probably not to take no for an answer. If one company doesn’t want you, try others. Go through the stages – anger, grief – then move on. Opportunity could be at the supermarket, or on the seat next to you on a plane. It could be anywhere. If something is your passion, figure out how to make it happen. There are other ways to get through, get over and get by it. Be a fighter.

Let’s talk about your new assignment and partner at FOX Sports. Are you friends with Gus Johnson, and are you looking forward to working with him?
No, we’ve never met. But we’ve already spoken on the phone a little before the announcement and chatted after as well. It is exciting and I am looking forward to it.

Do you think this is historic or worth mentioning the pairing of two African-American broadcasters calling a Division I College Football game?
I think it would be disingenuous not to notice. But it’s not the principle focus. We’ve both worked hard to get to where we are, and we’ve gotten there because we’ve merited it. The bottom line is it’s the work.

Do you think there will ever be a College Football playoff system with a championship game?
I don’t know. I don’t think it would necessarily be good or bad. I think the bowl experience is great for many kids who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Each one that I went to was distinctive. I don’t think you can put bowl games into a playoff system. I’d say if we ever go with a championship game, to know what you’re giving up – it could change everything.

Get to Know Charles

Sport he’d love to broadcast but hasn’t yet: Hockey

Favorite sport after football: Basketball

On his nightstand: The latest Harlan Coben thriller

All-time favorite film: Say Anything

Most influential book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X

In his music library: Old school, sounds of Motown

Tune in to FOX and the NFL Network as Charles offers his expert analysis on college football and the NFL.

Follow Charles on Twitter @CFD22 and find out more about him at www.charlesdavissports.com


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NetWorks Poll of the Day – May 25, 2011

May 25, 2011 by

[polldaddy poll=5084027]

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