For as long as I can remember, athletics have always been my passion in life. Whether on the field as an athlete, in the dugout as a coach, or behind the desk as a professional, athletics have helped mold into the person I am today. While I took time to gain professional experience after my undergraduate work, I always knew I would go back to school in pursuit of my master’s degree to better myself and help myself move vertically in my career. My time in the Michigan State Masters of Arts in Education program has persuaded me to the importance of being a life long learner. While the textbook will eventually close, there are still ways for me to continue to learn, bettering myself as an individual and a professional in the process. My future learning goals consist of developing my leadership abilities as I seek positions in administration, impacting local youth athletics by applying for grants for the community and continuing my professional development through conferences and networking. Obtaining these goals will help cement me as a serious professional who will have the ability to adapt to our ever-changing society.
Leadership
My current position has been my first position where I’ve had to supervise others. I certainly have learned a lot through my experiences, but I would like to develop my leadership professionally as most vertical positions require extensive leadership or management of others. While I don’t expect training or a seminar to make a transition to a new job with new responsibilities seamless, I would feel more confident with additional background knowledge on leadership particularly dealing with supervisory roles. There are numerous leadership development opportunities available to me in Minneapolis through the State of Minnesota. As a current state employee, I would be eligible to enroll. I think the experience of a leadership development conference or training session could have a tremendous impact on my ability to help supervise and lead others.
Leadership
My current position has been my first position where I’ve had to supervise others. I certainly have learned a lot through my experiences, but I would like to develop my leadership professionally as most vertical positions require extensive leadership or management of others. While I don’t expect training or a seminar to make a transition to a new job with new responsibilities seamless, I would feel more confident with additional background knowledge on leadership particularly dealing with supervisory roles. There are numerous leadership development opportunities available to me in Minneapolis through the State of Minnesota. As a current state employee, I would be eligible to enroll. I think the experience of a leadership development conference or training session could have a tremendous impact on my ability to help supervise and lead others.
Impacts on Students
One of the major reasons I have involved myself in athletics professionally is because of the benefits I believe it provides young people. While I have my personal testimony, I would also like to explore the benefits of athletics more in depth. As a professional with goals of ultimately moving into a administration role, I feel it is necessary for me to have a well educated background in this topic as a champion for athletic involvement. I would love the opportunity to help give back to the local community through athletic sponsorships. There are many grants that help fund youth organizations that keep kids involved in sport. The Hennepin Youth Sports Program provides grants to help build facilities that encourage kids to play. Since 2009, the Hennepin Youth Sports Program has awarded more than 22 million dollars to the creation and improvements to athletic facilities in the Minneapolis area. As a coach in the area, I can help partner with other community leaders to help improve athletic opportunities in the community. |
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Professional Development
While my institutional affiliated schooling may be close to an end, the need for continued education is essential. The world is an ever-changing place and to stay stagnant in my thoughts and ideas is to be left behind. Professional development can provide me with opportunities to be stay engaged with current best practices in the athletic industry. Conferences can be a great chance to network with other professionals while also exploring new ideas and opportunities. The National Athletic Directors Conference runs annually and would be a great experience for myself. In addition, Minnesota hosts their own state wide athletic administrators conference which may be more practical for me to attend. The ability to meet others in the industry and expand my horizons will be extremely important moving forward. Through all of these goals my ambition remains the same, to better myself through life long learning. In developing my leadership abilities, learning more about athletic impacts on students and continuing my professional development, I can help myself move forward toward a successful career as a life long learning professional. |
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Image Attribution
Weebly stock photos, weebly.com
Weebly stock photos, weebly.com