Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sports Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he also performs, writes, and produces his own rap music.
Since its creation in 2018, tens of thousands of student-athletes have used the portal. According to NPR, the NIL rule in 2022 has increased the applicant pool even more in the past two years.
Football is one of the sports for which the portal has gained the most attention. BGSU football has used it to turn their program around.
Falcon Football and Blane Cleaver
After spending three years at Army West Point, Blane Cleaver, senior tight end for the Falcons, became one of the many BGSU football transfers this past offseason.
Blane Cleaver, BGSU Falcons senior tight end
“I decided to step away (because) the balance between trying to play division one football with academics and the military was pretty challenging; and I just wanted a fresh start,” said Cleaver.
He got that fresh start with the Falcons after entering a chaotic April transfer portal process.
“I talked to between 20-30 schools,” he said. “I had calls, texts, (and) voicemails from the moment I woke up to dinner time.”
He eventually narrowed it down to three schools. He made his final decision after coming to Bowling Green for a visit.
“When I got to campus, I really liked everything I saw,” said Cleaver.
He believes the transfer portal is a huge positive for mid-sized schools like BGSU.
“If someone’s at Ohio State and they’re not playing, it’s very easy for them to take a step back to a bit of a smaller school, or guys at an FCS can take that step up and make an impact as well,” he said.
BGSU football has seen both cases recently impact their team. Former Indiana quarterback, Connor Bazelak, is now BGSU’s starting quarterback. Former Samford cornerback, Jordan Oladokun, is one of BGSU’s top defenders.
Falcon Hockey and Owen Ozar
Owen Ozar, senior forward for BGSU Hockey
BGSU hockey has also been impacted by the transfer portal recently, getting Owen Ozar, a senior forward from Denver, in the last offseason.
“I chose to come to Bowling Green because they showed that they had a lot of interest in me,” said Ozar.
He had a similar reason for transferring as Cleaver but went through a much quicker transfer portal process.
“I decided to tell the (Denver) coaches that I was going to try to go to a different school because I wanted to play more,” he said. “After that exit meeting, within a day or two, I was in the transfer portal. Then, two or three days after that, I committed to Bowling Green.”
Ozar also believes the transfer portal has been a positive for BGSU hockey in recent years.
“Last year, we picked up two fifth-years that ended up being some of our top goal scorers. This year, we picked up a lot of good players as well, like Jackson Niedermayer from Arizona State,” he said.
Unlike football, small schools like Denver compete for national championships in hockey. Ozar believes that these are the teams mid-sized schools like BGSU can target.
“There are a lot of good hockey players on those teams that just don’t get the opportunity. I think schools like Bowling Green can take those players and use them to their advantage,” said Ozar.
A BGSU Student Perspective
While student-athletes largely see the transfer portal in a positive light, the public opinion is more of a mixed bag.
Josh Lalik, BGSU freshman SM student
Josh Lalik, a BGSU freshman sport management student, believes there are both pros and cons of the transfer portal.
“I think it’s overall been a positive, but there have definitely been negative impacts,” said Lalik. “A Group of Five guy like Grayson McCall could have a great season and move on to bigger and better things.”
The McCall example Lalik gives put Coastal Carolina football at a major disadvantage. Their star player left, and they could do nothing about it.
Another major negative of the transfer portal is that it is extremely risky. Some athletes get stuck in a situation where they do not end up landing at a new school at all.
Conclusion
Like most other trends in sports, the NCAA transfer portal will continuously evolve. There are some negatives, but the overall sentiment from the athletes themselves is that it is a positive for collegiate athletics.
Elise Williams is a sophomore Sport Management major from Dublin, Ohio. She loves anything hockey and is incredibly passionate about the Canadian Hockey League. In her free time, she can be foundsearching for trinkets, eating sand, or staring at a life-sized pillow of her dog.
November 12, 2024
Continuing on from my previous post about the Ontario Hockey League, the Western league is up next. Plenty of talent has been sweeping through both leagues. The WHL is known for having some of the most elite hockey games in junior leagues. That being said, it has produced some amazing NHL talent, like Leon Draisaitl, Chandler Stephenson, and plenty of other talent.
(Quick note, Connor Bedard, the WHL phenom, will not be included in this list. He is such an icon in the hockey sphere that a single Google search would do him more justice than I could. He is also currently in the NHL, so I wouldn’t call him a ‘prospect’ anymore.)
Caedan Bankier keeps the puck away from the opposing team.
Caedan Bankier (#86 in 2021, Minnesota Wild)
Bankier was a key part of the Kamloops Blazers lineup for the past few years, rotating from second-line center to first-line winger regularly. However, his talent and potential were often overshadowed by one of his friends, Logan Stankoven. Bankier’s backcheck and tough, defensive forward play was exactly what helped Canada win a gold medal at the World Juniors (the big hockey tournament around Christmas, where 10* nations face off with players under 20). Having a point total of 85 points in 57 games with the Blazers, Bankier proved to be a force with whom to be reckoned. His skills are now with the Iowa Wild, Minnesota’s AHL team. Bankier was hurt for a good chunk of last season, and because of that, he has not had ample time to adjust to the quicker game of the American Hockey League. With his skillset, I think that Bankier has the ability to adjust pretty quickly. Wild fans can expect Bankier to make the jump within a few years.
Zach Benson hustling for his current team, the Buffalo Sabres.
Zach Benson (#13 in 2023, Buffalo Sabres)
Benson, going later in the draft than originally planned, has shown his amazing work ethic, especially in the National league. The Sabres opted to play Benson in the NHL now, instead of letting him develop within the Rochester Americans’ team to hone his skills. Because of this, someone (me) could say that Benson has not had the opportunity to really develop like some of the other guys in his draft. His skills are still incredible, his playmaking, hockey IQ, and skating are unmatched in his age group, but if he had the time to perfect those skills before being thrown to the wolves, I think he would be even better than he already is. Anyway, getting off my soapbox, Benson was a powerhouse with the Winnipeg Ice, tallying a shocking 98 points in 60 games in the 2022-23 season. That scoring has yet to transfer to the NHL level, but Sabres fans should sleep well at night knowing that Benson has the potential to be a top forward in the league.
Berkly Catton rushing up ice for the Spokane Chiefs.
Berkly Catton (#8 in 2024, Seattle Kraken)
Catton, the star forward for the Spokane Chiefs this year, is off to a staggering start. After being designated as the captain of the Chiefs, Catton has put up 26 points in 16 games, and is on pace to have 83 points this season (as of November 6th, 2024). However, his numbers last year were astronomical. Catton charted a shocking 116 points in 68 games. That was almost 2 points per game. His speed and ability to score points is impressive, especially for someone of his age (on the younger side of the draft class, but barely). His ability to make passes at the right time and place is fantastic as well, leading to more assists than goals. Overall, Catton was an amazing selection at #8. Kraken fans should see Catton within the next couple years, once he has aged out of the WHL. However, I think he’ll go earlier than that because of his point scoring, but also because he developed so quickly with the Spokane Chiefs and has proven to be at the NHL level.
Cristall suiting up for his current team, the Kelowna Rockets.
Andrew Cristall (#40 in 2023, Washington Capitals)
Cristall is a player that many had going in the early first round. However, many were then shocked to watch him fall as far down as he did. His creativity with the puck is great, along with his playmaking ability. I can still see why he fell so far down in the draft, as his defensive skills still need polishing, but that will eventually come with time and good development in the Caps system. With the Rockets last year, Cristall scored a shocking 111 points in 62 games, putting him 5th in the scoring race in the WHL, putting him just behind Berkly Catton (#4 in the scoring race, #3 in this article). These great point scores have one key difference: defense. Catton has developed his defensive skills, while Cristall is still working on perfecting his already-pretty-good defense. Also, Cristall is on the smaller side of prospects, setting him at a disadvantage from the jump. Still, if developed correctly, Cristall has the opportunity to take the NHL by storm and create his own league of talent.
Colton Dach keeping the puck away from a Portland Winterhawks forward.
Colton Dach (#62 in 2021, Chicago Blackhawks)
Colton Dach, not to be confused with older brother Kirby Dach, has had some unfortunate years after his draft in 2021. Riddled with injury, it is hard to see a great deal of development. However, he has come a long way in his recovery. He had gotten hurt in the World Juniors, where he played 4 games before going down with a shoulder injury. It took him quite a bit of time to recover, and once he came back to the game, he got injured again. This time, it was an ankle injury. He cannot really catch a break. However, he still has a place within the Blackhawks system, with the Rockford IceHogs. There, he is playing a game of ‘catch up’ to be with his prospect pool. Still, his scoring and physicality are something the Blackhawks need if they are to be real contenders this season. In 2023-24 with Rockford, Dach put up 27 points in 48 games. While not astounding numbers, he plays his role as a 3rd or 4th line guy. Most of the time they act as an insurance policy for some of the top-line guys (e.g., Connor Bedard). Let’s hope Dach can stay off the IR this year and develop.
Kevin Korchinski all smiles at Blackhawks camp.
Kevin Korchinski (#7 in 2022, Chicago Blackhawks)
Hailing from Saskatoon, Korchinski has a very bright future ahead of him with the Blackhawks. However, many seemed to pass on Korchinski initially, because there were still plenty of other defenseman who have been in the public eye. Still, his skill as a defensive defenseman landed him in the top 10 of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The Blackhawks knew Korchinski would be amazing for their blue line, coming to their organization with great puck handling, and skating. I believe that many were skeptical of Korchinski at first because he didn’t seem to measure up to the other defenseman in his draft class, as mentioned earlier. However, the Seattle Thunderbirds did an excellent job of developing Korchinski into being an NHL-caliber defenseman what seemed like overnight after he was drafted. His point totals for 2022-23 (The year after his draft) were great, totaling 73 points in 54 games. Currently, he is with the Rockford IceHogs after spending almost all of last year with the Blackhawks. I can only assume it is to develop his defensive zone skills even more. He will be back soon.
Thomas Milic saluting the crowd in Seattle.
Thomas Milic (#151 in 2023, Winnipeg Jets)
Thomas Milic is the blueprint for a lot of young goaltenders. Putting up rockstar numbers when (what feels like) the fate of the world is on your shoulders, staying relaxed in the face of defeat, anything. It takes so much mental toughness to be a goaltender, I do not think many fans realize that. Sorry, I need to get off my soapbox once again when writing about Thomas Milic. He originally went undrafted in 2021, and came back with probably one of the biggest “You Guys Missed Out” seasons I have ever seen. In the World Juniors he put up a .932 save percentage, and went undefeated in the tournament. In the WHL, he was consistently shutting teams down, and eventually won the WHL ‘Goaltender of the Year’ in 2022-23. He also won Championship MVP in the same year. The decorated goaltender proved himself in more ways than one, which lead to him being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets, alongside OHL goaltender, Dom Divincentiis, whom I discussed in my previous article. This goaltending tandem is going to be unstoppable in a few years with the Jets.
Fraser Minten suits up for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Fraser Minten (#38 in 2023, Toronto Maple Leafs)
Minten has always been an interesting player to me. Especially when he was given the captaincy of the Kamloops Blazers… only to be traded away within the month. Still, I think Minten’s development between the Blazers (then the Saskatoon Blades) is notable. While not projected in the first round, many teams were clamoring to get Minten into their system. His amazing two-way game sense is unmatched, along with his skill to know when and where to be on the ice. The Maple Leafs needed that consistent piece to hopefully get them out of the first round, and they got that in both Minten and Cowan, as well as their other draft picks. Minten’s point totals across teams were also great, while trying to stand out on a team full of greats in Kamloops. He tallied 67 points in 57 games with Kamloops in 2022-23, and then 10 points in 7 games before being traded to the Blades. While Minten has already played a few games with the Leafs, I think that Minten needs a few more years of development before he can break out as a great forward for the team.
Tanner Molendyk makes a pass for the Saskatoon Blades.
Tanner Molendyk (#24 in 2023, Nashville Predators)
I feel like the whole hockey world forgot about Tanner Molendyk. Probably because they did. Molendyk was supposed to play in the World Juniors in 2024, but unfortunately got injured during the pre-tournament games against Switzerland, only a few days before the tournament. This sidelined him for the entire tournament, and even some of his junior season. After that, he slotted right back into his role as a top pair defenseman with the Blades. His puck control and absolute speed/skating is amazing, which is what allowed him to go in the first round in 2023. Still, I think many forgot about Molendyk simply because he was hurt. On top of that, not many articles were posted about Molendyk, but he was still putting in great work behind the scenes. His development is going very well within the Blades organization, and Predators fans can be excited to have Molendyk on their team shortly.
Olen Zellweger on the blue line for the Ducks.
Olen Zellweger (#34 in 2021, Anaheim Ducks)
Zellweger, coached by BGSU’s own head coach Dennis Williams for many years with the Silvertips, is doing Olen Zellweger things. Zellweger was doing great things for years with the Silvertips, but many were waiting for his draft year to see where he would land. Many had originally predicted that he would go later in the draft, since he wasn’t really putting up NHL-caliber numbers. He was also 16-17 trying to get his bearings in the WHL. After being drafted pretty high, Zellweger really started to ramp up in all facets. He developed keen offensive awareness, as well as sheer speed and played all 200 feet. The only issue? He’s on the shorter side. Many NHL teams are looking for the whole package and tend to pass up on great talent for size instead because they want that physicality, and to not have a player blow away with the wind or a slight check to the shoulder. Zellweger has come to play around his size, and has developed into a top four defenseman for the Ducks, in one of the best prospect pools I’ve ever seen for any team.
With all that being said, all junior leagues are getting more and more talented as years pass. The game of hockey is growing steadily, whether that be because of fans or simply because of how the NHL is set up with farm teams. I think that the future of the NHL rests in the hands of these 16, 17, and 18-year-olds who want to experience the rush of being on an NHL team. Once again, watch junior leagues. They’re the future of hockey.
Compiled by Pershelle Rohrer and Dr. Nancy Spencer
April 21, 2021
Pershelle Rohrer is a second-year BGSU student from Logan, Utah. She is a Sport Management major with a minor in Journalism. Her primary sports interests are football, basketball,and baseball, both at the professional and collegiate levels.
Dr. Nancy Spencer is a Professor in the Sport Management program and is faculty advisor for the Maxwell Media Watch Project.
What a difference a year makes!
Do you remember where you were on March 11, 2020?
That was when sports virtually shut down due to COVID.
It began when we found out that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID!
Then there was March Madness…
By March 11, 2020, the BGSU women’s basketball team had already been eliminated from the MAC tournament. Western Michigan trounced BG with an 84-67 first round win. The season ended with a last-place finish in the MAC and a record of 10-21.
Fast-forward to one year later, and the women’s basketball team was just “coming off the program’s first win in a Mid-American Conference Tournament game in eight years” (“Setting the scene,” 2021, para. 1). Even more impressive, the Falcons were the tournament’s top seed and set to face 4th-seeded Buffalo in the semis. The turnaround was impressive by any standard, but in a year when the nation faced a global pandemic and sports were on hold for much of that time, it is even more impressive.
How did the media capture what the past year has been like for BGSU athletic teams? We examine several ways BG Athletics covered our athletic teams to understand the transformation that occurred on the women’s basketball team over the past year. We begin with an interview that Todd Walker, the ‘Voice of the Falcons,’ conducted on ‘Quarantime with the Falcons’ (2020) a month after the season ended.
One month after sports shut down due to COVID, players on the women’s basketball team, like other BGSU athletes, were dealing with how to stay engaged with one another. Coach Robyn Fralick reported they were doing a lot of FaceTime, having big team calls and doing many one-on-one calls to focus on building the depth of their relationships. In deciding how to navigate the ‘new normal’ of the pandemic, Coach Fralick encouraged the players to take control of their fitness, nutrition, and skill levels. They would need to be creative to do that. However, as the coach pointed out, they all had outdoor hoops and could work on things like ball handling skills on their own.
In reflecting on the 2020 season at BGSU, Fralick believed the team had improved a lot, although the improvement did not translate to the level she had hoped to achieve. Still, she pointed to specific signs of improvement: Madisen Parker’s three-point shooting (while she made 6 threes as a freshman, she made 98 threes in her sophomore year); Angela Perry shot 57% from the field; and Kadie Hempfling’s assists increased significantly from her freshman year.
Looking ahead to the 2020-21 season, Coach Fralick identified areas where further improvement could occur. First, she said the team needed to become better defensively, to complement their solid offense. Second, the team had to become better at rebounding. Third, she emphasized that the team needed to find ways to create better possessions, whether through second shots, free throws, or steals. And finally, they needed to increase their free throw shooting percentage.
On Monday, March 22, 2021, the memorable 3rd season of the Fralick-coached team came to an end, “as Drake University downed the Falcons, 78-68” (Cihon, 2021, para. 1).
In her postgame interview on March 22, Coach Fralick described the WNIT tournament as “an incredible experience for the team.” She felt really proud of the team and what they accomplished in continuing to change and elevate expectations all year. Fralick added that the team also got to see what the ‘best of the best looked like,’ which should be a motivating factor for next season. Whatever the 2021-2022 season holds for the BGSU women’s basketball team, it should be exciting for fans to see how this young team continues to develop.
As the women’s basketball season was ending, the softball season was just beginning.
The BGSU softball team returned to Meserve Field on Friday, March 19 for their first home game in nearly two years. The Falcons only played 17 games in the 2020 season, all of which were in neutral or road locations (“2020 softball schedule,” n.d.).
In 2020, the Falcons had an 11-6 record with five games remaining before conference play was scheduled to begin. However, the season came to an immediate halt on March 12, 2020 when MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher announced the cancellation of all competition for the remainder of the school year (“MAC statement regarding,” 2020). All practices and in-person recruiting were also suspended.
Members of the softball team participated in interviews discussing COVID in late February, about three weeks before the start of MAC play.
Redshirt freshman pitcher Payton Gottshall described the experience of shutting down as emotional for the team.
“When we found out we were all crying together, and it was just a big mess for us,” Gottshall said.
The softball players went back to their respective homes following the transition to remote learning and could no longer meet in person to practice. That didn’t stop them from improving and working on their skills. Head coach Sarah Willis created accountability groups for the team to participate in remotely.
“We would work out and do mental training or do schoolwork and send it to each other,” redshirt senior catcher Evelyn Loyola said. “We would just work that way and hope that everybody would do their part so when we came back we would be ready to go.”
Summer competitive ball was another way for players to compete even if there was no timetable for when the MAC would clear the team for the 2021 season. As the country began opening up during the summer, Gottshall found places to compete to continue refining her skills.
The Falcons returned to practice in the fall and began their 2021 season on February 12. BGSU is currently 18-18 overall and 10-11 in conference play.
Willis said that keeping the team healthy will play a significant role in the outcome of this season, including who will be crowned MAC champions.
“We, so far, have been good on our luck and discipline as a program in making sure everyone’s staying healthy so we don’t get shut down,” Willis said. “If we can keep everybody healthy and going, then we’re going to be extremely competitive in the MAC this year.”
Willis also emphasized the adaptability that is necessary to remain competitive.
“You can train for it, but you certainly can’t train for every single situation,” Willis said. “If you lose half the team because of COVID and you are still able to go play with 10, then hey, we’re going to go play with 10. The team that’s going to be the most consistent in this conference is going to have to do with adaptability, and they’re going to have the tougher mindset in terms of controlling what we can control at the end of the day.”
BGSU softball is sixth in the MAC as of April 21 (“2021 softball standings,” 2021).
The entries that we post on Maxwell Media Watch typically focus on critiques of the media with suggestions for how they could do better. This post will be different since it recognizes the outstanding work of several area media outlets that have shared the story of a former BGSU student and basketball stand-out. Thanks to a story that appeared in the Toledo Blade (Briggs, 2019) and another that was broadcast on WTOL (Paley, 2019), tens of thousands of dollars have been raised in support of a woman who needs a miracle.
If you follow BGSU Women’s Basketball, you may be familiar with Jasmine Matthews (Jazz), who played on the team from 2011-2015. The Toledo Blade writer David Briggs (2019) described her as “the picture of athletic grace, a sweet-shooting guard for the Bowling Green women’s basketball team” (para. 1).
Jazz was a Sport Management major as an undergraduate and decided to continue her education by pursuing a Master’s degree in Sport Administration. I was fortunate to have Jasmine in my classes as both an undergraduate student and as her graduate adviser.
I vividly remember the day that Jazz told me what she decided to do for her Master’s Project. She had been talking to her godfather (Gerald) who was the head coach at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. Gerald knew that Jazz had been contemplating a career in coaching after she finished her master’s program.
But he had a better idea.
“Officiating.”
At first, Jazz was skeptical about the suggestion. But as Gerald talked to her more, he began to convince her that her training and knowledge of the game, plus her fitness made her a prime candidate to succeed as a basketball official. She could get experience at an entry level, and if she did well, she could eventually advance to Division I women’s basketball.
Once she was convinced, Jasmine pursued the idea with all the vigor of a motivated athlete who suddenly sees the big picture and trains hard to prepare for the biggest game of her life. Better yet, her godfather’s suggestion gave her an idea for what she could do for her Master’s Project.
As Jazz filled me in on what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, she explained how it related to her idea for a final project. She wanted to write about her experiences in becoming an official. We discussed the idea of doing an autoethnography, which would enable her to integrate her personal experiences with literature about her potential career path. She even found an autoethnography by another woman who had played basketball in college – Claire Schaeperkoetter (2016), whose article on “Basketball officiating as a gendered arena” became the template for her to examine and reflect upon her own experiences.
In December 2016, Jasmine completed her project and received her Master’s degree.
A year later, she was diagnosed with MS, “multiple sclerosis… the insidious disease with no cure that attacks the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord” (Briggs, 2019, para. 6). Within three weeks, she had lost everything, and was completely disabled (Paley, 2019).
Jazz has made progress in fighting the disease, but she needs support to take the next step in her journey. Thanks to a doctor who lives near her home, Dr. Richard Burt, she is a candidate for “the use of stem cell transplants to treat” her (Briggs, 2019, para. 15). But the treatment is expensive and her insurance does not cover it. Therefore, Jazz set up a GoFundMe page on Facebook to raise the $125,000 needed for the treatment. Nearly $60,000 in donations have already been contributed by 790 people, as of this writing.
Jasmine’s dream to become a basketball official is still alive. She concluded her interview on WTOL by saying, “Once I get my life back I plan on being a Division I official, referee” (Paley, 2019, para. 14).
Jazz has only begun to write her story, and I cannot wait to read the next chapter!
Briggs, D. (2019, February 12). As a former BG player hopes for a ‘miracle,’ a basketball community rallies. The Toledo Blade. Retrieved from https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/bgsu/2019/02/12/former-bowling-green-falcons-player-jasmine-matthews-battles-multiple-sclerosis/stories/20190212137
Paley, T. (2019, February 12). Community donated thousands to former BGSU basketball player with MS. WTOL.com. Retrieved from http://www.wtol.com/2019/02/12/community-donates-thousands-former-bgsu-basketball-player-with-ms/
Schaeperkoetter, C. (2016). Basketball officiating as a gendered arena: An autoethnography. Sport Management Review, 128-141.
By Dr. Nancy Spencer, Professor in Sport Management, BGSU
February 3, 2019
About ten days before Super Bowl 2006 was played in Detroit, BGSU Distinguished Alum Dick Maxwell (recently inducted into BGSU’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni) organized a Super Bowl panel of experts who spoke to BGSU’s Sport Management students and faculty. Through his position in the NFL Commissioner’s Office as Senior Director of NFL Broadcasting for 36 years, one of Maxwell’s responsibilities was to coordinate the annual Super Bowl broadcasts. Among those who appeared on the 2006 panel were NFL representatives in public relations/communications, broadcasting, international media, game security, and the Vice President in charge of the Super Bowl. Before the panel began, ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman introduced then Sport Management Association (SMA) President Stephanie Serda via a taped message.
In addition to hearing from the distinguished panel of experts, Maxwell explained that the company that the NFL hired to put on the NFL Experience and the NFL Tailgate Party interviewed BGSU Sport Management students who volunteered to work at the 2006 Super Bowl. Dr. Jacquelyn Cuneen, Professor Emeritus in the Sport Management Program, said that, “We sent 20 kids to Detroit for the week to help with the festivities and 20 more on game day.” As a result of their work at Super Bowl XL, SMA students from BGSU volunteered the following year in Tampa Bay. Thanks to rave reviews about the performances of those first SMA student volunteers, BGSU students have been able to volunteer for subsequent Super Bowls.
Fast forward to 2019 and Super Bowl LIII is being held in Atlanta, GA. This year, 24 SMA students from BGSU are volunteering in preparation for game day (see photo above). The students left for Atlanta this past Tuesday and have been working “at the Super Bowl Experience at Georgia World Congress Center” (Piotrowicz, 2019, para. 10). Among the activities of student volunteers was to “guide visitors through exhibits and help them get photographs with the Lombardi Trophy that the winning team will hoist after Sunday’s game” (Dupont, 2019, para. 8). On game day, the “BGSU students will assist the 1,700 fans who bought $20,000 Super Bowl packages” by helping them “find their way around Mercedes-Benz Stadium” (Dupont, 2019, para. 11).
SMA Adviser, Dr. Amanda Paule-Koba explained that by “going to the Super Bowl they can see what they learned about in the classroom enacted in the real world” (Dupont, 2019, para. 13). Several students who volunteered at last year’s Super Bowl echoed the value of their NFL experience. As current SMA President Kyle Edmond said, “being part of the experience shows how much planning goes into the Super Bowl, a worthwhile trip for a group of students who are interested in working in the sports industry after college” (Piotrowicz, 2019, para. 14). Cory Radebaugh, another student who volunteered last year, said that unlike previous years when students were able to see the game, “no volunteers will be allowed on the concourse after kick-off” in this year’s game (Dupont, 2019, para. 26).
Regardless of which team wins Super Bowl LIII, the 24 SMA students who volunteered in Atlanta will bring back the memories of a lifetime. I look forward to some of them sharing about their experiences on the Maxwell Media Watch. BGSU faculty members and students are grateful to Mr. Maxwell for affording our students this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
.jpg)
%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F24963054%2FKorchinski__2_.jpg)
Maxwell Media Watch 