Pride in the SEC

There is nothing ​that I've experienced ​in sports media that compares to the 4 day event of SEC Football Media Days.

The amount of media. The hype. The craze. The flashing lights. The screaming fans. ​It's really a skeptical like no other.

Two years ago I ​was invited to attend ​SEC​ ​M​edia ​D​ays without any affiliation to the conference. I built a relationship with someone who worked there and they offered me an opportunity to volunteer. As someone who was desperately looking to find her way into the industry I jumped at the opportunity. ​The experience immensely​ changed my career.​ And two years later I'm well on my way to the career I've always wanted.​ But that's a story for a different day.

During ​SEC​ ​M​edia ​D​ays I (among other students from schools across the conference) was invited to ​speak with ​Commissionor Greg Sankey​ in a small group setting in his​ ​presidential suite​ at the hotel. Listening to him talk was amazing. As a communications and public relations professional I love hearing people's stories. Hearing his was even better. We heard him talk about the chances he took, the opportunities he took advantage of and ​his emphasis ​in the importance of building relationships. He recommended books for us to read and thanked us for assisting in the production of the event.

As I sat there and took it all in, I realized the pride that beams from him as he talks about the conference. I recognized it because it's the same pride I knew I wanted to be a part of long before ever stepping foot on SEC territory. It's the pride that's felt for a team, a school, the conference as whole. The idea that if it can't be my team, I want it to be a team we're, in a way, associated with. He loves the SEC for the pride it brings among the fans​ and honestly, I do too​. Fans root for the ​SEC​. People chant S-E-C at games and championships for teams that aren't theirs. The SEC as a whole is a community larger than that of just one of its 14 member institutions. It's the greatest conference in college athletics. And as I paraphrase Commissioner Sankey from his opening remarks at the beginning of the week, as a conference we want to be scholars first, champions second.

In all, people want to be a part of the greatness that is the Southeastern Conference. I, for sure, am proud to be!

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl: The First of the New Era

New Year’s Eve marked the third game I worked as part of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Media Relations team.  Each event has been a wonderful experience, but this one was by far my favorite even with the less than thrilling beating TCU took on Ole Miss.  It also happened to be the first game of the six elite bowl games selected to host the College Football Playoff.

In weeks leading up to the big day, the media relations staff was in touch with me about what my tasks would be throughout game day.  Being my third event, they’ve gotten to know me – they know the assignments they’ve previously given me and they know the goals and aspirations of my career.  I was ecstatic when they asked me to be a liaison for one of the schools’ sports information department.  It was a role I had been given before, but with the new media requirements of the College Football Playoff the duties were more in depth and precise.  On game day I was even given a headset, which I thought was also pretty cool and made me feel official!

As liaison, during the game I made sure the school’s staff had everything they needed, including answering questions or solving any issues that arose - pretty straight forward.  But post game is where my assignment got exceptionally fun! 

With about 5 minutes left in the game I made my way down to the field with some of the staff to prepare for post game chaos festivities.  As liaison my job was to make sure everything ran smoothly for the team’s post game media obligations.  I was to escort Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze to the locker room, give him the proper 10-minute cool down period, escort him to the press conference and also keep time for media in the locker room with additional players. 

It was such an exciting 40-minute whirlwind.  I was so close to everything, closer than I’d really ever been before.  I was right there with Coach Freeze as he ran to shake hands and congratulate TCU Coach Patterson near the 50-yard line.  I briskly walked off the field with him and into the locker room- giving him and his staff a minute-by-minute countdown until he was expected at the press conference and radioing to bowl personnel his whereabouts.  Following the press conference I kept track of the time media was allowed in the locker room for post game interviews with players (minimum 30 minutes). 

This process was new to players, coaches and staff.  Since the Peach Bowl is a bowl in rotation for the new College Football Playoff system, the regulations were different.  It was exciting to be the person they turned to for clarification of what was expected of them. 

I’m so grateful to the wonderful people of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for continually inviting me to get incredible experience at their events.  It’s truly an honor to work with them!

I can’t believe how quickly this season is coming to an end.  What an incredible first year of the College Football Playoff it has been!