National Sports Center Blog

Dazed, but delighted

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

Ever finished a huge project, dusted off your hands and suddenly felt exhausted, proud and a little unsure of what to do with all your free time? We spent months getting ready for Schwan's USA CUP, presented by PUMA, and the nine days just flew by. Now, I'm sitting at my desk surrounded by little heaps of paperwork and supplies I have to clean up, and wondering if that really just happened.

The Schwan's USA CUP media staff on the last day of the tournament. Photo by a Schwan's USA CUP spectator

One thing is certain: We had so much fun this year! On the media team, we printed dozens of stories in the SoccerAmerica Tourney edition, hosted six different television stations, took hundreds of photos, posted 10 Kick TV episodes and had coverage on the web and in newspapers as far away as Fairbanks, Ala.  Personally, I spoke a little French, lost a little sleep and ate a lot of ice cream. From the spectacular opening ceremonies to the final games, it was a good USA CUP. And credit for the success goes to ... everyone! Thanks for everything! You're the reason USA CUP keeps going.

Look back on the tournament on Kick TV or in the newspaper, and find your new friends on our Facebook page!

Stories find you at Schwan's USA CUP

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

You may notice that the SoccerAmerica Tourney Edition newspaper doesn't come out tomorrow, but don't let that fool you. I spent my day chasing around 8- to 11-year-olds from Nigeria and Jamaican FIFA refs. Media people tend to be always on: always listening, always looking and always ready to start the next story.

One of the highlights of my day was snooping around this morning, not on assignment but more for personal curiosity. Tunisia was checking in downstairs, and I plopped down next to Colleen Bourdon and Vicki Barnes (international team check-in staff) to quietly observe. (I should probably tell you that Tunisia's official language is Arabic, but French is widely spoken there. I also speak French. It's sort of an obsession.)

I didn't keep quiet for long. Pretty soon I was chatting with the delegation's leaders and learning about how big soccer is in Tunisia (huge!). I even got invited there for vacation. Of course, I had people to track down and blogs to post, so reluctantly I left after a few minutes. But the rest of the day, I couldn't help but smile at the chance that brought this little French chat into my life. Sometimes, the best stories are the ones you didn't know you were looking for.

Hi! My name is: Heather Holmes

 

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

Heather Holmes is a returning intern, and her title is technically the Schwan Sponsor Fulfillment Intern. But her nickname is "the ice cream lady." She works with all things Schwan's at the Schwan's USA CUP, presented by PUMA, which includes some pretty fun jobs.

 

Heather Holmes hard at work.

Heather worked on the new  Schwan's Re-Fuel Lounge, where athletes can hang out on Wednesday and Thursday of the tournament and enjoy airconditioning, a big screen TV with soccer movies and free massages. Of course there's free ice cream, too.

To cover all the campus ice cream needs, Heather has put together the ice cream distribution plan. "We're going to have 45 to 50 thousand units [of ice cream]," she said.

Heather is a recent grad from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn. She has a major in sports management and a minor in business, but she plans to go back to SMSU in the fall for a Master of Business Administration.

Her favorite memory this summer: golfing with Teri Vogt, Schwan's USA CUP director, and Adam Heemeyer, Schwan's corporate sponsorships and events representative. "That was the first time I've ever golfed in my entire life. I missed the ball seven times." But she's not giving up. "It was way fun and certainly made me want to go again."

Dirt Day

By Marie DeMars, NSC Intern

I pulled back my curtains this morning at 6 a.m. and thought "Today's looks like a good day to be in the dirt."

You might think an intern at the amateur sports complex gets outside a lot, maybe even has a tan. During Schwan's USA CUP, that will probably be true, but right now we spend our time huddling over computers and answering the phone. Just over a week left to be ready!

Breanna Lindholm loves UW and playing in the dirt.

Today we got a break for "Dirt Day," i.e. field maintenance. Everyone helped, from the lowliest intern all the way up to Teri Vogt, tournament director. The fields are looking great. My fingernails, not so much.

What Day is Today?

  

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

I woke up this morning slightly disoriented. I'd been working the past three days, so it shouldn't be Sunday or Monday. But I have the distinct feeling it's not Friday. Maybe Thursday? Shaking the sleepiness out of my brain, I realized it was Monday, and I was trying to catch up after working long days at Star of the North in St. Cloud.

For those of you who aren't familiar, the Star of the North Games is Minnesota’s annual Olympic-style amateur sports festival. Over the last two weekends, over 6,000 athletes from all over the state competed in 24 different sports. There was even a team there from Baudette, which is nestled along the Minnesota/Canada border.

Bartt Gevens (local director), Abby Maxon (intern) and Kathy Petron (soccer director) watch soccer - and Barclay's camera.

Three interns from the NSC plus Barclay, who is the State Games director in Minnesota, hauled two cars full of office supplies and team registrations to St. Cloud for two weekends in a row. It was a little more intense than your run-of-the-mill weekend tournament because we were hosting so many sports at one time in several different venues. Some of the most interesting competitions included the Family Eco Adventure Race, which we held in a granite quarry. Child/adult teams ran, biked, canoed and "orienteered" their way around the course. Also fun to witness was Carter Holmes, a Star of the North regular who returned after having a combined stroke and heart attack.

One of our gold medalists in track & field.

Seeing Minnesota's amateur sports community in action was a new experience for me. The infrastructure behind each sport proved sturdy, and the personalities of generous volunteers and directors made me hopeful that the spirit of the games has a long life ahead of it. We're lucky to have such a vibrant group of athletes, too. From lacrosse to disc golf, Minnesota's youth and adults are getting out there and playing games. Being a part of that was worth not knowing what day of the week it is. (It is Monday, right?)

See oodles more photos here in our galleries on the Star of the North homepage.

Video Intern Makes History

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

Media is a team effort at the NSC, but as the designated blogger, I’m kind of the only one you see. Against human nature, I’m going to share the spotlight and introduce you to Eric, the video intern.

Eric Swanson comes to us from the University of North Dakota, where he will be a senior in the fall. He is majoring in broadcast communication and worked on his university’s TV show, Studio One, for a year. He was a sports reporter, technical director and audio operator for the weekly cable news show, and I have to say it’s pretty classy. Trust me; I watched his episode covering RC Car Races.

Eric editing video at the MAC.

In addition to “lots of sports reporting,” Eric has done smaller, documentary-type projects under his own initiative. That will come in handy because Eric is the lead producer on a fun project we came up with to celebrate the SCHWAN’S USA CUP 25th Anniversary: a video history series! It will have several short segments covering themes such as the original idea behind the tournament, memorable moments and technology at the tournament.

Eric wants to use the project to capture personal stories from many integral volunteers and staffers, and he hopes it will show “interesting little things that people don’t realize when they come here.” The videos will be comprised mainly of interviews, or as Eric said, “I get to talk to all the head honchos.”

There is no release date for the videos yet, but watch for more details in July. In the meantime, view back episodes of Studio One, and catch up on NSCtv, which Eric currently helps produce. His summary of the work: “I get paid to sit and edit video. I love that stuff.”

Just Shoot Me

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

No. The internship is not going so poorly that I need someone to put me out of my misery. (My boss reads these, blogs, you know.) The title is referring to shooting with a video camera, which is what we were up to today.

 

Eric Setting up our outside shooting location.

There will be more details to follow on the footage we’re gathering, but I wanted to share with you a specific story from today. Tom Spindler, first class volunteer in charge of gift packing, came out talk with the media team about the Schwan’s USA CUP’s 25-year run. His job is to organize the tons of gifts we get for the teams, which can amount to two semis full of goods. He forms the volunteers into a big assembly line, and they go down the row collecting water bottles, T-shirts, Breathe-Right strips and whatever else someone wanted to sponsor. (One year, everyone got Slim-Jims.)

Tom (left) talking with Eric at the interview.

Tom’s been doing this for 10 or 12 years now, but this is his last one. He’s decided to retire and enjoy the tournament in a different capacity next year. When we asked him what he’ll miss the most, he stopped. With effort, he spoke. He said sometime during the cup, take a minute. Walk up to the deck of the Schwan’s Center or the top of the stadium and look out over the tournament. Everything you can see and hear and feel, that’s what he’ll miss.

We are lucky to have people like Tom, who volunteer so kids can get this incredible experience. And this Schwan’s USA CUP, I'm going to walk to the top of those stadium stairs and look out at what he’s worked so hard for. Maybe I’ll see you up there.

25 Years of Soccer Dreams Come True

 

 

 

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

 

When I started this job, I had heard of the Schwan’s USA CUP, and I even know a couple kids who play in it. But I’ve never been to it, I didn’t know where they held it and I certainly had no idea how many teams come to play from all corners of the world. Staffers love to share stories and fun facts, and now my brain is swimming with information. Seriously? We have 978 teams, 16 countries and 28 states worth of players, families, refs, coaches and fans come to Blaine, Minn., to play soccer? That’s pretty sweet.

Since we’re celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, I’ve been looking back through the old programs and trying to wrap my mind around what the week will look like and how it will feel. Skimming through the $2.00 souvenir program from 1988, I found myself inspired. Here’s what it had to say:

Young athletes learn that the world is much larger than their hometowns and what happens in other countries affects the rest of us. “Essentially, I think the tournament opens young people’s minds to the possibilities life has to offer and allows them to dream," said Kris Bjerkness (director of USA CUP at the time).

I’ve traveled abroad, and the best thing that I could wish for you is that moment when you realize how big your world could be if you let it. When you meet kids who came from Mexico and England and Japan to play soccer, I hope you see how far your own dreams can take you. So come to the cup, make some new friends, and expand your world a little … or a lot.

Schwan’s USA CUP, presented by PUMA: Bringing soccer players together since 1985.

Events People

 

 

By Marie DeMars, NSC Media Intern

Summer is a synonym for “busy” in Minnesota, and though we may stop to smell the tulips, better make it brief so we’re not late to the lake, soccer practice, crop planting, Grandma’s house, or a picnic. Busy takes on layers of meaning, however, for Events People. Though they may have time to dip a toe in the local lake, Events People will mostly be helping others make great summer memories, the iconic kind they’ll recall when explaining how Minnesota looked in the good ‘ol days.

 We owe Events People credit for some of the best times we can recall. These guardians of disaster-preparedness, these denizens of outdoor tents and registration tables take more than their fair share of abuse. And things go off with nary a hitch and always a smile. Considering what they manage to do in the face of natural and manmade obstacles, these are smart, brave people. Who wouldn’t want to be that? I am about to have the chance. 

My name is Marie DeMars, and I am the media intern for the National Sports Center. I have a freshly-minted degree in communication and feel extremely fortunate to have been added to this year’s brilliant intern team. I have to say, though, that I didn’t really know what I was getting into. Last Monday at orientation, I sat down at a long table with 13 other interns, and Teri Vogt, director of field sports and the Schwan’s USA Cup, presented by PUMA, explained Events People. They find the lost, fix the broken and prepare backup plans in every letter of the alphabet. Their cars have several changes of clothes, sunscreen, food, blankets and toothbrushes. I looked around the room and realized, knowingly or not, that’s what we were diving into. 

 

With an early Memorial Day this year, the NSC Cup tested our skills after just one week on the job. Sunshine and moderate temperatures gave us a helping hand, as did our nifty green golf carts. Having the key to a golf cart and a walkie-talkie is somewhat like being a super hero. In case of trouble, you can be on the spot in a flash, ready to fix tent strings or fill up ice chests. We even got to wear uniforms, and between you and me, they were much cooler than tights and unitards.

I’m soccer illiterate, so I picked up a few pointers this weekend from the interns who play, especially Abbie Maxson and Heather Anderson, both of whom play on collegiate soccer teams. Two of the last games on Saturday went into overtime, and then PKs (penalty kicks). The pressure! Watching the teams fight to the last breath in the setting Minnesota sun was pretty amazing, and I didn’t even know what was going most of the time.

 

The verdict: We survived the weekend mostly unscathed and ready to make some more event magic happen at the Wal-Mart All-American Cup June 12-14. If you’re there and happen to see us scoot by in a green golf-cart, be sure to wave. And thanks to all the Events People out there. Now more than ever, I have an appreciation of the work you do to put on my favorite events.

It's intern-hiring season again!

By Greg Hutton
NSC Media Specialist

Did you notice the change from NSC Media "Intern" to NSC Media "Specialist"?  No?!?!

Anyway, yes, that means I've returned to the National Sports Center's media department after completing my internship with the facility this past summer. For my first task, Matt Koehn, who coordinates the NSC's intern recruitment, asked me to write this blog about the facility's internships. I happily obliged.

To start, read the descriptions of available internships here.

If you're wondering what an internship at the NSC like, I'll sum it up in three words: fun, busy and rewarding.

Fun - because of the organizational climate, the structure and working on such interesting and unique events. And also this:

ABOVE:  Intern softball.

Busy - because my to-do list was full the first day after intern orientation. But that's what you want - to be an asset to the organization.

And rewarding - because we were successful in our tasks and I gained lots of new experience that will be valuable for the future. I firmly believe that an internship at the NSC is one of the most rewarding experiences someone who is interested in entering the sport management field can have.

As such, being hired as an intern is not easy. Staff members are highly selective. Approximately 200 resumes and cover letters are received each season.

Also, just because you don't live near the Twin Cities doesn't mean you can't apply for an internship. Past interns have come from a variety of locations throughout the United States and even the world. A pair of last summer's interns are natives of France. The NSC doesn't provide housing, but for those concerned about finding a place to live: rest assured. Finding an apartment to sublease during the summer is very easy with the help of Craigslist.

Here are a few other reasons to consider applying for an NSC internship:

1. It's huge. The National Sports Center, that is.

Everything the NSC does is large in scale. So is the facility itself; it's in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest soccer complex in the world. Also, SCHWAN'S USA CUP is the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere. Approximately 1,000 teams from 25 states and 21 countries make the trip to Blaine each July.

2. Responsibility

Scott Clasen, the NSC Web Architect and also a former intern, said it best in his Jan. 16, 2007 blog:

"Internships are quite different than at other organizations. First and foremost, interns are given actual responsibility with actual consequences for not performing on the job. With the large number of events we host in the summer, there's no choice but to rely heavily on college interns to ensure event success."

It is guaranteed that, as an intern at the NSC, you won't be needlessly making copies for eight hours each day. While the specific work that each individual intern completes varies, one thing remains the same: the work is paramount to the success of the facility's summer events.

3. Location

The North Metro suburb of Blaine is just a 15- to 20-minute ride from both downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul. As such, there's no shortage of entertainment options for the time you're not at work. I even chose to live in Minneapolis, both during my internship and now as I complete my graduate degree.

One's time on the NSC campus also promises to be entertaining, which leads me to the next reason to apply:

4. The other interns

One of my favorite parts of my internship was that I worked with 17 other college-age interns. They became not only co-workers, but also great friends - both during and after work.

Not that the other staff members aren't enjoyable - they definitely are - but having a group of people that are in the same boat as yourself makes work that much more fun.

5. I interviewed Roberto Donadoni, the head coach of the Italian national soccer team.

It's true, I did, for Kick TV during last summer's SCHWAN'S USA CUP. You can even watch it here if you don't believe me.

But my point in mentioning that fact is to draw your attention to the unique aspect of the NSC's internships. Where else would I have been able to interview Roberto Donadoni? Or get mail from the President of the United States? Regardless of one's political opinion, receiving an envelope addressed to you from "The White House" is pretty cool.

6. The NSC offers paid internships.

Granted, the money is never a reason why one should or should not apply for an internship. Rather, internships are more about gaining experience to take to future employers. But having some extra money to help pay for rent, tuition, or more importantly, Twins tickets, certainly helps.

As evident from this blog, I was 100 percent satisfied with the decision to complete my internship at the NSC. I think you will be, too.

Please feel free to shoot me an e-mail (ghutton@nscsports.org) or give me a call (763.792.7342) if there are any other questions you would like to have answered. I'm happy to help.