Hart School students gain experience working NFL's Pro Bowl

Four Sport and Recreation Management students from the Hart School spent last weekend in Orlando, Fla., volunteering at the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl, held at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex. As fate would have it, all four Hart School students—J’lon Wright, Owen Helton, James Ashley, and Bradley Harrison—worked the Pro Bowl Experience on Saturday before the game, which provided them with operations and customer service experience for the resumes. Their tasks included assisting fans with interactive displays and stations, such as a 40-yard-dash run. 

Q: What work did you do at the NFL Pro Bowl?  

J’lon Wright:I interacted with fans and directed them to their desired location. I also worked at the 40-yard dash where I ensured fans were registered with Fan Mobile Pass, which allowed fans to participate in the exhibits and have a chance to win prizes ranging from Pro Bowl tickets to an autographed Pro Bowl football. 

Owen Helton:My main goal was to make sure that it was a highly fan-focused experience where everyone had fun and things ran efficiently. 

James Ashley:I worked for Fan Mobile Pass during the event, and my responsibilities were to ensure fans had the app for the evening and were registered as well as answering any general questions for the fans. 

Bradley Harrison:I worked as a ticket ambassador at the 40-yard dash station located at the ESPN Wide World of sports complex. I scanned patrons fan mobile passes and recorded their subsequent 40 yard dash times.  

Q: How did the experience help you think about your career in sport and recreation management? 

J’lon Wright:I want to work with in youth development through sport and recreation. The experience helped me think about fun and creative ways to connect with the generation after me. It also allowed me to view an atmosphere of joy and excitement and new experiences for all age groups. There were also flag football championships for multiple age groups and genders. The motto was “the best meets the next.” It connected with me in terms of how I intend to mentor and provide an atmosphere of support and opportunities for inner-city youth in Richmond through sport and recreation. 

Owen Helton:This experience gave me refreshed insight into the opportunities that exist in sport and recreation management to reach my goal of working in the NFL. I knew that volunteering in my field of interest would definitely help me network outside of my immediate circle and it showed me many different paths I had not considered before. There were employees that worked directly for NFL teams, media members, event planning, and operations personnel with other companies that helped me open my mind on not being set on one specific career path by showing that there were many other avenues available. 

James Ashley: This experience was a very fulfilling one when contemplating my career in sport and recreation management. Being able to talk to fans from all over the world for one common interest was incredible. It really showed me just how inclusive sport can be and proved even further that sport brings people together. I was also able to get a taste for how my end goal organization (the NFL) operates. I learned how much the NFL contracts out certain aspects of the business like events like this as well as how much they appreciate the volunteer. This opportunity fueled my fire even more to pursue my passion, and I intend on making this dream a reality. 

Bradley Harrison:This experience gave me my first insight as to what it’s like to work a professional sports event. I was able to see how things were run from within and see the direct cause/effect relationship between my duties and the overall fan experience.  

Q: How would you summarize your experience in just a sentence? 

J’lon Wright:My experience was a genuine and unique one that I will always cherish as I got to experience it with my father and meet people with similar backgrounds and goals as me. 

Owen Helton:This experience was an excellent opportunity for me to proactively invest in myself and it positively inspired my professional sport and recreation management career growth and goals. 

James Ashley:This pushed me out of my comfort zone into a world of diversity I never realized. Seeing this in the sports setting only fueled my fire. 

Bradley Harrison:Overall, it was a smooth experience that gave me insight as to how an organization like the NFL is run and how it treats fans as well as their employees and volunteers.