Paul SuellentropLucy Schneider is a sports fan who played volleyball, basketball and softball at Caldwell High School and loves the Kansas City Chiefs. She watches the 黑洞社区 women鈥檚 basketball team with a fondness because she is a resident assistant at Shocker Hall, where four of the team鈥檚 freshmen live.
In recent weeks, she learned to watch sports on TV with a new perspective. It takes collaboration, organization, and a flair for the theatrical to pull off a big-time event.
Schneider watches the small army of people running things on the sidelines because she is now one of those people. Schneider, a junior majoring in sport management, will work as floor manager for the women鈥檚 at Intrust Bank Arena.
鈥淲atching the games and seeing all the staff and what they鈥檙e doing behind the scenes, it鈥檚 really apparent to me now,鈥� she said. 鈥淪omething I鈥檓 really excited for 鈥� is the celebration ceremony and the trophy presentation. It鈥檚 super-interesting to me to tie in with the TV side of things, but also the arena side of things and making sure the fan experience is well throughout all aspects.鈥�
Schneider is one of around 12-15 Wichita State students volunteering for the practices and events surrounding three games.
On Saturday, top-seeded Louisville defeated fourth-seeded Tennessee 76-64 and No. 3 Michigan defeated No. 10 South Dakota 52-49. On Monday (8 p.m.), Louisville plays Michigan with a spot in the Final Four in Minneapolis at stake.
The students handle responsibilities ranging from organizing practice schedules to decorating locker rooms with NCAA and school logos. They work with media members on credentialing and seating. Some will run statistics. Some will assist photographers with rosters and armbands and keep them in assigned spots that don't block the view of fans. For those planning on a career in athletics, the applied learning experience adds to their resume and gives them experience working a nationally recognized event with large crowds and a television audience.
鈥淭he opportunity to work a headlining event, like an NCAA Tournament, that鈥檚 kind of top of the food chain,鈥� said Mike Ross, media coordinator for the tournament and assistant professor in Wichita State鈥檚 Department of Sport Management. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e looking at graduating from school and going out into the industry, that vaults you into a different pool.鈥�
On Wednesday morning, Wichita State athletic department graduate assistants Jordan Emerson and Mason Burden and junior Nate Rundell worked on the concourse at Intrust Bank Arena. Their duties included decorating and organizing locker rooms to NCAA specifications, hanging NCAA banners and standing ready for whatever facilities needs might arise.
They work with Brad Pittman, tournament manager, and senior associate athletic director at Wichita State. His work, along with Visit Wichita, Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita, has made Intrust Bank Arena a regular host for NCAA basketball. In addition to this season, Intrust Bank Arena hosted the women鈥檚 tournament in 2011 and the men鈥檚 in 2018. The men鈥檚 first and second rounds were scheduled for Wichita in 2021 before the tournament moved due to COVID-19. They will return in 2025.
Burden is considering many career options in athletics, including high school administration. Emerson, also in the sport management graduate program, would like to work in professional sports. Rundell, a sport management major, is intrigued by the facilities and event side of sports for a career.
鈥淎ny time you work an NCAA event, it鈥檚 a major thing,鈥� Burden said. 鈥淏eing able to see all this and set up one of the biggest events in the country, it readies you for just about any event.鈥�
Paul SuellentropEmerson, who attended the University of Kansas for his undergraduate degree, said Wichita and Wichita State鈥檚 history hosting NCAA events is one of the reasons he chose to attend 黑洞社区. From watching the court installation to networking with NCAA employees, he is making an effort to use the experience to inform his career path.
鈥淔rom a facilities standpoint, it鈥檚 cool that I get to go around and be with so many different departments so I can learn what each department does,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting to be in the planning process and hear about all of it. I鈥檝e talked to several of the NCAA liaisons to get a feel for what they鈥檙e doing. It鈥檚 a great learning experience.鈥�
As floor manager, Schneider is responsible for duties such as getting teams on and off the court on time for practice, putting basketballs and towels in the right places, herding the media out after practices are closed and gathering equipment at the end of each day.
鈥淚鈥檝e been searching the (NCAA) manuals for certain aspects of what I鈥檓 supposed to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e made a list of everything that I鈥檓 going to be doing and specific rules I need to remember. I plan to have that the day of, so I can reference it.鈥�
Ross wants his students to take their lessons from classes and see how it translates into the real world this week. In his area, different credentials offer people permission to enter different parts of the arena, depending on job requirements. Members of the media require different seating or access to interview and locker rooms, depending on their outlet and job.
鈥淚t connects what happens in the industry and what they can expect on the job to what they鈥檙e learning,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淚t puts that seed into their mind about the things they鈥檙e learning in class and how it might apply on the job. That鈥檚 what applied learning is all about.鈥�
