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By Eric McDowell, CoSIDA U Committee Chair & CoSIDA Past President

 

The 2018 CoSIDA U Camp, presented by Capital One, was a unique venture designed for newcomers, rookies and students interested in the sports communication profession.

And from the discussion and comments of the attendees as well as the presenters, made up of the CoSIDA U Committee and other volunteer CoSIDA members, the event was a rousing success. The hope is that this was the “first annual” and from the sights and sounds, there could be an annual camp in the future to assist in educating the talent that awaits our profession.

The event’s “first pitch,” if you will, was on Monday, June 25. The Bowie Baysox hosted a “Meet and Greet with the Baysox” at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Maryland. Members of the front office staff for the Baysox spoke to the attendees and presenters prior to the game with the Akron Rubber Ducks. The contingent enjoyed the game from a private area in left field and mingled while dining on barbecue and ball park fare. Members of the Baysox staff also allowed attendees to listen in on the broadcast in the radio booth and see the press box and statistics entered live during the contest. Two lucky attendees (Adam Belford of Lee University and Amber Dubois of Guilford College) were selected for the “first pitch” and also had photos taken with a Baysox player and the official mascot, “Louie.”

“The Baysox game Monday provided excellent opportunities to network, and trade ideas with current attendees,” commented John Kelly, Jr. of Jersey City, NJ. “I really enjoyed connecting with others on the van ride about our experiences during the NCAA Regionals. Tuesday's panels provided excellent insights into the SID world. They helped me understand the interview process, how to handle the media, and provided training tools to improve my overall attributes at this position.”

The next day at the host hotel Crowne Plaza Annapolis, June 26, was a jampacked day with a variety of sessions. Every attendee received a welcome gift bag and door prizes were given throughout the day. Panels featured learning the basics of the profession, resume and job search tips, need-to-knows from guests in the media, various writing techniques, a networking lunch and a demo press conference that featured a full NCAA set up and also an NCAA trophy carried out by the winning coach (courtesy of Johns Hopkins and Ernie Larossa). Table topics featured statistics, design software, photo editing and video editing.

“The panels were amazing, I personally learned a lot, even for someone who has been in the business a few years this was very helpful,” said Clare Webb of Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec. “This was my first opportunity to hear from others outside of my office about tips and tricks of the trade. 

“The overall conference made me very excited to get back to work!” Webb continued. “It gave me a new appreciation for what I do and showed me how connected we are all in this field, even if I am up in Canada. Thank you to all who made this camp happen, I am very grateful for the experience.”
 
Caleb Garner of Mississippi wrote, “Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to put it on. It was a great experience and I learned a great deal throughout the day. For the things I did know, it served as a great refresher.”
 
David Nelson of Incarnate Word was the winner of the drawing for the free registration for the 2019 CoSIDA Convention in Orlando.

“I could not have imagined a better re-introduction to a profession that I had forsaken years ago, only to discover a yearning to return,” said Nelson.
 
Thanks to the members of the CoSIDA U Committee for their presentations as well as to the other CoSIDA members who also assisted as presenters at the camp. Special thanks also go to the staff of the Baysox, including Stephen Clark, Adam Pohl and Robby Veronesi, as well as Jamie Jones at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis.
 
Under the direction of incoming chair Mark Adkins (Manchester) the committee looks forward to continuing a new tradition next year in Orlando as CoSIDA U “finds our future.”