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This story is part of our August 2022 CoSIDA 360 package, to view more stories,
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CoSIDA Title IX 50th Anniversary Spotlight
A true calling in life: How one undergrad discovered sports information
by Jennifer Coleman – Thomas University (Georgia), Athletic Communications Student Assistant
About the author: Jennifer Coleman is a film major with minors in communications, creative writing and psychology at Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga. She has maintained a 3.5 grade point average throughout her college career. A member of the SUN Conference All-Academic Team numerous times, Coleman holds six school records for the track and field program, made the All-SUN Conference Team, and has been named SUN Conference Player of the Week several times. She also works as a full-time assistant in the school’s sports information department.
In the spring of 2019, I was set to graduate from Thomas County Central High School in Thomasville, a small town located in southwest Georgia. Like most high school seniors, I was trying to decide my next move in life when the university in my hometown offered me a scholarship to be a member of its first-ever track and field team and a part-time job as a student worker in its sports information department.
Little did I know this would be the opportunity that enabled me to discover my true calling in life.
Thomas University wasn’t my first choice. When my parents and I heard about TU starting a track and field program, we were excited. I don’t think I would’ve gotten the same experience 20 hours away that I’ve gotten here because I’m so close to my parents’ house. I live on campus, so I still get that campus life experience, but I can visit home whenever I want.
At the SUN Conference softball championship from left: (Michelle Murch, St. Thomas SID), Catalina Maldonado (volunteer), Nick Pope (Thomas University athletic assistant), Kasy Gast (Warner University promotions & ticketing), Jennifer Coleman (Thomas University student SID), Ryan Murphy (Ave Maria SID), Angelo Pontello (Thomas University SID).
I began school in August 2019, reporting directly to the athletic director because the sports information director position was vacant at the time. There were times I questioned how I would balance being both a student-athlete and an employee. The AD assured me that academics came first, which made me feel like the next four years would be the beginning of something special.
My career took a drastic turn three months later when the AD departed Thomas, leaving me – a freshman – responsible for running the sports information department solo. The only help I had was the vice president for student life, who helped guide me. Then in March 2020, Covid-19 changed everything.
Even though Covid put a long pause on athletics, I tried to stay very active in the department. I would call a few coaches and athletes to check on them to see how they were doing, making sure if they needed anything from me. Time to time they would need me to keep their social media pages active even though there wasn’t anything going on at the time. I really missed just working and being around those amazing people.
As Covid forced all TU student-athletes to be sent home for the remainder of the spring semester, I took a part-time retail job to sustain personal income, but my duties in the sports information department didn’t stop.
Things started to look up for college athletes in the fall of 2020 as we received the green light to move back on campus with a few restrictions since Covid remained a big concern nationwide.
Coleman throwing the discuss for Thomas University.
I knew this was an opportunity to prove I could make the best of the situation and learn new skill sets quickly. I made phone calls to keep the department running smoothly, organized a full game-day operation staff and set up online live streams of games – all while keeping social media pages updated throughout the day.
Did I mention I am a student-athlete too? I made sure I was keeping up with my duties as a student-athlete. My mornings would start as early as 5 a.m. and end as late as midnight, balancing class attendance, team practices and my responsibilities in the sports information department. Some days were rougher and more exhausting than others. I knew there was a brighter future ahead, and this was a chance for me to do something special and unique.
At the time, I was just trying to do the job I was hired to do. I was trying to make sure the coaches and the athletes could rely on me.
I saw that bright future come to fruition in October 2020, as TU brought back Angelo Pontello to be the sports information director. With his guidance, I began to reach new heights and explore more opportunities in the department that would make a huge impact on my life. Angelo assigned me responsibilities and a workload equivalent to a full-time assistant. I became the primary contact for the Green and White’s cross country/track and field programs, while taking on a few secondary contacts, including women’s basketball and football. I traveled with TU’s teams and continued to grow professionally by meeting other SIDs and maintaining Thomas' creative content, all while living the life of a student-athlete.
I live by the motto of when you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Working in the sports information world is what I want to do after I graduate. I realize it’s my true calling in life. My journey wouldn’t be possible without the amazing coaches, administrators — and most importantly the student-athletes — at Thomas. They treat me like family and make me feel like I’m making a difference.
The SUN Conference has also done so much for me. I truly love being a member as a student-athlete and working in sports information. Every SID has treated me with so much respect and taught me valuable lessons. The commissioner, Dustin Wilke, has had my back since day one, and I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for me.
I’m proud and honored to be a Night Hawk, and I’m so blessed to represent TU every day. I hope that Thomas University is proud of me, and TU will always have a special place in my heart.
Angelo Pontello, Director of Athletic Communications, Thomas University, on Jennifer Coleman:
“There’s a reason why I view and treat Jennifer as I would a full-time assistant. I can precisely relate to how her journey in the SID business began, because ironically enough, I, too, was left on my own to maintain the SID department after a short period of time with only limited experience to fall on in my first stint with Thomas as an intern. A typical undergraduate, student or student-athlete, would fold under that kind of pressure, especially with the taxing demand sports media in general has on a person. But with Jen, not only does she handle that pressure and has time management figured out like clockwork, but she also makes time to come into the office and learn new skills.
“The hard work, passion, dedication, and investment for sports information she has shown, especially with the busy lifestyle of a student-athlete, is uncanny. As Jen’s boss and one of her mentors, I want her to have the hands-on experience that will prepare her for a career after she graduates with her bachelor’s degree. My goal is to prepare her with the knowledge and experience to assume a head position somewhere after her time at TU is done.
“I often receive compliments about Jennifer’s talent and professionalism. The reaction that others have when they find out she’s an underclassman student-worker instead of a graduate or full-time assistant is priceless. I think that speaks volumes about her potential in this career field.”
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