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Printer-Friendly ModeWe've got Spirit
Several SVSU students utilize local hockey team by gaining valuable career experience
December 5, 2005 —
SVSU may not have a hockey team, but one local hockey team sure has SVSU. Several current students are presently working for the Saginaw Spirit, gaining valuable experience for careers in fields such as marketing and communications and soaking it up long before the game starts up and until the last fan has exited their seat.
When the doors to the Blue Line Club open, the first face season ticket holders often see belongs to Bill Konesko. The 23-year-old communications major works the door greeting fans, passing out promotional materials, and handing out giveaways.
The Saginaw native says mingling is in his job description. He walks around the club, making sure everyone is enjoying themselves and doing whatever he can to rectify the situation if someone is not. He displays a cheerful and energetic personality, partly because it is his job but mostly because he just enjoys what he does.
"I love being part of the experience," he says. "You get to see results right away."
The results Konesko speaks of have little to do with hockey. While fans would love to witness a Spirit win every night, the competitive OHL leaves that hope unfulfilled. So Konesko and the rest of the staff understand that it is their job to make sure every fan in attendance has a good time, regardless of what happens on the ice. And with attendance figures that routinely rate among the best in the league, most believe they have done just that.
"We always say our game day staff is like 146-0," says Game Day staffer and marketing major Matt Douglas. "We've never lost a game."
The responsibilities the staff shoulders are enormous. They have their hand in almost every contest, giveaway and event fans see during play stoppage and intermissions, meaning they could be helping with chuck-a-puck one minute and escorting Sammy the mascot the next. Regardless of what they do, though, most have a great time doing it.
"I don't know how many people can say they love their jobs," says Douglas, a Sombra, Ontario native. "I can seriously tell you there isn't one Saturday night that I regret going into work."
Kristin Meyers agrees with Douglas. The 21-year-old Port Huron native has been on the staff for over two years and has aspirations of making a career out of it.
"We have amazing fans and an amazing staff," she says. "I love coming to work."
Even those new to working for the Spirit seem to be relishing the experience. Marketing major Kris Kraft is in his first year with the team and is enjoying himself thus far.
"Everyone is great to work with," says the 21-year-old Frankenmuth native. "It's a great experience and a great atmosphere."
The best part of the entire experience may not be the fun times now but what they could lead to in the future. All of the students working for the Spirit recognize that the experience is invaluable for their futures and most talk openly about how their current positions have bettered their communication skills, helped them interact with different kinds of people and given them a better idea of what teamwork can accomplish.
Each staff member seems to have found the Spirit in different ways. Meyers and Kraft applied the old-fashioned way while Douglas and Konesko used internships through the University to land their jobs. And while Douglas is still interning and receiving course credit, Konesko's internship is completed. He was recently hired back as a regular employee.
"Most people don't realize the opportunities that are available with the Spirit," Douglas says.
And while the SVSU Spirit staff are aware of what they are getting, they realize that their true responsibilities lie within the fans.
"That's really what we focus on," Douglas says. "Getting people to have enough fun and have a good enough time at the rink that they want to keep coming back."
