Delaware Sports Blitz is excited to announce a new series we will be doing called Behind the Sports.
The Behind the Sports series is looking at men and women who prepare athletes for their best on and off the court ( SIDs, AD, educators, trainers and etc.). The series will also be looking at different careers in the sports field from media, operating an arena, tickets sales, public relations and etc.
This week we will be featuring several people who work in the athletics department at Wesley College.
First up in the series for Wesley College is Cyrill Parham who is the Director of Sports Information at the college. Parham has been the Director of Sports Information at Wesley since 2017 but his journey in the sports information field started in 2012 at Thiel College.
Name the job and a brief summary of what it entails?
Parham: I am the Director of Sports Information at Wesley College. I oversee all publicity, marketing, social media, game operations, video, statistics and media relations for all 19 NCAA Division III sports at Wesley.
How long have you been in this area of work?
Parham: I have been at Wesley since January 2017. I came from Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., which is situated between Pittsburgh and Erie. I first started in the sports information field since the fall of 2012, when I became a student worker and an intern in the sports information office at Thiel. When I graduated in 2014, I was hired as the full-time Assistant Director of Sports Information at Thiel and was at the position for two and half years.
What interested you to get in this area of work?
Parham: I have always been a lifelong athlete and sports fan, but I did not know how to get into the field. It was after I interned in the summer of 2012 for the Aberdeen Ironbirds, a minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, that I really wanted to make working with sports a career. I had no idea what sports information was or what a SID did until I randomly approached the SIDs at Thiel and asked how I could get involved. Doing every odd job in the athletic department.
What is the most rewarding part of the job?
Parham: The most rewarding part of the job is to work with sports every day. I get to watch sports for a living and I do not have to be in an office 9-5 every day. There is something different to do each time I go to the office, field, gym and it keeps things fresh and exciting. Plus, seeing our student-athletes do well not only on the field or court, but also in the classroom is always rewarding. Getting to market and work with the true student-athlete experience at a Division III school is always rewarding.
What are some of the challenges of the job?
Parham: Sometimes the hours are very long during the school year, but you have to make sure you manage your time wisely and prioritize in order to get the job done.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in this job or field?
Parham: If anyone wants to get into this field, make sure you are flexible and adaptable. Sports and technology is always changing, and you have to make sure you are prepared in your career. Getting the experience when you are an undergraduate student is a must in this field. Interning, volunteering and working as a work study will definitely open doors for you once you graduate.
If you want to follow Wesley College Athletics on Twitter: @WesleyAthletics
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