by The Cowl Editor on March 7, 2019
Features
Brian Garvey ’20
News Staff
Graham Collopy ’21 has always had a passion for all things sports. One of the reasons he chose Providence College was because he had always wanted to go to a Division I school and become involved in supporting strong athletic programs.
Collopy, who has gravitated towards the mental and statistical side of sports, said, “As I got older my interests in sports became centered around the mental side of the game and what goes into ensuring that athletes are reaching peak performance states.”
Collopy has also become more interested in how statistics impact performance. “Ever since a couple years back I have taken interest in the sabermetrics of sports,” said Collopy. He is hoping to become a sports psychologist, allowing him to be involved in science and pursue his passion for sports.
Collopy is part of a new club on campus called the Sports Business Organization. He, along with fellow club board members Owen Juros ’20, Julia Crowley ’20, Jasmine Gaudreau ’20, and Joe Haughey ’20, recognized there was not really a place on campus for those interested in the sports industry. “We saw the need on campus for a club that would be able to provide networking opportunities for students interested in working in the sports industry down the road.”
Collopy feels this club can be the link between students interested in pursuing sports-related careers with professionals who have already worked in the field.
“Although the Career Expo provides students the chance to connect with employers, sports businesses and professionals are largely not represented at these events,” he commented.
Recognizing the need for this group at PC, Collopy and the other executives have worked tirelessly to create this avenue for people to explore future careers.
The organization has five to six guest speakers per semester who have worked in a variety of careers in sports, allowing students to hear personal stories, as well as advice about the field they are passionate about.
“This semester we have current PC Athletic Director Bob Driscoll, the Athletic Communications Assistant at Brown Kelsey Chepiga, Athletic Video Director at PC Nick Rojas, and Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Jeff Battle all speaking at some point. We will also be holding a résumé building session with the Career Center at some point later in the semester,” said Collopy.
Having such experienced and well-known speakers will undoubtedly have a very positive impact not only on the renown of the organization, but also on the students who learn from them.
One of the aspects of the organization that Collopy is really passionate about is that it is not strictly a business group. “Although our club is called sports ’business’ organization, the club is open to all majors. We encourage those who are interested in going into athletic training, sports medicine, sports media, and other non-business oriented athletic careers to join our club, just as much as we do those who are interested in sports marketing, management, and finance as well.”
The sports field is a massive industry, and students of all majors are encouraged to get involved. Anyone interested in the Sports Business Organization should reach out to Collopy or any other members.