Qualifying for Doctor of Education in Sports Management - Essay Example

QUALIFYING ESSAY AN ESSAY SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE PROGRAM OF THE UNITED S SPORTS ACADEMY By KIMBERLY HEALEY Daphne, Alabama NOVEMBER 1, 2011 Sport is often thought of as a game or something done for recreational pursuit. Sport is also my career, which is a bit of a dichotomy. I have spent the majority of my childhood years on a field, court, or ice rink. As I had a brother who was only 13 months older than me, I always had a willing competitor for virtually any activity or sport. I was quite often not on the winning side of those events, so I learned determination, perseverance, and discipline pretty early on in life. These traits allowed me to excel and receive many awards in my sporting activities throughout my early years. I ventured out to participate in numerous sports such as basketball, soccer, tennis, softball, dance, figure skating, and golf. I never realized that “the game” would become a way of life for me and would shape my future. My first experience on a golf course was with my father when I was very young. I was quickly informed that females were not allowed on the course before noon. That was a major turning point in my young life; I knew I needed to prove that women can be athletes and that there is a place for them in the sporting world. I spent most of my teenage years excelling in high school sports. I received awards as an all-state basketball and soccer player, not to mention many amateur wins in state golf tournaments. Because of this, I knew that athletics was to be an integral part of who I was destined to be. I went into my undergraduate studies declaring the only major at the university associated with sports: Leisure Management and Tourism. As this course was not focused enough on sports, I immediately took a position officiating and supervising several intramural sports. This gave me insight into the operational side of sport. Post-graduation, it was difficult to find a satisfying position in sports management. I was employed by a recreation department in a New Hampshire town; however, I did not find it challenging or rewarding. Upon reflection, I realized that, in order to pursue my interest in sport as a career, I needed to further my knowledge and education about sport in general. As such, I made the decision to return to university to attain my Masters of Science in Education. To help with finances and also to gain valuable experience, I accepted a graduate assistantship in the Department of Recreational Sports as the Sports Club Coordinator. The job responsibilities included the programming of all sport club activities for a large university and also teaching of undergraduate classes. It was the training and teaching of undergraduates that I truly enjoyed. This experience confirmed to me that I wanted to combine my love of sport and teaching. I would make sport my business, and treat it as such, while still keeping the “game” mentality. The only career choice that I had at that time was in golf instruction. I became a club professional while pursuing my education and acquiring my membership into The Ladies Professional Golf Association. Choosing a career that involved golf in a geographical area that had snow on the ground more often than not was not ideal. Because of this, a move from New Hampshire to Florida was necessary. Once there, I immersed myself in the private country club setting in Southern Florida by organizing, promoting, and running golf events and instruction for 10 years. The opportunity to take on the role of a golf school instructor was offered and I jumped at the opportunity to teach. I have done very well in my chosen field and work at one of the top facilities and for the top golf instruction company in the United States. Teaching golf has allowed me to see places, meet people, and be involved in countries and with organizations that I would never have otherwise known. I have travelled to Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand to help train and develop East Asian elite junior players. My job was to teach them everything that is necessary to receive university scholarships and play on mini and/or major golf tours around the world. I also had the opportunity to meet many high level executives and help them understand the importance of sport in life and business. Through all these people, not only was I afforded the opportunity to teach, I learnt many of life’s lessons and nuances from them. Being a golf instructor is a wonderful career choice, and I have enjoyed it tremendously. I am now in my forties and have spent the last 15 years, every weekend, holiday, and special occasion, at work and on the lesson tee. I have spent several years travelling to many wonderful locations and experiencing a number of different cultures. I have met and worked with so many wonderful people. While my professional career has been spectacular, I have had to make sacrifices in my personal life. As much as I enjoy my golf career, I want to take a different direction in life. I want to work in a profession in which I can to continue to expand my knowledge and experiences but also make a significant contribution to the sports world. Furthermore, I would like a career in which my personal time and relationships are not sacrificed. I want to continue teaching, except in a different environment that I currently am. This career change is one that I have thought about for many years, but I have been unable to take time off of work to pursue it. It would have been tough to financially survive at the same time. It was pretty much out of reach. However, with the distance learning now available, this dream of mine is finally attainable. I am striving for more information, experiences, and opportunities to teach, not only golf, but in the business of sport. I want to take my teaching to the next level and help to develop the professionals of the future. My choice is to continue my education and pursue my Doctor of Education degree. My goal is simple and two-fold: To instruct sports management classes in a university setting and to research relevant topics in the field of sports. Teaching at a university level requires additional education. I am eager to pursue this so that I will be permitted to teach. As I learned in golf instruction, in order to be a great teacher, one must continually be open to learning and information. A lifelong process of being a student allows one to be a great instructor. With my love of teaching, the knowledge provided through my degree, and my experience in the sports industry, I would be prepared and ready to pass this information along to those just beginning their pursuits in this growing industry. Through research and education, I can continue to make a positive impact on the field of study that has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to greatly increase my knowledge in sport business and research and its uses in everyday world applications. The United States Sports Academy provides a curriculum that matches my passion: the promotion of sport in the world. It took many years of being immersed in golf, specifically in the pursuit of the necessities of being a “teacher,” to understand that regardless of which sport or sport business a person chooses to be involved with, knowledge and research is necessary. To obtain my doctor of education degree is of extreme importance to me. However, it is financially very difficult, especially with the current economy. To be able to continue working on a full-time basis is imperative to attaining this goal. The United States Sports Academy and its commitment to distance learning is a component that makes it all possible. I can continue to pursue my international sport objectives, to train elite golfers overseas, while pursuing my area of study. I am not able to stop working in order to go back to school, so a distance learning program is perfect. I can continue to financially survive while attaining my personal goals of furthering my education and working my way to teaching at a university level. Upon completion of my doctoral curriculum, I will actively put my knowledge to use by pursuing a position of teaching in higher education. Finally, I will continue to research sport topics and use my knowledge, skills, and experiences to promote the business of sport and help develop and educate the future leaders of the industry. Read More