The Cardinals may be in Milwaukee battling the Brewers May 12, but Busch Stadium is the hot spot for those people interested in the possibility of working with top sports teams.
Game Face, Inc., a job-placement company headquartered in Oregon, is hosting a Sports Career Training Camp running from May 12 to 14.
The goal of the training camp is to show attendees not only how to get a job in sports, but also how to keep a job once he or she is in. It will provide a unique opportunity for Saint Louis University students and the public to do two things, Game Face President Robert Cornilles said.
“One is to get an insider’s view of what it will take and what it means to work in the sports industry,” Cornilles said. “The other thing it will do for undergrads is potentially save them thousands of dollars in their career.”
Game Face has worked with more than 400 sports teams and university athletic departments, which has helped the organization determine what makes someone successful in the long-term. In addition to helping teach the proper skills necessary to thrive in the sports industry, Cornilles said the camp could guide students in the right direction with their degree.
“Some people will get into sports and then, a year later, learn it is something they don’t want,” Cornilles said. “Many will get a sports management degree, but it’s important to know as much as you can about the industry before you major in it.
“In fact, not only do we think we can save you money, but we think we can make you more money over the course of your career, because you will be more marketable.”
Cornilles, who has trained more than 25,000 sports executives during the last 15 years, will conduct the training. There will also be speeches from Rams and Cardinals executives, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of Busch Stadium.
Even for people who are not specifically seeking a career in the sports industry, there will be skills that can be applied to careers in any field, Cornilles said.
At the end of the camp, Game Face will assist each attendee in setting up interviews with he or she is interested in working with in the future.
“We recognize that if you are going to school in St. Louis, you probably have an interest in staying in the local area,” Cornilles said. “For that reason, we will have teams there from St. Louis and the Midwest, but there will also be teams attending from both the coasts.”
Once the camp is over, Cornilles said that Game Face will assist the attendee by placing him or her in an entry-level position.
Depending on the team’s needs and the interviewee’s own skills, people have been placed in sales, promotions, marketing and customer service among other areas. SLU graduates and Game Face have had a good relationship thus far, Cornilles said.
“We hope that students and graduates of SLU will give serious consideration to attending because we think we can do great things for their career and their schooling,” he said. “We’ve had good success with people from this part of the country, and we hope to meet them.”
For more information about Game Face or the event, visit www.gamefacesportsjobs.com.
