From April 19th to May 4th I spent some significant time at AWP Sports in Fort Wayne. This time has been crucial in building a rapport with the AWP Sports staff. It is always an interesting dynamic to enter a situation with a staff already established and being an "outsider" can sometimes be difficult. One of the things I have learned as a new member is that workers at AWP do a tremendous job of making all feel welcome and the familial atmosphere of the organization is clearly evident.
One of the key elements to this atmosphere is employee empowerment. As I have learned in many management classes through Tiffin University, empowerment is vital to maintain employee loyalty and to develop those within the organization to eventually handle much larger roles. On April 26th I worked an Academy night in my individual position without my partner, Dre Muhammad, who had to leave for mini-camp in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Throughout the week leading up we exchanged text messages and e-mails with ideas on how to effectively administer our message for the week to the Academy. We follow a schedule given to us by those above us at AWP, but we are given a lot of latitude with the drills and management of our group. After the academy is a great opportunity to meet with parents and to continue to sell AWP the service. One of the great aspects of AWP is that we all speak with one voice and the message to all about the mission is clear. Each member of the AWP staff has a different perspective, different background, different skillset, but all speak with one voice and one purpose which is an important element of a successful business.
May 3rd was an Academy night as well, followed by 7v7 practice. At the conclusion of the 7v7 practice, a schedule was passed out to the members of the 7v7 team with the upcoming events that AWP will be a part of and this was an opportunity for the kids to discuss with coaches the best approach for themselves throughout the summer in terms of college recruiting. I was able to sit down and discuss realistic options with players and determine a schedule that best fits their abilities and puts them in the best situation to earn a scholarship. May 4th was an Academy day at the facility which was an opportunity to review film with the players and also 45 minutes of further skill development. While this was going on, the Sport One Fieldhouse had many other sports going on downstairs including a multi-team AAU Basketball tournament. Being in attendance at the event was quite interesting to see the set up, scheduling, and logistics behind such a large scale facility.
AWP is also holding a free event to continue to market the service. This is a great strategy to get people a taste of what can be had by being a part of the organization. A flier is attached below. My next blog post will occur following our IMG Regional Qualifier Tournament in Chicago, Illinois on May 18th.
One of the key elements to this atmosphere is employee empowerment. As I have learned in many management classes through Tiffin University, empowerment is vital to maintain employee loyalty and to develop those within the organization to eventually handle much larger roles. On April 26th I worked an Academy night in my individual position without my partner, Dre Muhammad, who had to leave for mini-camp in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Throughout the week leading up we exchanged text messages and e-mails with ideas on how to effectively administer our message for the week to the Academy. We follow a schedule given to us by those above us at AWP, but we are given a lot of latitude with the drills and management of our group. After the academy is a great opportunity to meet with parents and to continue to sell AWP the service. One of the great aspects of AWP is that we all speak with one voice and the message to all about the mission is clear. Each member of the AWP staff has a different perspective, different background, different skillset, but all speak with one voice and one purpose which is an important element of a successful business.
May 3rd was an Academy night as well, followed by 7v7 practice. At the conclusion of the 7v7 practice, a schedule was passed out to the members of the 7v7 team with the upcoming events that AWP will be a part of and this was an opportunity for the kids to discuss with coaches the best approach for themselves throughout the summer in terms of college recruiting. I was able to sit down and discuss realistic options with players and determine a schedule that best fits their abilities and puts them in the best situation to earn a scholarship. May 4th was an Academy day at the facility which was an opportunity to review film with the players and also 45 minutes of further skill development. While this was going on, the Sport One Fieldhouse had many other sports going on downstairs including a multi-team AAU Basketball tournament. Being in attendance at the event was quite interesting to see the set up, scheduling, and logistics behind such a large scale facility.
AWP is also holding a free event to continue to market the service. This is a great strategy to get people a taste of what can be had by being a part of the organization. A flier is attached below. My next blog post will occur following our IMG Regional Qualifier Tournament in Chicago, Illinois on May 18th.
