Students Take Over: Captain Campfire with Aliya, Yonnell, and Blake
Release Date: 03/20/2024
The Take Home Podcast
In this final episode of Season 6, I was joined by former student, long-time supporter of our sport management program, and outstanding Trinity University alumna (class of 2013), Veronica Oviedo. She is currently the Director of Marketing at Spurs Sports and Entertainment. During our conversation Veronica spoke glowingly of mentors, of great leaders she's worked with, who shaped her outlook and approach to leadership. She "doesn't think titles matter" and the regular listeners will hear direct connections to , and specific references to the tool and - all of which have been important...
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In episode 7's Living Leadership segment, I was joined by my long time friend, partner of our sport management program, and outstanding Trinity University alumnus (class of 2000), Terris 'T' Tiller. T is the Director of Alumni Career Engagement at Trinity and returned back home after a distinguished career on the U.S. Modern Pentathlon team and long-time team member at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. During our conversation Terris emphasizes the need for leaders to create spaces that allow others to be seen, spaces to know they are valued. He considers equity and...
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In episode 6 of season 6, I lecture on chapter 6 from the 10th edition of Peter G. Northouse's "Leadership: Theory and Practice." During the segment, I describe the Path-Goal leadership approach, highlight the basics of how Path-Goal theory works, and conclude with strengths and criticisms of the model. Before the lecture, I was joined by Nick Cowell for the Living Leadership segment. Nick was the head women's soccer coach at Trinity from 1991-98 during which he lead the Tigers to an amazing record of 117-3-8 and developing six all-Americans. After leaving Trinity he coached at Baylor...
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This week I was so lucky to sit down with Rob Sender, Trinity University alumnus '99, for the Living Leadership Interview segment. After leaving Trinity he earned a Master's degree in Sports Sales from Baylor University which segued into a first job in Minor League Baseball. Following many years on the agency side, Rob has found a home as the Senior Brand and Marketing Director with the Dallas Cowboys. The conversation weaves from managing one of the most iconic brands in the world, his time and Trinity, and his thoughts on the Situational Leadership model, his leadership philosophy, and...
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In episode four's Living Leadership segment I'm joined by a Trinity alumnus ('99) and Executive Vice President at SPORTFIVE. Before moving to SPORTFIVE, Josh had a long career at Genesco and has worked on sport marketing consulting for most of his post-Trinity life. During our conversation, Josh details why relationships are key to a leader's success, that great leaders are first great followers, and the value of saying yes to opportunities. He cares deeply about role modeling, and surrounding himself with curious, life-long learners. Josh also emphasizes the power in seeking new...
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Episode 3 of Season 6 begins with the Living Leadership Interview segment. This week I had the joy to discuss leadership philosophy, the skills great leaders utilize, and the importance of lifelong learning with Trinity alumnus Kyle Porter. Kyle is the Director of Player Performance with the Colorado Rapids who play in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Western Division. Before joining the Rapids in 2022, he worked as the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Grand Canyon State University, the Director of Soccer Performance at FC Arizona, and owned and operated Porter Athletic...
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Season 6 kicks off with the Living Leadership Interview. In the segment, I was lucky to sit down with Marco Ferruzzi to discuss his leadership philosophy and how he sees it playing out in his day-to-day. Marco is the Sporting Director for San Antonio Futbol Club (SAFC) and is also the parent of a Trinity sport management alumna! He is a San Antonio native and after graduating from Keystone High School, we attended the University of North Carolina to play soccer. After a long professional playing career, Marco obtained his USSF coaching 'A' license and got the opportunity to join the...
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This spring I'm releasing bonus episodes of The Take Home. No new lectures on leadership, instead I'm sharing the amazing podcasts created by the students in my Leadership for Sport Professionals class. This final bonus episode of Season 5 features "Leadership in Motion" which was produced and created by Luke Pfeiffer, River Rocha, Jordan Arce. Here are their liner notes: Lou Simon, an entertainment industry veteran and former collegiate baseball player, is the founder of Game Ready Enterprises and the creator of the Game Ready Softball Series. In 2021, he launched The League, a nonprofit...
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This spring I'm releasing bonus episodes of The Take Home. No new lectures on leadership, instead I'm sharing the amazing podcasts created by the students in my Leadership for Sport Professionals class. In this bonus episode of Season 5, I'm sharing "Outside the Lines" which was created and produced by Harrison Durow, Christian Green, and Zander Guckian. Here are their liner notes: In this episode of Outside the Lines, we interviewed Maryellen Durow, a Hall of Fame volleyball player at the University of Northern Iowa and a varsity coach and athletic director in her own right, about how her...
info_outlineThis spring I'm releasing bonus episodes of The Take Home. No new lectures on leadership, instead I'm sharing the amazing podcasts created by the students in my Leadership for Sport Professionals class.
Today's bonus episode features "Captain Campfire" produced and created by Aliya Jackson, Yonnell Esprit, and Blake Poole. The podcast motto "Winning isn't just a goal, it's a mindset" sets the foundation for an excellent episode.
In the podcast, they interview Trinity alumni Taylor Kotfas and Jimmy Tatum. Taylor is 2023 Graduate of Trinity University who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, with Minors in Business and Geosciences. She was a standout on the Trinity Women's team, including winning multiple conference championships and holding the school record in the 4x400.
Jimmy has two degrees from Trinity, including his Masters in Accountancy which he earned in 2021. He played baseball during his undergraduate days at Trinity and is currently a Senior Audit Associate at KPMG.
They discuss principles of Authentic Leadership and various Gender and Leadership theories. Both Taylor and Jimmy offer great advice - and their perspective as more recent university graduates is refreshing and eye-opening. Taylor highlights that great leadership is about building relationships before anything else. She says people must know they are cared for and it's the leader’s job to make sure people are equipped with the skills to become a little bit better each day. Jimmy talks about the power of authenticity and self-awareness. He says great leaders must be okay with themselves and that "it's okay to not know."
Humility and learning from failure are key messages that surface throughout the conversations. The episode is fun and upbeat, and that Curveball segment is top shelf.
I hope you enjoy!
Music credits:
- Intro (Artist: Purple Planet Music. Track: One Fine Summer).
- During the interviews (Artist: Purple Planet Music. Track: Reach for Success).
- Outro (Artist: Purple Planet Music. Track: One Fine Summer).