We asked Christopher Harris, our senior intern for Nine13sports, to sit down and write his thoughts on what he expects and his early experiences with Nine13.
His Bio
Christopher Harris is the Senior Intern at Nine13Sports. After graduating with a Sport Management degree from Ball State University in 2012, he began working in the Athletic Department at Ivy Tech Community College. Currently, he’s pursuing his Master’s Degree in Recreational & Sport Management from Indiana State University, with an expected graduation date of May 2015. Moreover, he works in the Student Life & Development office at Ivy Tech as a graduate assistant, overseeing recreational sports & health and wellness initiatives. Additionally, he’s the assistant coach of the women’s basketball team at Ivy Tech. Christopher and his wife, Emily, reside in Plainfield with their shichon dog, Charlie, and their cat, Chip.
His Blog
I want you to close your eyes and envision the feeling of the first time riding without your training wheels. The adrenaline you felt pedaling the wheels; the feeling of wind progressively hitting you as you ride; and last, but certainly not least, the feeling of freedom you feel knowing that you finally accomplished your goal of riding without the training wheels.
Although it’s fulfilling to finally conquer your goal, the amount of work, dedication, and resiliency that is put forth can’t be understated. You’ll fall down several times, you’ll get frustrated, however, you keep pushing on because you know you can do it and won’t be rejected. Furthermore, you’re encouraged on a daily basis from inspirational and motivating people who won’t let you give up.
That inspiration and motivation is exactly what I will get during my 4-month internship here at Nine13Sports. While I expect times of indecision, I know that my colleagues at Nine13Sports will be there to assist me. Not only that, the skills, values, and knowledge that I will attain will benefit me both professionally and personally.
When I attended my first day at Nine13Sports this past Monday, it just felt like the right fit. There was energy and enthusiasm flowing, in addition to engaging and informative conversations. The projects and duties that Executive Director, Tom Hanley, spoke about left me stimulated and full of thoughts.
When this internship has concluded, I’m confident that I’ll have reached my goals, which is making a lasting influence on Nine13Sports, implementing an understanding to all individuals of the importance of health and exercise, engaging with all individuals about how much fun cycling is, deepening my relationships with the current staff at Nine13Sports, as well as creating and developing relationships with staff and employees at other places. Although I may “wipe out” a few times, all I can do is get up, dust myself off, and continue to ride until my goals are reached!