I chose to interview Angela F. Brown, the Recreation Ministry Sports Coordinator for Fitness@First, a community fitness center that is owned by First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. The Fitness@First gymnasium is located in the heart of downtown Orlando. I met Angela during the 2010-2011 NBA season; we work for the Orlando Magic, in the Premium Services Department and last season was our first with the franchise. As the season progressed and games became more frequent, Angela and I became very close. We talked about our life’s experiences, encounters outside of the Amway Center, as well as future plans and goals. After I opened up to her I felt an immediate closeness. I remember the initial conversation we had about her involvement at Fitness@First, she allowed me to know that her responsibility was plentiful because she manages the entire facility. In her words, “I’m a boss at my other job.” Considering that I am an aspiring sport & entertainment leader, this aspect of our conversation intrigued me, but what intrigued me most was her stating that she never attended college to obtain a degree.
Over time we would use social media outlets to keep in touch when there were no games or events at the Amway Center. Within the last month the Amway Center has not had any events, therefore, lessening our communication. I was able to reach out to Angela via email. She is aware of my internship with the Full Sail Sport Lab Powered by ESPN and knows that Sports Management is my degree focus. In the email, I explained that I was to conduct an interview of a sports industry professional for class, and that it would involve me asking her a series of personal questions. She was more than happy to do it. Although I am a business student, I consider myself to be a very professional individual and I did not want the interview to be taken lightly. She was unsure if we needed to do a face-to-face meeting or not, so I further explained that I would send the questions via email due to scheduling conflict. I asked Angela a series of six different questions like she got her start as a sports coordinator and what does this position entail? Her reply was short and straight to the point. She allowed me to know that she started out as a part-time desk clerk, and she held this position for two years. The Sports Coordinator position became available suddenly, she wrote. She was not ready to advance but those around her felt confident in her work ethic and promoted her. Her responsibilities include but are not limited to: overseeing all facility operations, hiring staff, sports programs, camps, and budgets. She has held this position for three years. Fitness@First facility is equipped with a cardiovascular equipment room, strength training equipment room, cycling room and courtesy towels along with great showers and locker rooms. We have two new elliptical trainers, new treadmills and a new cardio heater - TV’s with headphones (fpco.org). They also offer group exercise classes, personal trainers, and membership is opened to the public. With the various programs and community outreach incentives the center offers, I realized she had her hands full with this job. With this realization, I kept in mind the various events throughout the last NBA season and was amazed that Angela barely missed any of them. Working with the ESPN Sports Lab during the Monday Night Football production, I noticed the challenges, which took place behind the scenes. My next question was what are some of the biggest challenges you face day-to-day as a sports coordinator? She mentioned keeping her members happy was an everyday challenge but when adding the facility operational budget to the list this adds more of a challenge. Angela mentioned this to me during previous conversation but she also mentioned that these aspects of her job are what keeps her motivated and prepared to be able to handle the next challenge.
When I was a kid, I was told that education was the key to success. I believe that education opens the doors for many things when trying to become successful but I argue the point of it being the key. In my opinion, by performing tasks first-hand in a repeated fashion or by making mistakes and learning from them is how most people learn in life. My next question was what skills do she consider to be essential for success as a leader within her field? I was not surprised by her reply, as Angela is a pleasant spirit to be around and an absolute pleasure to know. She told me that you have to love being a team leader. You need to have great communication skills and enjoy working with people. I did not realize how much I liked working one-on-one with people until I was hired on with the Orlando Magic. It affects me a greatly when a customer is dissatisfied with the services that they have purchased. I always prepare my guest recovery plan in case a customer is unhappy. She also mentioned how you interact with clients needs to be from your heart; I agree!
The next thing I wanted to know from Angela was what she thinks are the most common factors individuals and businesses consider when they decide to become a member at her facility? She explained that clients want to be apart of a community wellness center that provides a clean and friendly environment with great exercise classes, equipment and instructors that care. Which lead me to my next question that was how does she recruit new clients? She told me that by offering new membership specials via the company’s web sites, through church newsletters, and by marketing efforts through Facebook, also notating that Facebook is one of the best marketing tools she uses because it’s fast and it's free. Many companies have joined the masses in using social media to reach a broader demographic. Facebook has more than 750 million users and over 900 million objects that these users interact with on any given day. I think that Facebook is a great marketing choice for Fitness@First. In addition to Angela’s regular scheduled gymnasium classes, I remembered her mentioning to me the many programs that she has built upon over the last three years. The Hoops 4 Christ Basketball League is an all male, 18 years and older basketball league, the Upward Basketball & Cheerleading League is held during the winter & summer, she also oversees the Mark Jones Basketball Camp, which is a basketball camp for kids ages 5-17, the Darrell Armstrong & Chucky Atkins Summer Basketball Camp for kids ages 5-17, and she organizes the Fitness@First Health and Fitness Fair.
This interview reassured me of a few things that I forget at times. Staying persistent, being dedicated, having heart, and believing in myself will get me to the beginning of my journey. Staying focused, positive, and proving to be a reliable source will take me further. Angela is great example of all that has been mentioned. This interview has also confirmed that I am on the right path to achieving success within the sports and entertainment industry. Angela F. Brown is a great example of someone who initially obtained an intermediate position that would later blossom her potential as a leader within her field. I am privileged to know someone like her and recommend her to anyone seeking sports industry career advice. She is awesome!
Angela F. Brown
First Presbyterian Church of Orlando: Fitness@First
Facebook. (2011). Facebook Statistice. Retrieved August 26, 2011, from http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
FPCO. (2011). Facilities. Retrieved August 26, 2011, from http://fpco.org/seek/RecreationMinistry/FitnessFirstCenter.aspx
