Friday, January 22nd, 2016

   
    What an experience it has been.  I honestly had no idea that I could have learned so much in the amount of time I had here at Stop It Goaltending.  The list of skills and areas I have become more knowledgable about goes on and on.  I owe a huge "Thank You" to Brian Daccord, John, Amy, Doc, and everyone that has helped me along the way.

     Prior to officially beginning this internship, I created two objectives for the three-week period.  It is fair to say that I have certainly completed each of them, wanting to develop my skills within the marketing aspect of sport management and create a valuable experience that can kickstart more experiences within the sport industry.  I am so glad I have gotten to meet such outstanding individuals  and temporarily become a part of a organization with a professional atmosphere.

Thursday, January 21st, 2016

     Today I was able to make the final additions to the Hat Trick Training Center website with the use of Word Press.  I went through various page editing processes, linking with alternative online resources, creating contact information resources, linking the location with Google Maps to provide directions, graphing schedule and cost information, developing slideshows, and adding images to informative paragraphs.

Wednesday, January 20th, 2016

   

     After completing the fully customized MA High School Goaltending spreadsheet, I moved onto the next task, using Word Press.  Word Press is an online platform that provides webpage and site construction, additional gadgets, media assets, images, and many more resources.  The site is being built for the Hat Trick Training Center, a hockey facility in Middleton, MA.  I have continued to acquire more knowledge with web design and media development.  It is an experience that can be put forth into valuable work in the future, as I am currently enjoying the time I have spent helping this organization with their media and marketing criteria.  

Tuesday, January 19th, 2016

     Probably the busiest day of the internship so far, a lot was learned.  I began my day by formulating statistics and results from the NHL Draft analysis I had completed.  Each current goaltender in the National Hockey League was provided information about their specific draft and pre-professional careers.  I constructed a document that provided all of the calculations and numbers when it comes to NHL goaltenders.  For example, I created the numerical information relating to what percentage of NHL goaltenders are Canadian, American, European, etc.  The document includes data relating to, on average, how goaltenders are acquired (trade, free agency, draft, waivers).  Each goaltender's draft selection allowed myself to calculate when most goaltenders are generally taken in annual entry drafts.  Furthermore, the document consists of Junior, Minor, College, and European league data, displaying how many games NHL goaltenders play in the AHL and ECHL, on average.

     Beyond those responsibilities, I also had been continuing to develop my skills in formatting spreadsheets, compiling statistics on goaltenders that are eligible for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.  A separate sheet was made for local high school goaltenders, their statistics, and coach's contact information.  These resources can help Brian Daccord when recommending the training at Stop It Goaltending.

Monday, January 18th, 2016

     The beginning of internship week 3 has begun by learning a new resource integrated in Google apps.  Brian asked that I use the Google Sheets to input each current National Hockey League goaltender, as well as a full-draft analysis.  The layout of the document is a spreadsheet, utilizing different sections to enhance the organization of the data and information.   Each goaltender was named with their current team.  Furthermore, each individual's nationality and past draft selection information was included.  I was also able to add minor and junior league activity (games played).  I have now increased my knowledge when it comes to spreadsheets, whether through the use of Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.

Friday, January 15th, 2016

     The second week of internship at Stop It Goaltending is coming to an end.  I would say I have learned a lot of valuable skills that I can put to great use in the future, and I still have a whole week to go.  

     The FGRE parent survey now has its own research document that will likely be reviewed and revised, if necessary, by Brian when he returns.  The official product will be posted under FGRE's research projects online, where I will be featured as a co-author along with Mr. Daccord.  Feel free to access the project, along with any others that may draw interest (http://www.fgre.org/research/). 

Thursday, January 14th, 2016

     The final results of the FGRE "Why Goalies Become Goalies For Parents" survey are confirmed.  After reviewing the concluding statistics, I then began to develop the official research paper.  Upon its completion and revisions, the final product will be added to the FGRE webpage under its different research study projects.

     The different document editing resources allow myself to create my own type of graphs, entering the data regarding number figures and responses.  Aside from the assistance of Microsoft Word, I used Microsoft Excel to log in information, which ultimately led to the full development of whichever graph-type that was chosen (Bar graph, pie-chart, line, column, etc.).

   

Wednesday, January 13th, 2016

     As the survey result process comes to an end after today, I have been looking at the results thus far to get an idea of what aspects occur more frequently and consistently among young net-minders.  Upon the finalized results, I will be writing an entry for the Foundation of Goaltending Research & Education's (FGRE) latest research project, "Why Goalies Become Goalies".

    Where the completed results stand (until this point), most goaltenders try the position initially as a Mite, before becoming a full-time goalie as a Squirt.  For the most part, parents to not believe cost is a factor when deciding to become a goaltender.  Many goaltenders begin playing the position through parent or coach suggestions, the team needed a goalie, or simply wanting more ice-time.

     As the process goes through the final stages today, the results may vary to some extent.  This survey has brought a valuable experience in the middle part of the internship.  Not only have I been given the opportunity to put my people and communication skills to use, but I also now have knowledge when it comes to survey construction and development.

Tuesday, January 12th, 2016

     The FGRE survey is integrated into Stop It Goaltending's work on Constant Contact.  Survey development is an asset on the website, providing users with the ability to pick and choose between templates, question formats, and create customizable questions and responses.

     The survey's purpose intends to reach out to parents and ask why their son or daughter has chosen to become a hockey goaltender.  Parents can respond as to whether their child has begun playing hockey as a goaltender as a mite, squirt, peewee, bantam, or other.  Beyond that, questions go into alternative aspects relating to reasoning, for example: Did playing goalie begin due to a role model, a coach, a parent suggestion, more ice-time, etc.

Monday, January 11th, 2016

     Mr. Daccord will not be available, in person, for week two of the internship.  Brian Daccord is a goaltending consultant to Mannheim Adler in the DEL, meaning he will be spending the week in Germany.  However, he has provided me with my tasks for the week.

     For today, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday, I will be asking parents of goaltenders to complete a short survey for FGRE's research project.  FGRE (Foundation For Goaltending Research & Education) is a non-profit organization researching the physical and psychological development of goaltenders, as well as health, safety, and environmental factors that they experience.

   FGRE has an outstanding board of directors including names such as, first and foremost Brian Daccord.  Former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher and Team USA and two-time Olympic Silver medalist Molly Schaus.  I will be asking parents of goaltenders to take a short amount of time to complete a survey asking parents why their son or daughter chose the goaltending position.  It includes the alternative directions such as a older sibling playing goalie first, parental influence, increased ice-time, and much more.

A Look Inside Stop It Goaltending's Camps & Programs

Thursday, January 7th, 2016

     All of the Summer of 2016 invitation construction and editing was completed with the use of a marketing platform called ConstantContact (www.constantcontact.com).  Stop It Goaltending is preparing for a variety of programs including AAA Youth, Bantam, High School, and  Total Skills. Constant Contact is high-end online marketing tool that enhances the development of professional emails, invitations, social campaigns, events, surveys, etc.  My internship will entail a large amount of Constant Contacts use, a beneficial resource to use in the future.

     Concentrating on the invitation development, an editing template is included in Constant Contact’s software.  There, I formed a document that required photo cropping, media sharing, webpage linking, layout designing, and data attachments.  With experiences along the lines of what I have been involved with lately, I am adding an assortment of valuable skills that will enrich my knowledge moving forward.

     Constant Contact contains a survey development page that allows users to create their own questions and answers.  Questions vary in form, for example, one-answer multiple choice, multiple-answer multiple choice, ranking items, scaling items, entering personal dialogue, etc.  My task was to create my own survey, becoming fully aware of the alternative options and editing assets that are available.

Wednesday, January 6th, 2016

     The third day of my SIG internship got off to an interesting start.  I got settled in, making minor edits to my personal webpage, blog, and the SIG summer program promotion email that I had been working on for the past couple of days.  At 10:30 am, Brian had asked that I joined in on a meeting that had been scheduled.

     Two gentlemen, representing a digital, social, and mobile marketing brand named Tentacle out of Charlestown, MA made a pitch to Stop It Goaltending.  The premise of the business made sense, performing to increase brand awareness and activity through online marketing.  It was a valuable experience, not only sitting in and observing the conversations, but also including my own personal insight and suggestions.

Tuesday, January 5th, 2016

     Second day at Stop It Goaltending began by finalizing and confirming the finished product of my personal, professional website.  President Brian Daccord was able to see the additions and progression from the beginning.  I quickly jumped into my next task, creating my own blog webpage.  It is an enjoyable experience, building my own site and having the opportunity to be creative in making a resource for future references.

     The rest of the day was spent focusing on my first marketing piece, using ConstantContact, an online email marketing software, to create and edit Stop It Goaltending's 2016 Summer program page.  It involved linking information together online, building an organized webpage that is easy to navigate, and including information for each programs purpose.

Monday, January 4th, 2016

     The first day of the internship experience I was put straight to work, rightfully so.  The day began in Brian Daccord's office at nine o'clock in the morning.  The next twenty minutes was spent conversing about the upcoming three weeks and the responsibilities I would becoming familiar with.  First and foremost, the two of us confirmed the start and end dates of the internship, as well as the forty hours per week schedule.  I was able to settle in quickly to the environment with small staff, yet professional atmosphere.

     My first task of the internship at Stop It Goaltending was to construct my own personal, specialized website that displays details about myself, my work experiences, résumé, future aspirations, and contact information.  The purpose of this website is to apply it to my future employers, providing every aspect of information they may need or wish to become aware of.  I became familiar with the use of Google Drive and Google Sites programs.  The day was spent organizing and adding improvements to the site upon Mr. Daccords reviews.

     The final product was approved my Mr. Daccord.  I was able to correct past mishaps and apply additions that were requested and suggested.  The website can now be accessed at https://sites.google.com/site/patrickmalonesportmanagement/home.  Feel free to check out my page and read about myself working towards success in the sport industry.  For now, I'll prepare to continue my work at Stop It Goaltending. 

Introduction

     Pursuing a career in any field or industry is all about building up your experiences.  Gaining more knowledge in certain areas will allow future employers to gain a higher sense of satisfaction.  My mindset towards my own future in the sport industry does not diverge from that mentality.  Stop It Goaltending is now my latest experience and opportunity to better myself, my future, and enhance the probability of success.       

     My name is Patrick Malone, a nineteen-year-old sophomore Sport Management student at Endicott College.  My school provides an internship program that allows students to attain work experiences in the different fields and industries that apply to his or her major.  Over the course of the four year education, students will complete two 120-hour internships and one semester-long internship.  Students ace the opportunity to choose which season they will complete the 120-hour internships (Winter or Summer).  For example, as a freshman student, I completed my first internship over Winter break at Woburn Memorial High School in the Athletic Department.  Each day, I assisted Athletic Director Jim Duran in completing daily tasks and responsibilities which included scheduling games seasonally, hiring game officials, preparing away contest travel arrangements, event management, facility management, ticketing, and much more. 

     During the Fall season of 2015, I came across the opportunity of an internship at Stop It Goaltending.  Through Endicott College's online internship database, I learned that past students had completed internships at the site. Through furthermore research, I learned that one of Stop It Goaltending's sites was conveniently located in my hometown of Woburn, Massachusetts.  It was not long before I was in contact with SIG's President, Brian Daccord.  Mr. Daccord is a prominent individual in the organization and has been very approachable throughout the process.  He once played and coached hockey at Merrimack College.  He played professionally in Switzerland for seven years and even served as the goaltending coach for the Boston Bruins.  By the time Thanksgiving break came around, I had set up an interview with Mr. Daccord.  The two of us stayed in contact for the next couple of weeks and before I new it, I was Stop It Goaltending's newest intern.