15 minute read
ALUMNI IN ATHLETICS
Catch up with five alumni working in the athletics industry. From coaches to agents to marketers, this team of alumni is committed to impacting future generations in the same way that Wesleyan athletics impacted them.
betsy (smith) freeburg
university of alabama at birmingham volleyball head coach
SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORY – WHAT EXPERIENCES OR OPPORTUNITIES LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
After graduating from Wesleyan in 2008, I started at the University of Florida (UF) where I was a member of three SEC championship volleyball teams and went to four NCAA Sweet 16s and one NCAA Elite 8. We had seven freshmen on the team during my redshirt senior year, and part of my role as captain was getting them acclimated and accustomed to our system. During that year, my coach told me that I would make a great coach someday, and I promptly told her I would never put my livelihood in the hands of 17-to-23-year-old women.
After graduation, I went into commercial real estate, but ten months later, I started getting an itch for coaching and started as an assistant for a club team in Orlando. That December, one of my assistant coaches at UF took the head coaching job at Georgia State University (GSU) and encouraged me to return to Atlanta and give collegiate coaching a shot. I was at GSU for three seasons and then had the opportunity to go to Samford University as an assistant coach for three seasons. I was named associate head coach in early 2020. During my time at Samford, I married Ryan Freeburg who was an assistant coach at the University of Alabama prior to a short stint as interim head coach there. In 2019, we coached together at Samford and realized life was much better when we were on the same team and in the same program. In June 2020, the UAB head coach position opened, and although the timing was a bit crazy to make a major career jump, we knew it was the right opportunity, and Ryan is now my associate head coach at UAB.
WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LOOK LIKE?
I have found that I am at my best with routine and structure. In season, that routine looks like waking up, working out, having a good breakfast, and then going to the office. Once I’m at the office, I am either in meetings with the athletic department or our staff. There is also a lot of recruiting electronically these days, so staying up on emails is an important priority during the day. As a head coach, I’ve found that each day presents its own unique set of challenges that you have to be ready to address at the drop of a hat. Leading up to practice in the late afternoons, we meet as a staff to plan practice and often have either small group or team video sessions prior to getting on the court. From there, it’s straight home to make dinner, wind down, and prepare for the next day!
WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?
The most rewarding part of coaching is helping athletes accomplish their goals and achieve success. It is especially rewarding when student-athletes overcome challenges, and I get to see their confidence build through those experiences.
WHAT WESLEYAN TEACHER HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON YOU?
Dr. Anna Engle, former high school English teacher, had a profound impact on me because she never gave up on me and challenged me to be great. English and writing were never my strong suit, and I appreciated how much time and effort she put into my development. Because of her constant push, I not only improved as a student but also as a person. I still think of the time she and I met my junior year regarding my final paper on Frankenstein. She told me that she was proud of me and that even though she knew I would have to really work, that she was going to recommend me for AP English my senior year based on my growth throughout the year.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VOLLEYBALL MEMORY FROM WESLEYAN? ANY OTHER FAVORITE MEMORIES?
I had the privilege to contribute to four state championship teams during my time at Wesleyan, and each one was so unique. My favorite memory is winning that 4th state championship with my sister, Maggie Smith ‘11, setting. Getting to celebrate that state championship together was so special. My other favorite volleyball-related memory is getting to come back and cheer on the 2013 state championship team after being their coach at camp that summer.
charles mack
university of virginia football graduate assistant coach
SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORY – WHAT EXPERIENCES OR OPPORTUNITIES LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Growing up, I was always involved in the game of football. I always looked up to my coaches as mentors, leaders, and role models for good character. After graduating from the University of Richmond, I knew I wanted to stay involved in the world of football and leave a lasting impact like the men before me did. After working for a few years in various areas of college athletics like events, operations, and recruiting, I received the opportunity to be a graduate assistant coach for the football team at the University of Virginia. After earning my master’s degree, I hope to take my experiences to full-time coaching.
WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?
Student-athlete development is the most rewarding part of what I do. I believe the game of football builds strong men in more ways than physical strength. So many young men gain access to higher education through the sport, and as a coach, we have the opportunity to help them visualize what success means to them, their goals, their family, and their career beyond their sport.
WHAT WESLEYAN TEACHER HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON YOU?
Mr. Franklin Pridgen, high school social science teacher and head varsity football coach, was someone that I could always come to when I needed advice or support. Mr. Marc Khedouri, assistant head of school for advancement and assistant varsity football coach, provided me with that “tough love,” and he pushed me to see how great I could be and never let me settle.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOTBALL MEMORY FROM WESLEYAN? ANY OTHER FAVORITE MEMORIES?
My favorite memory is having the opportunity to play alongside my brother, Jordan Mack ‘16! Being able to celebrate our achievements on the field together is a memory I will always cherish. I am truly grateful for the experiences, faculty, and coaches that supported my dreams and helped me get to where I am today.
caramia tsirigos
digital specialist for nike
SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORY – WHAT EXPERIENCES OR OPPORTUNITIES LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
After completing my career as a student-athlete playing softball at Indiana University, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in sports industry management at Georgetown University. While there, I worked three jobs: at the local Nike retail store, as a social media intern at an editorial startup SportTechie, and as a hitting instructor. I had always had big dreams of working in sports and hoped one day it would lead me to Nike corporate. When the MLB All-Star Game came to D.C., I volunteered with the hope of networking myself into a job in baseball. As luck would have it, my introductions lead me to a job at Blast Motion, a sports tech startup in southern California. After almost three years at Blast Motion and a boss who pushed me to expand my social media skills into digital marketing and branding, I landed a job with my dream company, Nike. Life is funny that way. You can make all the plans you want, but I would not be where I am today without the support of my family, my friends, and my faith.
WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LOOK LIKE?
As a digital specialist, I work specifically with our Footlocker account. We aim to bridge the gap to bring our Nike marketing priorities and stories to our partners. Oftentimes, we are tracking product launches to make sure we have digital marketing campaigns to support the launch, meeting with our internal marketing teams to align on messaging, or meeting with outside agencies to prepare for an upcoming signature athlete launch or story to go live on our Footlocker digital channels.
WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?
Because I spent much of my young career trying to learn, grow, and network, at times, I lost sight of the joy in the journey. Reflecting now, the most rewarding part is seeing how far I have come and the people that have stuck by me through it all. My hope for the future is to have a positive impact on the people and communities that I have the opportunity to work with.
WHAT WESLEYAN TEACHER HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON YOU?
For me, Mrs. Ashley Stainback, high school math teacher and grade chair, was someone who had a profound impact on my life. Her influence inside and outside of the classroom was what made her so special. High school was not always easy. It was a time of transformation. Mrs. Stainback was the guiding voice and light in my life back then. She was always there to tell me the hard truth, even when I didn’t want to hear it, and she pushed me to be better with my attitude and the way I carried myself. Whether she knows it or not, she invested herself in my growth so much so that for the first time I understood how much impact my words, attitude, and demeanor could have on the people around me. She attended many of my home softball and basketball games. Mrs. Stainback may not remember
all the hard conversations she had with me, but her influence allowed me to grow. I would not be the woman I am today without her.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM WESLEYAN ATHLETICS? ANY OTHER FAVORITE MEMORIES?
Wow, there are so many great memories. During my senior year, we were in the state championship for softball. In the final inning, I came to bat for the last time in my high school career and hit one of the longest home runs in my life. The home run was secondary to the support I felt from my teammates and family. I still have a video that my dad shot from the stands. You can hear him cheering. He passed away from cancer just about a year later, so that memory and my Wesleyan family made the homerun even more special.
vic moore
ceo of aquatic jets club
SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORY- WHAT EXPERIENCES OR OPPORTUNITIES LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
As a student at Wesleyan, I was involved in all kinds of activities – I lettered in swimming, football, soccer, cross country, and track and field, and I even lettered for being the statistician for the basketball team. I was also involved in men’s chorus ensemble and various theater productions, and I learned the value of multi-activity training compared to single-activity specialization.
After graduating from Wesleyan, I earned a spot on a college team where I competed and placed at NJCAA Nationals and was co-captain of a national runner-up team my second year, while also working as an assistant for the local youth swim team.
I returned to Atlanta for graduate school and served as a community coach for Wesleyan football, swimming, and track and field.
Since the fall of 2018, I have served as the CEO of the Jets Aquatic Club, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit specializing in providing swim programming to northeast Arkansas. I manage and direct day-to-day business operations, create and monitor monthly and annual budgets, oversee all Jets employees, fundraise, engage with the local business community, recruit and retain participants, and have a lot of lunch meetings. Additionally, I serve as head coach, so I train 25-30 elite athletes ranging from 10 to 40 years of age and work directly with assistant coaches to ensure development of future talent.
WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?
I have had the unique blessing to do for my athletes what Wesleyan coaches did for me as a student. I have so many kids who are doing good things in adulthood after I coached them, and that is incredibly rewarding and validating.
WHAT WESLEYAN TEACHER HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON YOU?
During my time at Wesleyan, there were many employees who were impactful, and some of the best teaching came from people other than teachers. Mr. Willie Omotoso on the facilities team was an incredible man who provided positivity, and he is a great listener. One of the most impactful teachers while I was at Wesleyan was Mr. Brian Kennerly, former high school principal and assistant head of school for external affairs. Without Mr. Kennerly, I would not have made it out of Wesleyan. He was a constant believer in my potential.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SWIMMING MEMORY FROM WESLEYAN? ANY OTHER FAVORITE MEMORIES?
Swimming in the 400-yard freestyle relay at the state meet my senior year is my favorite swimming memory. Before the race, I had made my peace with being done with competitive interscholastic sports and was ready to go all-in; however, after that race, I celebrated with teammates and then went upstairs and told my mom that I was not done with swimming and that I wanted to swim in college. She helped me find a school, I called the coach, who then invited me to a recruiting trip, and the course was set.
One of the most special things in my coaching career was working with a talented group of Wesleyan swimmers who took turns knocking my name off the record board. They steadily ended my legacy and made sure to tell me every time one of my records went down. Records are made to be broken, and it was so special to share in their excitement as they rewrote the record books and removed my friends and me from the record boards.
carter hall
SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORY – WHAT EXPERIENCES OR OPPORTUNITIES LED YOU TO YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
My story really started the day I was born. I’ve had the privilege of watching my dad coach at Georgia Tech since the day I was born. The days spent on that campus growing up and as a student-athlete are where my passion blossomed. After a spinal fusion my junior year at Georgia Tech, I knew my playing career was over, and I started to inquire about potential jobs in Major League Baseball front offices. I ultimately landed with the Toronto Blue Jays working in amateur scouting and player development. Recently, I just started at Excel Sports Management as a Major League Baseball certified agent in New York City. It was an opportunity to learn from one of the most respected agents in the industry, Casey Close, and continue to impact players’ lives on and off the field.
WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LOOK LIKE?
The cool part about my job is that my day-to-day changes a lot throughout the year. In the spring and summer, I am typically attending high school or college games to identify the top players in that year’s draft and recruit them as clients. In the fall and winter, the focus shifts toward arbitration and free agent negotiations. Throughout the entire year, client relations are always at the forefront of what we do. We want to ensure that our clients needs are consistently being met both on field and off the field.
WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR CAREER?
The most rewarding part of my career is seeing people achieve their dreams. I’m in a unique position where I get to see the entirety of the player’s journey to the major leagues. Evaluating players as amateurs, seeing their lives change in the draft, and then helping them develop into big leaguers is extremely rewarding. Being a small part of that journey is an absolute honor.
WHAT WESLEYAN TEACHER HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON YOU?
This might be against the rules, but can I mention two? The first is Mr. Greg Lisson, director of Christian life, who coached my eighth grade basketball team and was the class of 2015 Bible study leader for many years. Other than my parents, there is no person that has had such a profound impact on my faith. He really helped shape where my faith is today and is someone that I will always look up to. The other is Mr. Brian Krehmeyer, high school social sciences teacher and head varsity baseball coach. He taught me so many valuable life lessons throughout my four years with him. He empowered me to be myself on the field and helped me grow as a person off it. I’m forever thankful for these two.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BASEBALL MEMORY FROM WESLEYAN? ANY OTHER FAVORITE MEMORIES?
My favorite Wesleyan baseball memory is winning the state championship in 2015. To this day, I’ve never been around a closer group of players, and I’m so proud to call each one of them my brother. Also, winning it all in front of our home fans was such a unique experience. To be able to see and thank all the teachers, students, and fans that supported us our entire careers was the cherry on top. ■
