I joined the Women in Sport Association (WISA) during my fall semester at FSU, wanting to learn more about expanding women’s roles in sports and the impact of women’s sports across the board. WISA is a relatively young organization at FSU, having been established only 4 years ago. So far, WISA has brought together women from many majors whose goals are to work in sports marketing, business, health, and finance.
What is WISA at FSU?
When asked about her goals for WISA and what it means to her, WISA president, Olyvia Collins, shared that “At WISA, we aim to create a supportive community for women interested in sports where members can expand their network, develop mentorship opportunities, empower women, and educate all involved.”
Collins also shared that the yearly event is important to bring together people both inside and outside of WISA and create meaningful connections to many different types of industry professionals, highlighting the changing opportunities within the sports field.
WISA Sponsor and FSU faculty member Dr. Anna Posbergh is a prominent feminist researcher whose work focuses on representation and policy surrounding women athletes. This semester, she’s shown us at WISA that women have a bright future in sports, praising the club members for embracing her favorite phrase, “collaboration and connection over competition.”
On April 7, WISA hosted its second annual Women in Sports Symposium, composed of three panels that came together to teach us about sports administration, media, coaching, finance, development, and recruiting. They shared how we can grow and make connections as we move towards our career goals.
Panel 1: Shaping The Game
The first panel of the day was led by Mackenzie Plaskey, the associate head coach of the Florida State Women’s Lacrosse Team, and Morgan Azeez, the Director of Creative Content for Women’s Basketball at FSU.
Plaskey is new to the Seminole family, building an FSU women’s lacrosse team from scratch and with this role she emphasized building relationships with her athletes as well as following the vision of head coach, Sara Tisdale.
Azeez also follows the vision of a head coach as she manages the content of the women’s basketball team. She expressed that her creativity still comes from the messaging of her head coach, administrators, and the Florida State brand.
With such valuable experience, both Azeez and Plaskey made sure to advise us to diversify not only our experience but also to diversify our networks. They expressed that knowing different people from different industries can help you go far, as well as trying new things in different areas that you may not be as invested in.
Panel 2: Beyond The Game
The next panel of the day introduced us to Devynn Merriman and Sarah Petroino. Devynn Merriman is the director of football finance at FSU, managing the millions that go into our program, and Sarah Petroino is the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development at FSU, working with student athletes and the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee to help them develop their leadership skills and career goals following their education at FSU.
Merriman has financial experience with multiple sports, explaining that there is significantly more money involved in the behind-the-scenes action of football than in other sports, drawing her towards that level of action.
Establishing budgets for recruiting and travel, she manages large and small tasks with confidence, emphasizing that you must believe in yourself and your skills when you’re at such a high level and dealing with money.
Petroino has more direct contact with athletes at Florida State and uses her own experiences as a previous Seminole volleyball player to connect and form meaningful connections with the hundreds of athletes she’s in charge of. Reflecting on her role with individual student athletes and teams, Petroino expressed that, “We want an athletic department that is more than just jerseys.”
When asked about the changes that they wish to see in women’s involvement regarding athletics, Petroino expresses that there are trade-offs that have to be made with mothers and that rather than try to prove ourselves, we have to ask for the help and draw the lines, where they are needed, especially in such a competitive and hierarchical environment like sports.
Merriman mentioned that she’s heavily encouraged by organizations like WISA and all the leaps that have been made by women athletes and coaches. Both speakers encouraged us to show off what we know and push ourselves to show that we’re the best when we’re given the opportunity.
Panel 3: The Business of Sports
The final panel focused heavily on the business partnership area, bringing Ashley Bishop, the senior manager of membership for the Florida Panthers, and Jennifer Hanson, head of partnerships and sponsorships at League One Volleyball (LOVB). Both FSU alumni, they’re no strangers to managing a brand, but coming from an established team like the Florida Panthers and a brand-new league like LOVB, Bishop and Hanson were able to offer two amazing perspectives on managing relationships and partnerships with business partners and fans.
Hanson has valuable experience with established leagues, giving her perfect expertise to attract people to one of the fastest-growing sports in America. Hanson shared that in her previous experience, she was sometimes the only woman in the room, but that she can tap into those experiences to help her thrive. With such a young league like LOVB, Hanson also emphasizes being prepared for every day as it comes and partners with those who have those same beliefs and passions.
Bishop agreed heavily with that daily preparedness, as the human aspect of her job allows her to tap into the marketable experiences that separate sports from other industries. Part of her job is creating memories for people and bringing them into the organization and the family making up the fanbase of the Florida Panthers.
My experience at the WISA Symposium was invaluable. I learned so much about roles that were foreign to me and about roles I thought I knew. Seeing women who started at FSU reflect on their careers and successes was truly inspiring, and WISA has given me an amazing opportunity to connect with so many influential women who have shown the value of skill, connection, and hard work.
As a member of WISA and as an FSU student, I look forward to next year’s symposium and all I can continue to learn from the amazing women at WISA.
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