Chris did not go down the path he envisioned for himself when he started his Masters at UBC. Instead the minor bumps along his way led him to a rewarding career as the Head of Athletics at St. Georges Senior School.
In the early 90’s Chris started his Masters in Human Kinetics, and he looked forward to working in the field of mental skills training / sport psychology with coaches and athletes at a professional level. However, when he realized it would mean having to complete a PhD to continue down this road, he rerouted his plans. By using the sport connections he had made through his volunteer and work experience Chris found his way into sports management.
Chris says “I soon realized that I was good at running small events for the Rugby Club in which I was involved.” His small successes quickly lead to bigger ones. “I continued to find rewards working with others to organize on-campus events, major tournaments and tours, as well as for the club itself.” But the place where Chris learnt and grasped the skills of problem solving, time management, communication, and setting out goals & strategies, were all at UBC. The valuable lessons he learned during his time at the School of Kinesiology are the things he now relies on a daily basis while working as the Head of Athletics. These lessons provided key skills that Chris states he relied on during his 15 years working at Sport BC – the governing body for the 60+ Provincial Sport Organizations in British Columbia
A few of Chris’s Favourite Pieces of Career Advice:
- Never burn any bridges, as you never know when you’ll cross paths with someone!
- Always be on time (even better, be a few minutes early!) for anything and everything as you only get one chance to make a first impression!
- Get involved as a volunteer – it’s a great way to find out about an organization or a business and to build on your network of contacts!
- Thank you cards matter!
- Do not expect a smooth career path – be ready to be flexible and take on new challenges as your environment evolves.
