Football Clinics!

One of the most fun events I have attended during my internship so far was a football clinic on June 6th in the North Side. This clinic is a hit with rookies and vets alike year after year while teaming up with Urban Impact. Urban Impact strives to invest in the lives of at-risk children, youth and their families in the North Side of the city. Hundreds of kids of all ages attend the event. At the beginning of the clinic, the players all have a chance to speak to the kids and families (families watched from the bleachers while the kids were on the field) about what giving back to the community means to them, as well as some personal stories from the players. After the national anthem and a group prayer, kids are split up into different groups based on age. The players man the stations, with about four players at each station. Watching the players interact with the kids, and vice versa, was a fun experience! You could tell that all of the kids had a blast at every station (and the players definitely helped with that)! The kids learned different football drills at every station; everything from pass drills to sprints. Giving back to the community is something the Steelers are passionate about, and having fun while doing so makes the experience all the better for all involved!

Exciting First Week!

A grand tour of the South Side Steelers offices was first on the list for my first day of interning! Getting to see everything from the coaches offices to draft rooms to the weight rooms to the practice field had me feeling more comfortable about where I will be spending a lot of my time this summer before training camp starts. Hearing what the guys listen to music wise everyday while working out is always a fun game (p.s. it’s everything from Ariana Grande to Kenny Chesney to The Weeknd, and there’s theme genre days). Have you ever seen James Harrison lifting in real life and not online? That’s what I walked past during my first tour of the building (it’s really a sight to see because I’m pretty sure I would break every bone in my body trying to lift the amount of weight that he does).

The second day, I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Rookie Luncheon at the PNC Champions Club at Heinz Field. All of the rookies on the team attend, as well as Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin. The “big dogs” of PNC Bank and their top clients are also in attendance. One rookie sits at each table of clients. The Rookie of the Year award for the previous season is presented (this year it was presented to Sean Davis). After the luncheon, the clients have the opportunity for autographs and photos with the rookies and Coach. Even though it’s a little difficult to round up all of the guys before and after, the luncheon is a great experience for all in attendance.

Here We Go….

….Steelers, here we go! For my third internship through Point Park University, I am excited to announce that I have accepted an opportunity to be the Community Relations Intern at the Pittsburgh Steelers. I will be working under Jaime Greenwald and Stacie Lawrence. Community Relations deals with, you guessed it, the community! I will be assisting in handling donation requests, player appearances, autograph requests, new ideas for community involvement, and training camp (just to name a few)! With all of my internships, I have dealt mostly with the public; whether it be from all over the world at Disney World, or local music listeners at WSHH 99.7. However, this is a different type of public – sports fans. And living in Pittsburgh, we have some of the best and the most die-hard. This experience at the Steelers, I am sure, will be one I will never forget! I am very much looking forward to working for such a praised organization and I am excited to see what this summer brings!