College Experiences That Helped a Managing Director at Street Soccer USA Succeed
Being a Division 1 athlete provided invaluable experiences that set Lisa up for career success, teaching the importance of teamwork, leadership, and understanding team dynamics, where learning to contribute to a team culture – even without being the leader – became crucial, especially when encountering colleagues who hadn't developed such skills through sports. While college instilled a strong work ethic, the advice is to leverage college resources to define clear post-graduation goals because, upon finishing school, one might be "ready to work really hard" but lack direction and the ability to build a routine outside the structure of college.
Teamwork, Leadership, Work Ethic, Goal Setting, Personal Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lisa Wrightsman
Managing Director
Street Soccer USA
Sacramento State
Communications
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Being a scholarship athlete provided a strong connection to the school and opportunities to meet diverse people, enhancing the college experience beyond academics.
2. College athletics and academics instilled a strong work ethic and the ability to handle challenging situations, making post-college jobs feel comparatively easier.
3. Participation in team sports cultivates essential skills such as teamwork, leadership, cultural contribution, and collaboration with diverse individuals towards a common goal, which are valuable in professional settings.
Transcript
What did you do in college to set you up for success in your career?
Being a scholarship athlete was an incredible way to experience college. It truly connected me to the school in a way I might not have experienced otherwise.
I met many different people I wouldn't have normally encountered. Being part of a team, leading, and being a teammate really challenged me physically. I worked very hard in college, balancing athletics, academics, and part-time jobs.
No job I've had since college has been harder. It actually felt easier than what I was already doing. I'd advise challenging yourself in college while you have the infrastructure and routines in place, and you're not creating them from scratch.
Know your capacity and threshold for effort. Use the people around you, like trusted teachers and counselors, to help shape your goals for after graduation. I had the work ethic and could work hard for a long time, but I lacked direction.
After finishing school, I was ready to work hard but didn't know how to build routines or infrastructure. I also didn't know how to connect with anything outside of my sport. However, I did learn how to operate in a team and understand the value of culture and contributing to it.
I learned how to strengthen a team even when not in a leadership role. When I started working outside of college, many colleagues hadn't played sports, and you could see they hadn't learned some of those skills. This included knowing when to lead, when to contribute, and how to get along with diverse individuals toward a common goal.
If you don't have an environment like that in your life, create one. Join a club or something that challenges you to work with others toward a goal. This will also push you out of your comfort zone.
Advizer Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-wrightsman-b8253b38/, @lisa.wrightsman, @streetsoccersac, @up_ssusa_park