Sports Marketing: Jared Lowe gives students a chance to experience a combination of business and sports
Although it’s coming to an end, the first hour class that teacher Jared Lowe has taught this first semester is unlike any other FHC offers. Sports Marketing has been an elective at FHC for three years now. The class offers an insight into the business world of sports. The class is open for all grades and does not require any classes to be taken prior. However, Sports Marketing is not some blow off elective. Lowe has pushed his students to put their best foot forward.
“Being punctual, meeting deadlines, staying organized, being able to communicate well, and having the ability to network are all important skills regardless of your career choice,” Lowe said. “As an instructor, I believe if we don’t focus and teach students these skills, then we are doing them a disservice and not preparing them for life beyond FHC.”
It is easy to realize that Lowe cares about his students. Senior Kevin Conn, who plans on attending Tennessee University next fall for Sports Management, has appreciated Lowe’s urgency to push him to be a better student.
“Mr. Lowe is a very extraordinary person, in a good way,” Kevin said. “He’s a lot different than other teachers; he really makes sure that you excel at your work. The thing that makes him so good is that he always wants your best. He’s taught me that if you give it an average try, then you’ll get a mediocre grade. If you go over and beyond, and actually put a lot of work into something, then it’s going to be a lot better of a result.”
Kevin was not the only one who felt this way about Lowe. Junior Jace Thornton echoed Kevin’s praise for Lowe as being more than just a teacher.
“I think [Lowe] really pushes us to be the best that we can be,” Jace said. “For instance, I may not have been the best presenter. Now, since we’ve done it so often, he’s pushed me to be the best that I can be.”
Most of Sports Marketing is presenting projects and doing business-like activities. There are no tests throughout the year, so that is why Lowe expects his students to give their projects plenty of attention. The class has offered plenty of in depth opportunities to represent the business side of sports.
“We had a lot of projects,” said junior Ryan Dunn who has explored the idea of going into a sports-related degree. “One of them that I remember specifically is when we created our own stadium foods. We had to come up with a new stadium food for a certain professional team, and we had to have it relate to the team somehow. It gave us a real-life, practical example of something in this line of work.”
Alongside learning inside the classroom, Lowe has had the chance to take his first hour class on field trips earlier in the year.
“We got to go on a field trip to Michigan State and see all of it’s facilities,” Jace said. “We saw the facilities that the football players were at. It was pretty cool.”
This class is filled with opportunities to explore the business world of sports. Ultimately, if you are intrigued by sports or business, this is the class for you. Especially with a teacher like Lowe who genuinely is preparing his students for careers after high school.
“I think putting your best foot forward and leading your life the right way is extremely important,” Lowe said. “Not all students in my Civics class are going to be politicians, and not all my Sports Marketing students will pursue careers in the sports industry. But, there are certain skills that are transferrable to any career.”
Peyton is currently a senior at FHC. This year Peyton has decided to become a Sports Reporter for The Central Trend. Peyton is deeply invested in sports....