Colorado University Athletics
Buffs English, May Participate In NCAA Career Forum
June 08, 2016 | Herbst Academic Center, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Two University of Colorado student-athletes were recently among just 200 selected from across the nation to participate in the NCAA's annual Career in Sports Forum at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.
Lucy May (cross country/track and field) and Kelsey English (volleyball/track and field) both participated in the four-day event earlier this month. The forum, limited to seniors-to-be and recently graduated seniors, is designed to assist student-athletes begin charting their career paths while providing an opportunity to network and learn from current athletic professionals.
“It was extremely valuable,” said May, who will be a senior next year. “We learned a lot, we had the chance to hear a variety of speakers and everybody had a good message. There were a lot of great ideas and some really good discussions.”
May, a finance major, is the daughter of former CU Athletic Department administrator and current Saint Louis University Athletic Director Chris May. English — who lettered in volleyball and track at CU — is a recent grad who majored in sociology and psychology.
Both have their eyes on careers in sports, either as coaches or administrators — or both.
“One thing that was really important was all the discussion on transferrable skills,” English said. “You come into college expecting to play your sport and get good at that. But you may not realize until the end that you've been developing all these skills that are going to help you succeed in life, no matter what career you choose. You have this toolbox that you've developed, and you can take it with you.”
May grew up around college athletics, shadowing her dad to events for as long as she can remember. That experience, she said, has helped convince her that she would like to travel down a similar path.
“I've watched him help so many young people over the years, and I've seen how much he enjoys it,” May said. “It's definitely something that's had an influence on me. When I came in as an 18-year-old freshman, I had no idea what direction I really wanted to go. Now, I have a much better idea about what I want to do. I want to be one of the people that helps that freshman grow up into a graduate.”
The forum included a variety of speakers and panelists in large, general sessions, as well as small-group classroom discussions. Topics included how personal values intersect with career opportunities, how behavioral styles impact individual effectiveness, professional and career development information, and the role of an intercollegiate athletic administrator.
“We really learned a lot in the time we were there,” English said. “One big takeaway was networking, and how important it is. To get where you want to go, you need to find people who can help you move in that direction. You have to start finding 'ins' to the outlet that you are looking for.”
English hopes to spend at least a year playing professional volleyball in Europe before embarking on a coaching career. May said she's considering either coaching or entering the sports administration world upon graduation.
But both said their athletic careers have proven to be beneficial to their academic performances.
“You learn discipline, work ethic — all those things,” May said. “Being around Coach (Mark) Wetmore and Coach (Heather) Burroughs, they instill a work ethic in you that encourages you to be the best you can be in every part of your life. That's been a huge takeaway from me from being a student-athlete, and those are the kinds of things that will definitely transfer into the workforce after I graduate.”
English said the schedule required of a competitive athlete in an academic environment has been the perfect match.
“Developing that discipline and dedication has definitely helped,” English said. “Knowing how to meet deadlines, learning time management, developing priorities — those are all things very relatable to a career.”
May and English were selected from nearly 1,000 applicants and were two of the four participants invited to attend from the Pac-12 Conference. They were nominated by Dave Callan, CU's Director of Student-Athlete Leadership.
Players Mentioned
