50+ Sports Planners & Places To Watch In 2009
By Michelle Martin
“Be willing to take risks and take on responsibilities that challenge you to grow.” That’s the advice that Ann Cody, director of partnerships and public policy for BlazeSports America, said she would give to new sports event planners. But it could also describe how Cody and the other industry professionals profiled in SportsEvents magazine’s “Planners & Places To Watch In 2009” special feature have earned the respect of their industry peers who nominated them for the special feature.
The sports event planners featured in this spotlight have garnered attention in the industry for their ability to recognize and rise above the various challenges of running sports events, for their innovative and creative approaches to planning and executing sports events, for their ability to inspire others, for their dedication to their jobs, and for their passion for sports—for providing opportunities for thousands of youth and adults to compete in the sports they love as well. As one planner said, “I am not looking for a pat on the back. I like my job and just want to put on solid, successful sports events.”
Places To Watch In 2009
For many sport event organizers, site selection is one of the most important tasks of the job because the perfect venue and destination is one of the foundations for a successful event. So, this year, when we put the call out to readers to nominate sports-friendly destinations and venues for SportsEvents’ inaugural “Readers’ Choice Awards,” we asked them to recommend only the best.