Find out why a former Grissom softball player is studying Sport + Recreation Management now

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Alexis Lindsley has loved sports since she was a little girl. When it came time to decide on what to study in college, the BS in Sport + Recreation Management at the University of North Alabama (UNA) was the natural next step. Keep reading to hear her story and learn more about this unique program.

Meet Alexis Lindsley

Alexis Lindsley was born and raised in Huntsville and graduated from Grissom High School in 2019.

Growing up, she played volleyball and softball and furthered her passion for sports—it’s what she plans to do in her career and what she turns to for fun.

When it was time to decide what to study, she and her family had a lot of back and forth between sports management and physical education:

“We decided that physical education was not going to be a strong suit because I did not want to go into teaching. We decided on sports management because I wanted to keep that deep connection for sports and be able to transition my passion for sports into what I do as a career. We figured sports management would be a good way to do that because the possibilities in sport management are so broad that there are a lot of opportunities for me to show that passion.”

Alexis Lindsley

Lindsley is currently a senior at UNA, where she’s finishing up her last semester of classes before a required 400-hour internship. She’ll intern this summer with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, before graduating in August.

Doing her practicum with the Trash Pandas as part of the Sport + Recreation Management program

(l) Alexis Lindsley with Pierce Miles, who graduated from the UNA Sport + Recreation Management program in December 2022; (r) UNA’s football team heading onto the field for a game at Trash Panda Stadium (Sam Thigpen).

For the BS in Sport and Recreation Management, students have to complete a 90-hour practicum. While Lindsley was exploring options, she mentioned that she loved softball and enjoyed baseball, and one of her advisors suggested working with the Trash Pandas.

Not only do the Trash Pandas and UNA have a formal partnership, but the two organizations really do help each other out, whether by offering the Trash Pandas Stadium for a UNA game or helping UNA’s top talent find internships with the team.

Because Lindsley commutes from Huntsville to Florence for her classes on the UNA campus, a Huntsville/Madison-area practicum was perfect. She loved her time with the team so much, she’s planning to work with them again this summer.

UNA BS in Sport + Recreation Management

Lindsley had heard a lot about the UNA Sport Management Program and how it was growing. The program’s affordability put her goal of graduating from college as debt-free as possible within reach. Once she got there, she was super-excited she chose UNA.

“The connections I’ve made through the Sport Management Program have been mind-blowing. For example, one of my professors used to be the athletic director here at UNA. He’s able to give us inside information from his experiences, as well as help us get to places where we might want to do internships with the connections he’s made over the years.

That has been amazing, because he got me into the National Collegiate Sport Sales Competition, which has opened up an endless variety of possibilities for me to further my career.”

Alexis Lindsley

• Department: Kinesiology
• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Sport + Recreation Management (SRM)—Sport Management Concentration now offered online!
• What: This program prepares students for key sectors in the athletics industry, including:
  • Professional sport teams
  • Agencies
  • Event operations
  • Sales 
• Courses
• Instruction: Full-time faculty + industry specialists
• Request information

Finally, Lindsley had this to say for anyone who’s considering the program:

“There’s no better program. It’s all worthwhile because of the networking capabilities, the connections and the real life experience you get, and it helps you prepare for your future career.

The teachers really care about you. You’ll have tight-knit relationships, even in class, and they’ll take the time to get to know you and help you get to where you want to be.”

Alexis Lindsley

Take the first step toward your new career. Request information or apply to the BS in Sport + Recreation Management today.

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