The Portland Timbers and Thorns are our local professional soccer teams in the beautiful Rose City. We are a part of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), respectively. Most recently, the organization has grown to include a United Soccer League (USL) team, T2. Being a student at the University of Portland, the addition of T2 has been rather exciting given that they play their home matches at Merlo Field.
Being an Administration and Finance/Human Resources intern, I have the privilege of wearing many hats. From working closely with the Executive Assistant to the CEO and President, to being of assistance to multiple departments throughout the organization, I work with a wide array of people. Some of my ongoing projects include: maintaining a database for employee ticket requests, researching and booking travel for the executive team, working the reception office on game-days, assisting with on field promotions during half-time, and helping oversee the internship program by reviewing applications and conducting phone interviews.
This is not my first internship with the Timbers which speaks very highly of the company. I first joined the organization during the 2013 season as a Youth Operations/Soccer Camps intern. I loved the people and the company, and it drew me back this year. The thing I most enjoy about working for the Timbers is that I am given the ability to assist in areas that I find interesting. Not only do I get to explore different fields but also I am given responsibilities aside from the typical intern duties. For example, I was interested in the HR field, which led me to assisting our HR director with the internship process. I enjoy event planning and have some background in it. When the opportunity arose to help with the planning of our Intern Workshops, I jumped right it. Additionally, the company is rather on the small side compared to other professional sports teams. With that said, I have been able to interact and work with staff at all management levels, which has allowed me to assist in their different departments.
I have been in my role coming up on 6 months now. One of the most important things I have learned is how to network better! Whether that is via informational interviews or offering my help in departments outside of mine, I have tried to get as much face-time as I can with the staff. I have also learned to be confident in my abilities and the skills I bring to the team. Nothing ever goes according to plan (especially in pro sports!), so I have become a lot better at making good decisions on the fly. Lastly, I have seen what goes into making a pro-sports team run on the back end of things. Being a spectator at a match, you have no clue how many early mornings and late nights go into executing a single match. Kudos to all my co-workers who make it happen! Reflecting back on my time with the Timbers, I have realized that professional sports are where I want to start my career. I have grown to love the fast-paced, unpredictable, and eccentric atmosphere that is in the sports industry. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the team this year and cannot wait to continue on through the season. #RCTID
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Stacy Sanchez, Senior
Marketing Major