(From left) Kaitie Harrison, Ali Teopas and Alie Marousek pose amongst statues in the NCAA's Hall of Champions during the 2013 NCAA Career in Sports Forum.

Springfield, Ohio — For the third straight year, two Wittenberg University student-athletes were selected to participate in the annual NCAA Career in Sports Forum with nearly 300 student-athletes representing schools throughout the nation and across all three NCAA divisions. 

To be selected to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum, which ran from June 8-11 in Indianapolis, Ind., student-athletes must be nominated by their academic advisor and complete an application that includes essay questions about their goals, passions and career aspirations. At the end of the process, senior softball infielder Kaitie Harrison (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) and senior women’s lacrosse midfielder Alie Marousek (Ballston Lake, NY/Portsmouth (NH)) were selected to gain a closer look at their chosen field. 

Harrison and Marousek are both interested in the coaching profession. Both said they learned a great deal at the forum as they prepare for life after Wittenberg. 

“Lacrosse has always been a passion of mine since I began playing, and now that my career as an athlete is about to end, I saw this as an opportunity to find what the next step can be within the sports realm,” said Marousek, who has earned All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) in each of her two seasons in the Red & White. “With this sport being one of the fastest growing in the nation, it interests me to see where it will go and what I can be involved in. 

“From this forum, I was given the opportunity to learn more about myself, such as what my core values are and also how I can better relate to others.” 

Participants are taught the value of networking during the forum, and they are encouraged to apply the lessons immediately. The networking starts during the conference, which featured four days of talks and group sessions, covering such topics as non-traditional careers in athletics, best practices in athletics administration, personal and professional branding, resources for applying to graduate school and the hiring process. 

Marousek and Harrison were joined at the forum by Ali Teopas, Wittenberg’s assistant director of athletics for external relations who recently resigned to accept a position with the NCAA. She served as a facilitator for group discussions, “passing on my light and knowledge to the future of college coaching and administration.” 

To prepare for a professional future in athletics, participants learned how to assess personal values and set goals. Speakers and panelists offered their perspectives on the industry, and participants were given opportunities to assess their leadership styles.

Marousek and Harrison said they already have ideas about how to utilize the information provided during the forum. 

“As a rising senior, I don’t have much time to get to thinking about my career,” said Harrison, who led the Tiger softball team in 2013 with a .390 batting average and 25 runs batted in. “For this next year, I plan on volunteering more on and around campus and seizing more of the opportunities that are given to me. I also plan on looking for internships for the future and building my resume and improving my interviewing skills.

“I also plan on just enjoying the rest of my time here at Wittenberg. I only have one more year to do well in my classes and play the sport that I love. On the last day (of the forum), we were told to embrace the journey, and that is exactly what I intend to do!”