Megan's Blog

Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be

Theory Application Blog

Katherine “Kat” Voster

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Director of Student-Athlete Recruitment

On Friday October 20, 2017, I had the opportunity to sit down with Katherine Vosters and talk about her experience working in intercollegiate athletics. Her path is different compared to many professionals in athletics, in that she has consistently stay at the same institution. Kat has been with the University of Wisconsin-Madison for nine years, and recently changed positions within the athletic department.

Katherine Vosters grew up locally in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. She attened UW-Madison where she earned her degree in Communication Arts and a certificate in Gender and Women Studies. During her time at UW-Madison, Kat was a team manager for four seasons, and during her junior and senior year took on more responsibilities as lead manager for the men’s basketball team. After taking on more responsibilities, she became the program assistant then transitioned into being director of basketball operations for the men’s basketball team. Kat was in the role of program director for four seasons, until recently where they created a new position for her. In her current role, she works with coaches on how to stay competitive with other universities during the recruitment process and how we can incorporate those tools in recruiting future student-athletes.

8 things I learned from Kat:

1. For every great opportunity is 100 normal days (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). I had asked Kat about her experiences being the Director of Men’s Basketball, and the great opportunities that were given during this time. She was able to travel to Hawaii, and sit the bench for the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship game. Even though she was given all these great opportunities, many people who go into athletics think these experiences will happen more often. You need to put in as much effort during the slow or regular work days as you do for the opportunities.

2. Speak up for yourself (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). As her time as team manager for the men’s basketball team she was under head coach Bo Ryan. Kat mentioned that he pushed her to speak up for herself, and not to feel like she didn’t have a voice (personal communication, October 20, 2017). I am currently learning how to speak up in voicing my thoughts and opinions in and outside of my professional career. This point leads us into tip number three.

3. Ask for what you want (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). When Kat was a team manager, she mentioned how Bo still pushed her to ask for what she wanted, and to take on more responsibilities (personal communication, October 20, 2017). If she would have not spoken up and asked for more responsibilities, then she isn’t sure where she would be in her career. Again, this is another piece of advice that I need to use more in my professional career. I am starting to learn that there is no harm in asking because the worst answer you can get is no. One statement that I am starting to utilize in my life is if you never ask, then you will never know.

4. Athletics is more than being part of the big games (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). Working in athletics is more than just getting to be a part of great opportunities. Even though she was in attendance for the national championship game, she was there as a professional representing the university and watching the game as a fan.

5. Working in athletics is a 24/7 job (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). If you’re looking for a traditional nine to five job, then working in athletics may not be for you. When working with the men’s basketball team, Kat was consistently traveling, and working nights and weekends. She mentioned how she likes to travel, but feels that she has moved past that part in her life (personal communication, October 20, 2017). Many professionals who work in athletics are consistently moving to different locations, which is something that I will have to consider when apply for jobs.

6. Be personable with student-athletes (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). During her time with the men’s basketball team, Kat spent more time with players and coaches then she did with own family. When working with student-athletes you must understand that everyone has a different personalility so how you interact with one player might not be the same for another (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). In this profession I will be spending a lot of time working with athletes, so it’s important that I understand that the same techniques for one athlete might not work for another.

7. Stay connected with others (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). In her new role in recruiting, Kat is currently connecting with other professionals in the field to understand what they do to recruit student-athletes. Most of these connections are from schools outside of the conference. Kat mentioned that most people who work in athletics are willing to help each other out, and want to see others be successful (personal communication, October 20, 2017).

8. Do your current job (K. Vosters, personal communication, October 20, 2017). I had heard this statement during a recent conference and Kat agreed with it. In this fast paced world, everyone is looking to get ahead as fast as they can, and this is no different in the workplace. I feel that a lot of professionals are always trying to promote their careers without gaining meaningful experiences in their current roles. Kat mentioned how you can’t always be searching for opportunities, and just have to trust that good things will come with the work that you put in (personal communication, October 20, 2017).

Final Thoughts

Although Kat mentioned that she doesn’t use many theories in her everyday work, she did stress the importance putting the student-athletes needs before athletics (personal communication, October 20, 2017). The student-athlete development aspect is something that Kat works with everyday. She continues to stay connected with past student-athletes by taking the time to check in with them.

I would like to thank Katerine Voster again for sitting down and sharing her experiences with me. If you would like to learn more about Kat or more about UW-Madison athletics, click on the links below!

Vosters named Director of Student-Athlete Recruitment. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2017, from http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2017/8/7/general-vosters-named-director- of-student-athlete-recruitment.aspx

Wisconsin Athletics. (n.d.). Retrieved October 31, 2017, from http://www.uwbadgers.com/

First blog post

This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it, or start a new post. If you like, use this post to tell readers why you started this blog and what you plan to do with it.