Careers in Hockey: A collection of resources

[Kevin Forbes]

This has been brought up a few times (aka we should really have a sticky), but here goes:

First off, I would suggest not specializing at the start. That includes that Sports Management WorldWide course. I would advise taking that as supplemental to your regular education, not in any way replacing education. From what I've heard, the basis of the course linked in this thread is that it teaches you how to use Rinknet. Which is a skill, but certainly not the be all and end all. However, it might be worthwhile to explore simply based on the connections that the company claims to have.

Some degrees are fairly obvious depending on what part of the operation you want to work in:
Marketing ->Marketing
PR and Communications ->Public Relations
Trainer ->Kinesiology
Management ->Business, Business Admin, Law (specifically contract law, sports law)
Player Representation ->Law (specifically contract law, sports law), Business

At the beginning of this journey (and if you're just entering university, you're definitely at the beginning), you don't want to get too specialized too soon, focusing on tailoring yourself toward one particular job or not being able to find employment later on if your dream doesn't pan out.
Also look at Sport Management and Recreation Management courses

Scouting is a popular one because who doesn't want to get paid for watching hockey. It doesn't fit with the idea of a university education, but I would recommend making sure your knowledge of the game is top notch. Take a few coaching courses, things like that.

You're in class for maybe eight hours a day, so the major thing you can do, if you really want to pursue this path is figure out how to best use the other sixteen hours to put you closer to your goal. This advice is the same for any job, but its that extra work, be it extracurricular activities, extra courses on the side or what have you, that will help you in the long run.

The key thing to keep in mind is that the Hockey world is a very small one. The most recent example I remember hearing was that Ron Wilson was introduced to Brian Burke in college by Lou Lamoriello. A lot of it is about who you know and being in the right place at the right time. You'll probably have to start small, maybe not even full-time, maybe not even paid, before you can work your way up to actually make a living.

Finally, here's a crapload of links to these discussions before. Read them. All of them. There's a lot of tidbits of good information.

Sports Management World Wide School:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=222102

Working in Hockey/Sports:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=471798

Gare Joyce's Book on Scouting and the world of Hockey:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=458751

Scouting and Becoming a Scout:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=364679
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=363308
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=347681
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=253740
The Hockey News also has this great little feature this year called A Scout's Life: http://www.thehockeynews.com/listings/164-A-Scouts-Life.html

Video Scouting:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=511582

Click to read more...

 

[Kevin Forbes]

There comes a point in everyone’s life when it hits you that you need to figure out what you’re doing with yourself. Then, that realization fades as you log onto HFBoards to check and see if that third-line forward your team called up last week will be in the lineup tonight.

Eventually, you make the connection between your love of hockey and your need to get a life: maybe I could get paid by working in hockey!

So you want to work in the wild world of Hockey?

First things first, I must admit that I don’t make my living from working in hockey, so I am really in no place to give advice. Take any of this guidance with a grain of salt. It is merely meant to be a guide path of knowledge accumulated and shared on the message board and in other sources over the years.

Ignoring the obvious connections of how to work in hockey as a player, a coach, a broadcaster, a trainer, a team doctor and the ilk, the first thing to know is that a hockey team is a business and like any other business, there are a number of occupations that are the same no matter if it is a toy company, an insurance firm or a hockey team.

This are often the jobs advertised on NHL.com, ranging from positions in the marketing department, public relations, information technology and finance and accounting. Through those job postings on NHL.com, you’ll also find more sport specific jobs like ticket sales, account representatives and things like mascots and fan relations.

For the most part, these jobs have the same requirements and offer the same day-to-day schedule as they would in a conventional office.

Conventional office? Shmentional office!

The usual question is how to get a job in the hockey operations portion of a team. From an agent to a GM to a scout, the hockey operations are where most of the interest lies.

An agent needs to have a Law background, specifically contract and sports law. A background in Business doesn’t hurt either.

Someone in hockey management would also benefit from a legal and business background.

At the beginning of this journey (and if you're just entering university, you're definitely at the beginning), you don't want to get too specialized too soon, focusing on tailoring yourself toward one particular job or not being able to find employment later on if your dream doesn't pan out.

You might have heard of Sports Management WorldWide, a company that offers courses targeted toward sport and athlete management. I can’t vouch for their courses either way, as I have no experience in them (check the links at the bottom for some information from those who did take the courses), however, I would advise that if you do take them, do so as supplemental to your regular education, not in any way replacing education. These courses teach skills, but are certainly not the be all and end all. However, it might be worthwhile to explore simply based on the connections that the company claims to have. In the same breath, it would also be worthwhile to look at sport management and recreation management courses while you are at university.

But you didn’t mention scouting!

Scouting is a popular one because who doesn't want to get paid for watching hockey. It doesn't fit with the idea of a university education, but I would recommend making sure your knowledge of the game is top notch. Take a few coaching courses, things like that. Also check out the links at the end of this post for other reflections, thoughts and knowledge about scouting.

Starting the journey

You're in class for maybe eight hours a day, so the major thing you can do, if you really want to pursue this path is figure out how to best use the other sixteen hours to put you closer to your goal. This advice is the same for any job, but its that extra work, be it extracurricular activities, extra courses on the side or what have you, that will help you in the long run.

The key thing to keep in mind is that the hockey world is a very small one. I don’t say that to discourage you, only to make sure your plans are realistic. It’s often said that getting hired in any field is as much (if not more) who you know as opposed to what you know. The world of hockey is no different. Look at the scouting and management ranks of most teams and you’ll see names and faces that you recognize as former players or people involved in the sport for a long time. One of my favorite examples is that Ron Wilson was introduced to Brian Burke in college by Lou Lamoriello. A lot of being successful is about who you know and being in the right place at the right time.

If you really want it, a job in hockey is possible. It may not be the title of General Manager for your favorite team, but if you work hard enough in the right direction, you can get gainful employment in the world of hockey. Just keep in mind, that like anything, there will be sacrifices: You'll probably have to start small, maybe not even full-time, maybe not even paid, before you can work your way up to actually make a living. I strongly advise that you keep this in mind as you embark on this path.

Finally, here's a crapload of links to these discussions before. Read them. All of them. There are a lot of tidbits of good information.

Sports Management World Wide School:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=222102

Working in Hockey/Sports:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=471798
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=570942 - the thread that started this post

Gare Joyce's Book on Scouting and the world of Hockey:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=458751

Scouting and Becoming a Scout:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=364679
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=363308
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=347681
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=253740
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?p=14379892#post14379892
The Hockey News also has this great little feature this year called A Scout's Life: http://www.thehockeynews.com/listings/164-A-Scouts-Life.html

Video Scouting:
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=511582

Again, I am not gainfully employed by the hockey industry and do not take this as any sort of career advice. I'm in no way qualified to give that sort of advice. This is merely a collection of information to guide you towards exploring the opportunities that exist out there.
If any information is wrong, needs updating, dead links, etc. as well as any information that you wish to add, please let me know.

 

[jmor]

wow, thanks guys. Thats a lot more help then I had imagined. I'll be sure to read all the posts and see what path seems best.

greatly appreciated! I'm glad to see it's stickied since i'm sure i'm not the only one looking to get into the hockey business.

Thank you for all the help.

 

[Kevin Forbes]

I updated the stickied post to be a bit more comprehensive.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

Great post!

Really helpful for all us hoping to join the hockey-world one day!

 

[twolinepass]

it's not all that it's cracked up to be. from experience on the managerial side, the best performers are those that care more for other sports such as soccer/football/basketball. understanding that it is a year long business with a seasonal mindset is sometimes half the battle.

 

[kingpin_19]

Gare Joyce's book is incredibly insightful, and it enforces the idea that those that are connected can get in; eventually. First year University eh? Make connections and do well in school...connections are the most crucial element in gettin' in the hockey business...and ood marks are good for the transcript...which will be looked at for sure!

 

[KRM]

So, hijacking the thread somewhat, but I was just wondering what does it take to become and how much do NHL official personnel make? Not on ice officials, but guys working in the war room, and at the arenas and such. And how do you get in contact with them? I've been looking at different NHL teams available jobs and never seen anything even remotely close to it.

 

[RoyalAir]

This isn't what you're going to want to hear, but you need to hear it all the same. I know the anonymity of the Internet allows anyone to say and pretend to be whomever they choose, so all you can do is trust that what I'm saying is true.

I work in hockey, and have for about three and a half years. Not a terribly long time, to be sure, but long enough to have worked for three clubs in two leagues (yes, including the NHL). The number one thing that I tell anyone who wishes to get into this career is to understand and embrace the fact that you will be married to your job for the rest of your life. You will not work traditional hours, (a 40 hour work week is a distant, distant memory), you will barely make enough money to survive (introductory pay in most leagues is 16k-22k, USD), and, you will work for people who have no business running teams, esp. at the minor league level.

Also, go ahead and throw out the notion that you can/are willing to start working in management or a scout. Unless you're a former pro with a substantial contact network, you're not qualified. What you are qualified to do, however, is sell tickets. This is a daily routine of phone calls and meetings, plus game-night responsibilities that rarely actually include watching the game. You're going to be responsible for putting on the atmosphere/carnival aspect that is modern sports. Making the transition from ticket sales/corporate sales into management/hockey ops is no easy task, but it can be done so long as you stick around in the business long enough to meet the right people. But don't expect that to happen within your first 10-15 years in the business, if ever.

I don't mean to be gloom and doom. Honestly, I don't. But, I can tell you, that if I were going to be hiring for any position within my club, I would actually throw your resume OUT if you had any kind of online sports management training, because that's not this business, and it shows me that you're idealistic and don't really "get it." A sports management major needs to know that ticket sales is how he/she is going to make a living for him/herself, unless you can break in to PR (where I work), and even then you still have substantial sales responsibilities.

Look, it can be a lot of fun. There's a rush of excitement as the season starts, and you get to meet a lot of people and provide them with entertainment. It's a lot of fun for me to see small children at my games and know that I've helped make a hockey fan for life. But I question myself on a daily basis if it's worth it or not. If you're not absolutely in love with what you're doing, and willing to sacrifice everything else in your life for it, you will not succeed in sports. I know people who have lost marriages, fiancees, savings, and all sorts of relationships so that they can work in this business.

If you want it, go for it. I recommend working game nights for a team for free, and getting your foot in the door that way. Please PM me if there is anything that I could do for you.

 

[Riggins]

I want to be the ones of the stats dudes, updating scores on NHL.com. Talk about a sweet gig. Now how do I get THAT job.

 

[twolinepass]

royalair is a very wise person. a very honest person. how does your hockey widow deal with you not being around?

 

[Gardien2945]

Timekeeping in the NHL

I don't mean to change the flow of the discussion, but I was wondering how one could become a timekeeper in the NHL. I'm currently a timekeeper for a minor hockey association, and I'm also involved in tracking statistics during sporting events at the university level. Is it a matter of simply being involved and establishing a network, or could some formal training, along with some experience, prepare me for the position?

 

[Kevbeau]

I don't mean to change the flow of the discussion, but I was wondering how one could become a timekeeper in the NHL. I'm currently a timekeeper for a minor hockey association, and I'm also involved in tracking statistics during sporting events at the university level. Is it a matter of simply being involved and establishing a network, or could some formal training, along with some experience, prepare me for the position?

Yes, like these guys have said, you'll probably need to know someone who works on that crew or someone who works for the club who can throw your name in the ring. Also, as pro sports collects and tracks more and more stats, being computer literate is must. May not seem like a big deal to younger guys, but it was/is a sharp learning curve for the guys who have been around a while.

 

[shorre]

Yes, like these guys have said, you'll probably need to know someone who works on that crew or someone who works for the club who can throw your name in the ring. Also, as pro sports collects and tracks more and more stats, being computer literate is must. May not seem like a big deal to younger guys, but it was/is a sharp learning curve for the guys who have been around a while.

I have recently finished the SMWW hockey management course it is worth takin forsure.

I also scout for a junior team here in Ontario and having computer knowledge nowadays is amust. I am abit older so the old school of scouting is what I knew , although I had to learn some of the software it has made my job easier.

 

[KRM]

I don't mean to change the flow of the discussion, but I was wondering how one could become a timekeeper in the NHL. I'm currently a timekeeper for a minor hockey association, and I'm also involved in tracking statistics during sporting events at the university level. Is it a matter of simply being involved and establishing a network, or could some formal training, along with some experience, prepare me for the position?

Exactly what I'm interested in, I worked with stats during the WC in Quebec, but it would be awesome to do it at NHL level.

 

[Gardien2945]

Thanks for the feedback! I agree, it would be pretty cool to be a timekeeper or a stats compiler in the NHL.

 

[kruezer]

This isn't what you're going to want to hear, but you need to hear it all the same. I know the anonymity of the Internet allows anyone to say and pretend to be whomever they choose, so all you can do is trust that what I'm saying is true.

I work in hockey, and have for about three and a half years. Not a terribly long time, to be sure, but long enough to have worked for three clubs in two leagues (yes, including the NHL). The number one thing that I tell anyone who wishes to get into this career is to understand and embrace the fact that you will be married to your job for the rest of your life. You will not work traditional hours, (a 40 hour work week is a distant, distant memory), you will barely make enough money to survive (introductory pay in most leagues is 16k-22k, USD), and, you will work for people who have no business running teams, esp. at the minor league level.

Also, go ahead and throw out the notion that you can/are willing to start working in management or a scout. Unless you're a former pro with a substantial contact network, you're not qualified. What you are qualified to do, however, is sell tickets. This is a daily routine of phone calls and meetings, plus game-night responsibilities that rarely actually include watching the game. You're going to be responsible for putting on the atmosphere/carnival aspect that is modern sports. Making the transition from ticket sales/corporate sales into management/hockey ops is no easy task, but it can be done so long as you stick around in the business long enough to meet the right people. But don't expect that to happen within your first 10-15 years in the business, if ever.

I don't mean to be gloom and doom. Honestly, I don't. But, I can tell you, that if I were going to be hiring for any position within my club, I would actually throw your resume OUT if you had any kind of online sports management training, because that's not this business, and it shows me that you're idealistic and don't really "get it." A sports management major needs to know that ticket sales is how he/she is going to make a living for him/herself, unless you can break in to PR (where I work), and even then you still have substantial sales responsibilities.

Look, it can be a lot of fun. There's a rush of excitement as the season starts, and you get to meet a lot of people and provide them with entertainment. It's a lot of fun for me to see small children at my games and know that I've helped make a hockey fan for life. But I question myself on a daily basis if it's worth it or not. If you're not absolutely in love with what you're doing, and willing to sacrifice everything else in your life for it, you will not succeed in sports. I know people who have lost marriages, fiancees, savings, and all sorts of relationships so that they can work in this business.

If you want it, go for it. I recommend working game nights for a team for free, and getting your foot in the door that way. Please PM me if there is anything that I could do for you.

This is a brilliant post.

I took a degree in Sport Administration (not online, but from a University, I have an Honours BComm from it with a specialization in Sports Admin. I would recommend this over anything online, it gives you an easy fall back to have the training to work in another industry) and I had a lot of fun doing it, but if you really want to get into hockey (or sport in general) you need to be prepared to work awful hours and for very little pay (I decided to work not-for-profit instead, probably the only industry that is worse for pay/hours, but hey it feels good right? ).

If you want to work in sport though, sales is definitely the main entry point. When I was looking for work, corporate sales was definitely the easiest to get into, but its not my bag. To temper the negativity I will say that there is potential to break through in other places, I know people that are doing it in scouting, marketing, event management, game day ops, etc you just have to be willing to work for nothing to get your foot in the door (read about Jeff Twohey, he is a great example of someone whose persistence paid off in terms of scouting).

Also, don't just randomly apply to jobs, the odds of you getting something without a contact already there is severely limited in sport, it is surely one of the worst industries around for that. Network like crazy, attend any conferences/events you possibly can. Ask everyone you know about who they might know, be a little shameless.

I would recommend amateur over professional as well, working with amateur sport is much less cutthroat from my experience (in the paralympic/olympic stream) its a very good starting point at least.

I still regularly hear about open jobs in sport, if you are interested in what type of jobs might be available, you can definitely give me a PM as well.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I took the SMWW Hockey GM and Scouting course about two and a half years ago, so I'd imagine a fair bit has changed since then. I would hope it has made considerable improvments. There were basically three elements to the course when I took it:

-Understanding the background of player-owner relations, the NHLPA, Alan Eagleson, etc. For this we were given copies of "Money Players" and "Net Worth" to read. You can probably find them at your local library. You were also given a copy of the current CBA. A little premature I thought, but a good resource.

-RinkNet scouting software. You get introduced to it and taught how to use it, but it's not too complicated. As long as you are reasobaly competant with computers (which I would assume you already are) you can learn how to use it in an hour. (Again, this was the version from spring of 2006, maybe it's changed)

-Live chats once a week. Good for networking and meeting people, in theory. But we weren't connected with anybody of notable importance. Mainly EJ Hradek, who's a great guy and knows his stuff. But he's an online writer/analyst for ESPN, and was at one time a scout for the Dallas Stars I think, not exactly a "big name" that's going to get you into the business. Also Denis MacInnis from Ineternation Scouting Services. Sounded promising, but to the best of my knowledge ISS wasn't hiring anybody out of the program to do scouting for them. Maybe now that SMWW is more well-known, they've rounded up higher profile guests for their online chats.

All in all, I was disappointed with the program, but somebody who took it more recently can give you a better description of what the program now entails.


Unfortunately, hockey is just a bloody hard business to break into unless you're a former player. You can take all the courses and have all the hockey knowledge necessary. But if a fourth liner on the team, with no demonstrative hockey knowledge aside from playing the game, and no experience at any job besides working at McDonald's and playing hockey, decides he wants to be a scout, he's the one getting hired, not you. It's not fair, but it is what it is.

Looks like you're from Winnipeg. I'm sure there's plenty of local junior hockey in the area. Like others have said, volunteer for any position and get a feel for it. But have a Plan B, because unfortunately you're probably going to have to fall back on it. Since you're in university, whichever degree you end up with will likely provide many other career opportunities, so really you're in as decent a position as you can hope to be in.

I don't want to discourage you, but that's the way the hockey world seems to be. If you're driving through a blizzard to go scout a midget game two hours from home, ask yourself if can afford to be in that same position 10 years down the road. For every guy that did rise through the ranks and actually has a good job with a major professional club, there are hundreds that never get further than the scenario I outlined.

If you've ever considered a job in the media (I was at one point), right here at Hockey's Future is a great place to start. I wrote articles for them for a couple of years. If you've got good writing skills, and have an interest in writing about prospects, drop them a line. Can't say whether or not they're looking for new writers, but I'd say it's probable. You get to interact with the staff too, they're usually helpful and in good spirits, right Kevin?

 

[Kevin Forbes]

A lot of great advice here, thanks for everyone who continues to contribute. As can be seen, there's no book on how to get a job (in hockey or anywhere), but a lot of it comes down to hard work, how much you want it and who you know/using your contacts.

It might sound unfair, but the truth of the matter is that most jobs aren't advertised publicly. I've gotten quite a few jobs through people I know and people that know of me, where I was pretty much the only candidate and it was more whether I was a good fit as oppose to being the top resume in the stack. It's just how business rolls. That's not exclusive to hockey or sports in the least. It's good advice for anyone planning their future.

Can you get a job by applying for ads online or in the paper? Sure. But if you're focused on wanting a job in a particular field or particular market, you need to focus your efforts appropriately to give yourself the best fighting chance out there.

I would recommend amateur over professional as well, working with amateur sport is much less cutthroat from my experience (in the paralympic/olympic stream) its a very good starting point at least.

I work in amateur sports and something that might be overlooked when considering that area is that, by definition, amateur sports is non-profit work. While knowledge of the sport and sport admin etc. is all very important, working in the non-profit field adds another layer as well. Preparing for a job like that, the experience in the non-profit sector that you should have doesn't have to be necessarily in the field of sports.

It's more the nuances of non-profit life, dealing with multiple projects without enough staff, money or time, answering to a board of directors, limited budget which means reduced pay from comparable positions in the corporate world, etc. My time in the non-profit world has been immensely rewarding and a great learning experience, but there are definite challenges and limitations all the same.

I will say that the non-profit world tends to draw people that really want to be there, which creates a very stimulating environment. Due to the lower salaries and higher demands, you're usually surrounded by people who care a lot more about the work that they're doing as opposed to the pay cheque every two weeks.

If you've ever considered a job in the media (I was at one point), right here at Hockey's Future is a great place to start. I wrote articles for them for a couple of years. If you've got good writing skills, and have an interest in writing about prospects, drop them a line. Can't say whether or not they're looking for new writers, but I'd say it's probable. You get to interact with the staff too, they're usually helpful and in good spirits, right Kevin?

HF is always looking for new writers to add to the fold and we've also had writers move on to bigger and better things. Like a lot of what I've been talking about, what you get out of it is proportional to how much you put in. I can't speak directly for what beats we need help in or even what the current standards of job requirements are. I'm one of HF's longest serving writers, first started writing for the site in August of 2002. HF has provided me with many opportunities to do things I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise and I've learned a lot during my time with the site. But it's not for everyone and there's no guarantee that it will lead you to something bigger.

 

[LadyStanley]

http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2009/03/30/interview-with-the-agent-ryan-morgan/

Sports agent Ryan Morgan Q&A. Covers what a sports agent is/does, how he did it, started own company, expanded into multiple sports, etc.

Richard: What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry?

Ryan: The best advice I can give is, as a student at the high school, collegiate and graduate level, one should work hard to be a generalist and to develop your skills as an advocate and an analyst of circumstances and opportunities. Read a lot. Learn as much as you can in as many areas as possible. Learn to analyze issues deeply, thoughtfully and carefully. If you want to work on the contract negotiation side of the professional athletics, you need to develop skills in understanding, manipulating and negotiating contract language. You will need to present strong advocacy with respect to different aspects of value, both from a “market†and an individualized perspective. And, toughen up — you will need it, or you will get run over.

 

[EASportsAgent]

Sports Agent

I will also have to respectively disagree with you on the Sports Agent comment.

"An agent needs to have a Law background, specifically contract and sports law. A background in Business doesn’t hurt either."

An agent does not NEED to have a Law background. I believe this to be the biggest misconception in the Sports Agent industry. There are both Attorney Agents and Non-Attorney Agents. Of course you need to be able to interpret the contract and massage the language a little. Mike Barnett is a perfect example of a non attorney agent. He represented Wayne Gretzky and some of the biggest names in Hockey. He successfully sold his practice to IMG before becoming the GM of the Phoenix Coyotes.

To become a successful sports agent, you need to be able to put in the work. It requires a lot of time, and a lot of work to land a good client, and once you do, you must be able to keep him. This is where having a specialty comes in. Again having a Law Degree will certainly help, but so will having financial planning experience, and having great negotiating skills. This is by far the key. A Law degree and all the business background in the world aren't worth a dime, if you don't know how to successfully sell your product, which is your player.

 

[oil91]

becoming an nhl agent

hello i am currently taking a bachelor of applied bussiness and entrepreneurship in sports and recreation and plan to get a law degree after completion of the previous degree. i am just wondering if all goes well what would be the steps of becoming an nhl agent, and also how do pick up clients( i assume scouting them but im not completely sure)

thanks for any help

 

[LadyStanley]

http://nhlpa.com/Agents/



http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=570990
See posts #2 and 3

 

[Wetcoaster]

hello i am currently taking a bachelor of applied bussiness and entrepreneurship in sports and recreation and plan to get a law degree after completion of the previous degree. i am just wondering if all goes well what would be the steps of becoming an nhl agent, and also how do pick up clients( i assume scouting them but im not completely sure)

thanks for any help

If you check out the NHLPA website you will see many agents have hockey connections prior to becoming agents. You also have to be certified by the NHLPA.
http://www.nhlpa.com/Agents/

Many are lawyers like myself. I played Tier II junior but blew out my knee. I tried to play some CIAU hockey but the knee was too bad. I concentrated on university, got a degree, worked for awhile and then went back to law school.

I was doing security type prospectuses and some international business and syndication work out of Europe and the Asia Pacific. My initial client was a referral from a former junior teammate who had played and was coaching in Europe. I straightened out a contract and tax problem for the player and saved him a bundle of money. His agent had missed a tax loophole. He recommended me to other players and so on.

 

[oil91]

Ok so without connections and say everything goes well and i have a few clients jsut from watching and so on would i then apply to a sports management company or would i just work individually