Why I Want To Be A General Manager

John Schuerholz (former Atlanta Braves GM) with Braves 3B Chipper Jones

I still remember the first time I realized that football existed.  I was 6 or 7 years old living in a small town in west Georgia named Carrollton.  I remember sitting in the basement with my dad as he watched football on the TV, probably on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Yes, at that point I was aware that sports existed.  I had played tee-ball since Kindergarten, but never really gave it any thought as to being a sport that adults played.  Well, as my dad watched the game as if he cared very little about the two teams on TV, I remember saying to him, "dad this is boring."  Well, I've come a long way since then.  Some 27 years later you can't pull me away from a football game on TV if I have no other plans.

It's funny thinking back on that moment and not yet realizing that the sport would be there with me through different phases of my life.  I played football in middle school and some of high school.  In addition to that, I have covered high school and college football teams as a journalist.  At this point in my life, I want to continue within the sports industry and become a general manager of a professional football team. Football is something that I have enjoyed not only watching and reading about, but also studying and learning the intricacies of the game that millions of people enjoy.  I feel as if I have the ability to be a successful general manager of a professional football team, but I am not limiting myself to football.  Football is just an anecdote that began my dream of ultimately leading a sports organization.  I aspire to be a general manager of a professional sports team in any sport. I honestly feel that I have the ability to learn anything, and if that means being the general manager of a Lacrosse team in Rochester, NY then so be it. I will learn everything that there is to know about the sport.  And I will lead that team effectively.

I say general manager because in the sports industry that is the top of the field.  The general manager leads the team, establishes the direction of the team and makes huge decisions that ultimately have a huge effect on the success of the franchise.  I have always had a love affair with the not only the sport, but also how the sport operates and why decisions are made.  I know that some of my love affair comes from numbers, and the fact that I love statistics.  The general manager's job is not autonomous though.  The general manager confers with coaches, sales and marketing employees, scouts, media relations people and every other part of the organization as well.  It is necessary for the general manager to be part Yoda, and part Darth Vader whenever necessary.  I also believe the appeal to me is the process of building.  As a general manager, you are creating a team and adding or subtracting pieces in order to finally mold a finished piece worthy of acclaim.  It is that process of starting from the beginning and making something that embodies your vision and is from your decisions that is appealing.  You are responsible for having a team around you that will fight with you on issues you all believe in.  You are also responsible for having a team that is unafraid to voice their opinion and argue for what they believe in.  A general manager must always remember they are only as good as their team.

For more information about Sean Coleman (aka The King of Sport) please read the "About Me" section to the right of the page.  If you have any questions please feel free to email him at scole5678@yahoo.com