A collection of features on Department of Athletics part-time staff employees will be released weekly. If you’re interested in working in Athletics, please visit our Job Opportunities page here for details.
Name:
Katelyn Graham
Position: Recreational Skating/Hockey Attendant
What are you responsible for in your position?
I’m responsible for enforcing safety measures on the ice (patrolling Rec Skate sessions making sure participants are mindful of others at all levels of skating ability and making sure hockey players are wearing full face masks and equipment). I'm also responsible for signing in/out the key to the rec skate office to set up and put away the table, tally sheets, and rec skate binder, taking admissions/checking student cards, putting the radio on for participants, as well as answering questions about Rec Skate/Hockey schedules, rules and admissions. I also keep track of how many skaters are on the ice at all times, recording the number of skaters for each rec skate/hockey session onto a spreadsheet, as well as performing First Aid if necessary.
Why do you love working for the UofG, Department of Athletics?
I love working here because the staff and participants are welcoming and friendly, the arena is conveniently located on campus (which makes it easy to get to and from work), I meet lots of new people and have made some friends, I've gained experience in customer service and have been challenged to get out of my comfort zone and try new things. I've also helped individuals improve their skating ability, and as a figure skater on the Varsity team, I just love the ice!
What was your proudest moment in this job?
My proudest moment was when I saw the progression of skating by some exchange students from New Zealand. They told me the closest arena back home was three hours away and they had never skated before. So, they bought skates, came to every rec skate session on campus they could, and I helped them with some basic skating skills. They even started taking skating lessons in between rec skate and school and I saw them at the rink nearly every single day. Over the course of three and a half months, I watched them go from skating slowly, occasionally holding onto the boards and falling over numerous times to racing around the rink, skating backwards and eventually getting equipment to play rec hockey with other students. It made me proud to witness their success and development, to become part of the experience.
I’m proud to work for the best University in Canada because…..
The staff and participants in all departments are actively engaged in numerous programs and community involvement outside of the university. Everyone is respectful and shows pride in representing the Guelph Gryphons, whether it be attending sports, special events, taking classes, or participating in recreational activities. It's the atmosphere and the experiences that have made my time at Guelph meaningful and worthwhile. At the end of the day, it doesn't feel like a job, but rather an opportunity for growth and development.
What have you learned from this job?
I have learned valuable lessons in customer service and how to adapt to helping skaters at various ages improve their skating ability. I have also learned what procedures to follow in situations where skaters are injured and how to direct the general public to other facilities across campus. Most importantly, I've learned how to manage my time between school, work, skating and extracurricular activities.
If you could give advice to students looking for a campus job what would it be?
My advice to students looking for a campus position is to apply for jobs in the Athletics Department and look on the Recruit Guelph website. There are jobs in various areas that can be applied to any discipline. From lifeguard and events staff positions to videography and refereeing hockey games, it's the best place to work because it's located on campus, the hours are flexible to suit your schedule and it provides great work experience to build up your resume.
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