The biggest student employer at the University of North Georgia is the Department of Recreational Sports. We employ students to work as officials, Outdoor Pursuits trip leaders, lifeguards, Sport Club Supervisors and to work in the Recreation Center. The following list of reasons come from current or past employees and their testimonies as to why you should become a student official and what life lessons you learn through being one.

1. Flexible schedules

One of the best things about being a student official is that scheduling is done on a week-to-week basis. So the schedule is always flexible and is done around the student’s academic and personal schedule. The main focus is that academics come first and foremost and then being a student official.

2. Development of leadership skills

Being a student official isn’t the easiest job, but it does help students develop their leadership skills. Effective communication skills are one of the biggest skills a student official will learn. Student officials must be able to communicate effectively to Intramural Sports participants in high stress situations. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just listen and acknowledge the participant’s complaint. This develops and translates directly into customer service skills that will be useful in any future employment setting.

3. Anyone can be an official

Most people think that being a student official is only for males, but some of the top up-and-coming officials in sports these days are females. There is a sport for anyone to work and enjoy including: football, soccer, indoor volleyball, basketball and softball.

4. Diverse work group

Working as a student official you will meet people from all different backgrounds and all different leadership styles. Being able to work with these people puts you ahead for the future.

5. Character building

As a student official you catch a lot of flak for calls you make during a game. Being able to take the criticism and use it to positively impact your performance is a big aspect of being a student official.

6. Evaluation from a supervisor

As a student official, you are evaluated every time you work. The evaluation comes from a fellow college student, who may be the same age as you or even younger. This teaches you how to take an evaluation from a supervisor and appropriately apply the criticism to better yourself.

7. Stepping stone for a future career

Being a student official opens your future to a whole new world of jobs. You can now pursue a future career in recreational sports with intramural sports and sport clubs by serving as a Graduate Assistant or as a professional job as a coordinator or director. Student officials also have a solid basis for becoming high school officials, college officials and even professional officials.

8. Administrative skills

As a student official I had the opportunity to move up in my job and become a student supervisor. With this new position I learned office skills (Microsoft office programs, Adobe), marketing skills, time management skills and how to coordinate with other departments and those that I supervise. These are transferable skills that I will be able to use to my advantage in any job setting that I have.

9. Get paid to watch sports, have fun and meet lots of people

One of the biggest perks of being a Student Official is you get paid to watch sports. By being a student official I’ve met so many different people and I’ve now become a prominent and respected person on my college campus. Some of my favorite memories so far in college are getting to work a high intensity fraternity game where I can laugh and joke with the participants as we all enjoy the sports.

10. Coworkers become family

The Recreational Sports employees are one huge family. We play fantasy sports together, we go out to eat together, we pick on each other, but most importantly we help each other whenever someone needs it.

Being a student official has definitely helped me grow into the leader I am today. Most importantly, it has given me a Rec Sports family, people who cheer me on through out life and plenty of people who will yell and scream at me while I officiate a game. Nothing beats having people around you who support you in everything you do. So thanks, Rec Sports, and I hope students across the world find what I have found in you!