Throughout this semester, I’ve had the chance to connect with Bobby Maze as my sport professional penpal. From the beginning, I knew he had a lot of experience both on and off the court, but as we continued talking, I realized how much I could learn from someone like him. Not just about basketball, but about the business side of sports too. For my quest, I decided to focus on something real I’m actually trying to do — get an internship with Bobby and his team.

Why an internship?

After seeing how involved Bobby is with mentoring athletes, running his own training academy, and building a brand, I thought, why not try to be part of that? I’m interested in sport communication and media, and I think I could bring some value by helping with things like social media, athlete promotion, content creation, or event planning. At the same time, I know I’d learn a lot just by being around the work they’re doing. This quest isn’t just about creating something for class — it’s about taking a real step toward my future in sports.

What I Did

I reached out to Bobby and let him know that I was interested in getting more involved with his brand or training program in any way possible. I made it clear that I’m open to helping wherever I can — whether that’s behind the scenes with social media, organizing local events, or just assisting with athlete content and media.

To support my message, I created a short “internship pitch” where I explained:

• What I’m studying
• What I’ve learned in COMM 462/562
• My background as a former athlete
• Why I think I’d be a good fit to work with him and learn

I also shared a couple of ideas I had for projects I could help with — like running a short Instagram video series highlighting his athletes or helping plan a pop-up event at his academy.

What’s Next?

I haven’t officially landed the internship (yet), but just putting myself out there was a big step. Whether it happens now or sometime later, I feel like I planted a seed and showed Bobby I’m serious about learning and working in this field. This quest helped me take something from class and turn it into a real opportunity. This experience also taught me that sport communication isn’t just about posting or designing; it’s about building relationships and using your voice to create new chances.