(July 19, 2019) Instead of waiting for opportunity, Mark Shelley seized it. An STAA member, Shelley is the new Director of Broadcasting, Media and Community Relations for the NAHL’s Amarillo Bulls.
“I had been searching for a hockey-specific job for the last two hiring seasons, with very little success in finding an opening that would even give me a call or email,” Shelly recalls. “When I noticed the heads-up in the STAA Job Leads email about the current broadcaster leaving the Bulls, I decided to change my strategy and reach out to the GM before there was an official job posting. A day after reaching out, I was interviewing with [General Manager Rick Matchett].”
Shelley made certain to be timely in his replies to Matchett’s emails. “To show that I truly wanted this position,” he says.
The Bulls intrigued Shelley because of the caliber of hockey, the organization’s success and the opportunity to immerse himself in the sport. “I have an opportunity to work in media relations while also getting back into the sales side of things, something that I have missed and truly enjoy. The organization is welcoming, and I am excited to be a part of the family,” Shelley says with a smile.
Not all job applications have been as easy for Shelley as his Bulls application. “I was seeing jobs that I applied for be filled without ever getting a call or an email. Some of the jobs were jobs that I felt that I was the perfect fit. Even though I never got calls back, I didn’t get discouraged.”
A key for Shelley was establishing a network of people to give honest critiques of his work. “They told me why they would or would not hire me, and I used that to make myself better in those areas. I found that, sometimes, the most brutally honest opinions of your work are the ones that are the most constructive.”
Shelley joined STAA in 2017 upon the recommendation of Hershey Bears broadcaster Zack Fisch. “I reached out to Zack to ask for advice on getting into hockey. He referred me to STAA.
“I joined STAA because I wanted to be the best broadcaster I could possibly be. As a fresh-faced broadcaster right out of college, I needed guidance on how to go about the job search and how to prepare myself for the job that I wanted.”
Shelley has spent the past year calling play-by-play for various sports and hosting a daily talk show on ESPN Ithaca. He’s also been the voice of Cornell women’s ice hockey the past two seasons.
Shelly is a 2017 graduate of Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. He graduated Cum Laude.
His advice to someone just joining STAA is simple. “I would tell them that they made one of the best decisions of their life,” he grins. “Whether you’re looking for a new job or just wanting to get better in your broadcasting skills, STAA has the tools to help you reach your goals.”
(Visit Mark’s website).