February '09 Update

A few months ago, I found myself sitting around the house with not much to do. These days the situation is much different.

I'm working about 20-30 hours week at Ozzie Smith's Sports Academy. I mostly help manage the facility and office even though I thought I was hired to be a soccer instructor. I haven't coached soccer once. The job isn't the greatest but I'm thankful to bring home a consistent paycheck once again.

As college basketball season comes to a close, I end a tour of duty keeping official stats for St. Louis University men's and women's basketball game. Sports PR and Information is still a career goal, so any experience is a plus.

Another possible career route is soccer coaching. I recently received my U.S. Soccer Federation National "D" License, which means I am eligible to attend the National Coaching school in a year. I will assistant coach a pool of 36 U-13 girls for the St. Louis Scott-Gallagher Soccer Club. The girls all train together but compete as two different 18-man rosters. The rosters change from week-to-week depending on the competition or tournament. I will coach alongside former IU player Ken Godat who won a national championship with the Hoosiers in 1988.

Godat is also the Director of Marketing Programs for Saint Louis Athletica of the new Women's Professional Soccer league. He has hired me as a part-time consultant and gameday coordinator given my experience with the Houston Dynamo.

On Tuesday night's I am taking an accounting class at St. Louis Community College. I'm considering going back to school to get an MBA. My wise father thought it would be a good idea to take a few business classes as a warm-up.

I have also begun training to become a volunteer firefighter with the Eureka (MO) Fire Department where my parents currently reside. I've always wanted to be a volunteer firefighter, but this is the first time it's worked out plus its another possible career route given the economy these days.