Not long after we moved there, the city won its bid to host the 2012 Super Bowl and residents were asked to volunteer. I registered online with the Indiana Sports Corp, and soon received information about other events that needed help.
It was a privilege to help with the 2012 Swimming Nationals/Olympic Trails, the Men's Final Four, the Women's Final Four, an NCAA Convention, and Super Bowl XLVI.
The Men's Final Four was my first event, and I quickly learned that Indianapolis knows its stuff.
The training was wonderful. We were welcomed and thanked for volunteering and we received training specific to the areas where we signed up to help. I worked two shifts in team hotels (Duke and West Virginia) and spent another shift as a general assistant.
At the Hilton, which was home to Duke for their tournament stay (the one where they beat Butler for the title), I was at a desk in the lobby. It was our job to help guests with maps, literature, and answer questions. It was fun recommending restaurants and other things to do when there were no games to attend.
One guest that stood out was a Dad who brought a son to the Final Four. The boy was maybe 8 years old and Dad wanted to find someplace he would like to eat. I suggested a short walk to Steak-n-Shake. When they returned, Dad let me know that it was perfect and better for his son than the steak place they tried the night before.
The experience left me with a different impression of Duke. Coach K is very much a family man with kids and grand kids greeting him in the lobby. Assistant coaches and players spent time with family while looking for something to do before the games began - it was a behind the scenes glimpse into one of the country's best programs.
My time in the West Virginia hotel was the day after the team had lost and was getting ready to leave town. I was impressed by the way the team and coaches interacted with family and friends and let staff and volunteers know they appreciated the help.
The Women's Final Four was the next year - I worked the Stanford hotel. Great fans and players who knew how to enjoy and appreciate an experience that doesn't happen everyday.
The Super Bowl, however, was the big one. More than 8,000 volunteers working all over the city. Virtually every hotel, the airport, retail malls, the downtown street fair, and each street corner had one of us - identified with our special Super Bowl gear and the distinctive Super Bowl scarves created by knitters from across the State in the three years prior to the game. Those volunteers made so many scarves, there were enough to give to each member of the competing teams - Giants and Patriots.When I signed up, I was confident I'd see the Packers in the game, but they won the Super Bowl the year before and came up just short this time around.
I worked inside the Fan Experience in the Convention Center and at the intersection of Washington and Capitol Street.
Its a little different than what you might think in terms of "working a street corner." The job was to keep people from walking into traffic, provide directions, and welcome people to Indianapolis.
Hoosier hospitality is a real thing, and the Sports Corporation - formed to bring major athletic events to the city knows how to bottle it. As volunteers, we were proud to serve as a face of the city to all the guests who came for a game and a party.
The first night, I talked to Mike Golic from Mike & Mike. Later in the week, I saw a number of NFL players and media folks walking the downtown for a taping by Bob Costas. As a volunteer, we couldn't ask for autographs, but it was fun to say hello and welcome to Indy.
At the Swimming Nationals/Olympic Trials, I was within six feet of Michael Phelps and as an usher got to speak with family members of several aspiring Olympians. It was fun to be able to be part of such a moment with them.
I had a blast as a volunteer. Part of the fun was the gear we received. We had our own uniforms -
that Super Bowl scarf came with a Super Bowl coat, sweatshirt, and hat. There were nice Nike polo shirts and caps for the Finals Fours. It was first class all the way - the volunteers were appreciated for what we did - and seeing the guests enjoy the place we called home was worth the hours of standing and time outside in the cold. (It was also a blessing that the 2012 Super Bowl was during one of the warmest winters ever in central Indiana.)
Each week, I still receive updates from the Indiana Sports Corp - its a machine that keeps on rolling along - hosting B1G championships, NCAA events, and trying again for another Super Bowl. Keep it going, Indy!
Comments
Post a Comment