WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY Department of Human

Performance and Health Education HPHE 4990

RECREATION/SPORT MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP
MANAGEMENT FUNCTION QUESTIONS- Matt Murphy

GOAL DEVELOPMENT - ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

1. What are the most important goals in the organization?
The most important goal is to develop a team that can compete for its fourth MAC
football championship while creating a family atmosphere.
2. How were these goals developed? Who was actually involved?
These goals were developed by countless meetings between staff, players, interns,
and administrators. It was mainly the coaches and players who were involved in
creating the motto “FOUR,” for this season.
3. How are these goals communicated to the employees? To the patrons,
participants, or clients?
These goals are communicated to everyone who works inside the facility at Waldo
Stadium every day. There are signs everywhere that reads “FOUR,” and everyone is
constantly working to get the most of players to try to compete for that fourth
championship.
4. How are the employees involved in organizational goal development?
They are the most important part of the goal development. If every employee doesn’t
do what is asked of them, the goal is physically impossible to be reached. When
everyone is working together as one unit, the development of the players towards
the ultimate goal is much more attainable.
5. How and when are the organizational goals reviewed and/or revised to meet
changing conditions?
They are reviewed every day at team meetings and practice.
6. Attach examples of information produced by the organization which depicts the
goals and objectives by which they operate.
They operate as if their jobs come down to winning and losing. For example, at
practice, if someone messes up, it is very clear that it can’t happen again.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT
1. How are the policies of this organization actually developed?
Policies are developed through evaluation of what the team is possible of as well as
what the budget is. From there, there are many meetings between all the full-time staff to
figure out how to carry out these policies for the upcoming season and how to maintain
them throughout the season.
2. At what level within the organization is policy formulated?
Policy is formulated at the top of the organization and then is carried out at every
level. The top of the organization is the coaches and then it is carried out by players,
interns, lower-level staff, etc.
3. Who is actually involved in the process - management personnel and/or employees
throughout the operation?
All full-time staff is involved in the process. It then gets passed down to interns and
players from there.
4. What internal or external influences may affect the development of policies?
One big example this year was all of the obstacles with Covid and the pandemic.
Internal influences include a player being academically ineligible or not doing their part
to ensure goals are kept intact.
5. How are policies and practices actually disseminated throughout the organization
to
the employees? To the patrons or participants?
They are shown all throughout the facility and all participants are reminded daily.
For the patrons, the goals are shown through social media and community
outreach.
6. How are policies monitored and reviewed? Who does this?
They are reviewed daily and weekly at team meetings. The head coach does this by
being the lead at these meetings. They also watch film to see how these policies can
be improved upon.
7. Describe the process and/or procedures that are required for changing a policy.
A staff member must bring it up at team meetings. From there, the group as a
whole must agree and then the Head Coach and Director of Operations must approve it
and implement it within the budget and the policies that have already been set.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING

1. How is the planning function carried out? Is there a special committee or board or
group charged with this responsibility?
The planning function is carried out at daily team meetings. Everyone is a full-time
staff member is responsible for planning certain areas, depending on their department.
2. Who is involved in the planning phases which determine the actual agency
objectives, strategies, tasks (jobs), timelines, schedules, and programs?
The coaching staff and the Director of Operations are the ones mainly involved in the
planning phases that go into all the objectives and tasks.
3. Is there a master plan for the organization which is written and available for review?

If so, how often is it actually revised?

There is not a master plan that is written out and available for review. It is pretty
much all talking points during team meetings. There are goals and objectives for the
season that get discussed and revised every day, but they are not really written out.
4. Are there departmental or unit plans within the organization?
Yes, between the financial side and coaching side of the organization, there are
plans within departments. Coaches have daily goals in their department to make
players better while those more on the business side have long-term goals to
ensure the budget for the fiscal year is followed.
5. Organizing and gathering appropriate resources are important functions in any
leisure service operation. What are the most valuable resources in this
organization?
The most valuable resource is the TeamWorks App. This is used for daily
schedules and goals for the team. This app lays out everything that is expected of
everyone for that given day.
DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
1. How are problems handled in this organization? What constitutes typical
problems
that are handled on a "routine" basis?
Problems are handled by the coaches meeting with staff and players to discuss
how to improve a situation that might not be going the right way. They try to fix it
before it gets to the point of being irreversible. Typical problems include a player
being late to practice, a game plan not being executed properly, or a player not
getting adequate grades to perform on the field.
2. What is the routine procedure that might be used to deal with a problem?
Players can get benched or in severe situations get kicked off the team. It is up to
the coaches at the top to decide how to handle the problem and what decision to
make to benefit the team going forward.
3. What constitutes a major problem or issue that faces the organization?
The biggest problem within the team is players being late to practice or morning
workouts. It is typically the same handful of players who are at fault for this
problem.
4. How are these situations handled? Who becomes involved?
When a player is late, all coaches become involved. Usually, being late results in
having to do extra workouts after practice. If it happens multiple times, those
players end up getting benched and do not play in the upcoming game.
5. What is a methodology for trying to anticipate potential or underlying concerns or
problems that the organization may have to contend with at some future date?
Understanding that some players have had a rough upbringing or have not had
much discipline in their lives before this opportunity. Being able to relate with the
players and be compassionate towards them is a methodology but also making
sure they understand that it is unacceptable at the same time. We as a staff must
make sure that we are getting the best out of everyone, from bottom to top.
6. What is a standard procedure for dealing with a "crisis situation?"
Sitting down as a staff and discussing the situation. Figuring out what alternatives
there are to take to avoid the crisis situation. From there, it is all about adapting
and being able to make a smart decision on the fly.

MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP

1. How is leadership defined in this organization? In other words, what are examples
of true leadership? Explain and give examples.
Leadership is defined by setting the example by carrying out the values of the team.
The best example that comes to mind is the ability to compromise and adapt in decisions
that must be made with little-to-no time to analyze it.
2. How are leaders within this organization identified? What do they do that is
different from the average staff member that sets them apart?
For coaches, they are all leaders in a different. Whether it is a grad assistant or the
running backs coach, they all are brought in mature the young athletes on the roster and
help them grow not only on the field, but also in the classroom and in society as
productive individuals. True leaders stick out in this organization because they have the
best relationships with the players. When they talk, everyone listens.
 3. What special characteristics are sought out in personnel that might identify them as

having "leadership potential"?

The biggest characteristic is the ability to create relationships with players. Relating
with young athletes is the biggest characteristic for a college football team because it
really allows for them to buy into our values and policies. Always coming to work with a
positive attitude and the willingness to learn and grow each day are also a couple
characteristics for leaders within the organization.
4. Explain whether or not there a belief that different "leadership styles" are required
for different situations? Provide examples.
There is certainly a belief that different leadership styles are required for different
situation. For example, after a tough stretch of losing, encouragement and inspiration are
leadership styles that need to be used to ensure the entire season isn’t a lost cause.
Motivation is key in situations when players don’t want to come in early for a workout or
practice. There are many times when constructive criticism is key to continue to motivate
a player for such a long season.
5. Describe the established method for motivating employees to excel.
Nearly every day, the higher level of management, mainly the full-time coaching
staff, reminds everyone that their part in the organization is equally as important as
anyone else’s to get us to the point of competing for a MAC championship and
being competitive with other teams on a weekly scale.
6. Provide examples of motivation techniques that are utilized by the management
personnel to improve the quality of work efforts and/or productivity.
Examples include setting intermittent goals and bringing positivity. Coaches set
intermittent goals each week in game plans and ultimately, the goal each week is to win.
But there is a lot that goes into winning a college football game. Bringing a positive
culture to practice every day keeps the players hungry and makes them want to work.
Celebrating their milestones and hard work motivates them and keeps them engaged,
especially when there is a practice on a snowy Tuesday morning.

COMMUNICATION PATTERNS
1. Identify the ways in which information is communicated within the organization?
Give examples.
The two main ways information is communicated to all within the organization is
through group text messages and the TeamWorks app. This is the best way to ensure
that all members of the organization are on the same page and understand what the
goals are for each day. Each day, there are multiple tasks that must be completed.
2. All organizations recognize the difficulty of communication blockages or
breakdowns. What are examples that may have occurred in this organization?
The biggest example that comes to mind is having a player show up late for a
morning workout due to a phone dying. While it is unacceptable, that has occurred
multiple times throughout the season. One other way would be a member of the
organization not reading the objectives all the through.
3. Who is the a particular staff member that has the title and/or major responsibility to
communicate to the public or patrons? Describe this role.
The head coach is the one who speaks to the media. Every Wednesday, there is a
half hour long media availability for the media to ask any questions. It is also during this
time or after a practice that they can speak to players. There is also community outreach,
which is mainly done by the Director of Operations. Lastly, the video and film
department. Their responsibility is to make sure all content on social media is up to date
and is easily accessed by the community.
4. How are communication problems handled in this organization?
They are handled by being addressed upfront. If a player doesn’t see a message due
to a phone dying, they are punished by doing extra workouts after practice. If there is a
legitimate issue with communication getting across, then a tech person is called and
comes out immediately to fix the problem.
5. Describe the special staff training or special sessions offered which addresses the
need to improve communications and service?
Staff are reminded at all team meetings that the number one “non-negotiable” is
communication. Staff is constantly being told about how important it is to communicate
with everyone every day. They are trained to understand how to be an effective
communicator through seminars and hands-on learning.
6. Provide examples of actual communication materials, such as newsletters,
announcements, brochures, memos, program bulletins.
Social media is the biggest way the team gets news out to the public.
Announcements and newsletters are usually sent out via Twitter and Instagram. We
also give all recruits brochures and bulletins when they come on a visit. Those
brochures include a campus map as well as many fun facts about the history of
Western Michigan football.

PERSONNEL SUPERVISION AND DEVELOPMENT

1. Describe the processing that takes place when a new employee joins the
organization.
The process starts at the interview stage. Prospective candidates are reminded of
the fast-paced environment. Once they are hired, they are given a tour of the facilities
and then it is essentially up to the employee to learn and grow by following along with
the leader of their given department. There is not much time to sit down and discuss
everything; it is critical to learn on the fly.
2. What kind of special training or orientation takes place?
There isn’t really any special training that takes place. Tours are given and
conversations are had and then the expectation is for the employee to jump right in and
learn hands-on.
3. Is there an employee's handbook that describes expected behaviors and attitudes?
There isn’t a handbook for expected behaviors. However, there are a list of pillars
listed in many places across the facility that all staff works at, Waldo Stadium. Those
pillars display the expectations for everyone in the organization, including players,
coaches, and interns.
4. Describe several expectations that the organization instills in each of their
employees.
The two biggest expectations that WMU Football instills in all employees are to be
coachable and to represent the university to the highest standard. Even when employees
are not working for WMU Football, the expectation is that they will carry themselves to
the highest standard of excellence in every situation.
5. If some personnel violate or do not comply with the policies/practices, what will
happen to them? How is the problem handled?
Depending on the situation, the player or even coach could potentially face
termination. Usually, however, the problem is handled by sitting down with them and
making sure they understand the expectation. Based on the matter of the situation, the
employee who is in violation will face an appropriate punishment. There was a case this
season where a fellow intern showed up late and the punishment was that they were not
allowed on the sideline of the next two games.
6. How are employees evaluated and/or monitored in this organization?
They are evaluated by whomever they report to. For players, they are evaluated by
the Head Coach but also mainly their position coach. For coaches and interns and
everyone else within the organization, they report to their respective boss. For me, my
evaluations were conducted by the two departments I worked in, so I was evaluated by
the assistant director of strength and conditioning as well the director of on-campus
recruiting.

BUDGETING AND FINANCE

1. How is the agency financed? What are the sources of revenue?
The agency is financed by a budget being set before the fiscal year begins. The
budget is set by the director of operations. The main sources of revenue include ticket
sales, athletic apparel, TV contracts, and merchandise.
2. What is the estimated annual revenue income? What is the estimated annual
expenditure?
For the year, the university is set to collect roughly $3,200,000 in revenue for
athletics.
3. Describe this agency's a profit or non-profit focus? Who profits? Who subsidizes?
It is considered a non-profit because they are a part of au university. The ones that
profit are the full-time staff, mainly the coaching staff.
4. How is the actual annual budget/funds allocated to various departments?
Before the fiscal year begins, the director of operations sits down with the staff and
determines where money in the budget should be allocated to.
5. What is the process for departments to develop annual budgets? Timelines?
The timeline and process is conducted through off-season meetings before the
fiscal year begins in July. All annual budgets must be developed by this time.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

1. Describe the area and facilities in which you work.
The facilities include the weight room, the indoor practice facility, Waldo Stadium,
and the recruiting office which is located on the second floor inside Waldo Stadium.
2. How are these maintained? Who is involved in custodial and maintenance of the
facilities? Who supervises? Who is totally responsible?
There is a full-time custodial staff who is in charge of maintaining the facilities. Since
they are employed by the university, it is the university who supervises and is
responsible.
3. Determine if there is an actual maintenance management plan and/or a preventive
maintenance program (PMP).
There is a maintenance management plan that is implemented by the university.
4. Who pays for the maintenance or repairs?
The university pays for all maintenance and repairs because all the facilities are
considered campus facilities.
5. How is the area and facility designed for its original purpose? How could the design
be improved?
 It is designed to cater to the needs of the athletes who use the facilities every day.
The design could be improved to make it more modern and updated with better
technology.
6. How is the area facility aesthetically pleasing? How does it appeal to clients,
guests, participants, and staff?
It is aesthetically pleasing because of the history within the building. It appeals to all
in the building with the alumni signage, and pictures of teams that have made program
history.

YOUR QUESTIONS
Develop five to eight (5-8) questions of your own and answer them.
1. How did the recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic affect the overall experience of
WMU Football this season?
It had an impact on more behind the scenes operations than the overall product
on the field. Budget wise, we struggled at times to have enough to properly run as
a division 1 football team. Recruiting wise, we had a smaller class coming in this
season than most years due to every student-athlete being granted an extra year
of eligibility.
2. Did you meet alumni and/or boosters who came back for games this season?
I did meet two alumni who came back and were on the sideline for the game vs
Central Michigan. Dee Eskridge and Jaylon Moore, two recent graduates, are both
currently in the NFL. It was great to speak with them.
3. How does the organization expect to improve upon this year’s result?
We expect to be much more competitive in the MAC next season. We did not live
up to expectations this year and we expect to win more conference games next
season.
4. Does WMU Football have a positive relationship with the city of Kalamazoo? How do
they put an emphasis on community outreach?
WMU Football has a tremendous relationship with the city of Kalamazoo. They
were very active in the community this season. For example, the players attended
multiple events at grade schools and volunteered at food pantries.
5. Did the overall experience of this internship change your outlook on future career
plans?
This experience did change my outlook to a certain extent. Before this
internship, I did not expect to have a passion for coaching. But, after this
internship, I realized that that is what I want to be doing. I learned that I have a
passion and a great ability to connect with young athletes and watch them grow
on and off the field.