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Career In Sports

General Chris Brannick

Friday Features: Central Students Attend NCAA Career In Sports Forum

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA held its annual Career in Sports Forum last month and the University of Central Oklahoma had three student-athletes participate in the national event that drew more than 400 student-athletes from around the country.
 
Hazel Puempel (softball), Isabella Dunlap (tennis) and Devon Bajek (football) each participated in the virtual event May 27-29. The forum offers junior or senior level student-athletes the opportunity to gain guidance for a career after graduation as well as networking opportunities with athletic administrators and sports industry experts.
 
"It was different not having everybody together, meeting other students that wanted to either coach or be in administration," Puempel, a senior and All-American outfielder for Central said. "But it was still very informative and very interactive. They did really well utilizing Zoom and using other breakout rooms so we could meet other people. And not being in the same breakout room that we were previously in so we could meet new people in other breakout rooms. They had a great lineup of speakers that were very authentic."
 
Puempel said she enjoyed some of the testing that actually happened leading up to the forum. Student-athletes were quizzed on various personality tests, which Puempel said helped her learn more about herself and the strengths that she possessed.
 
"I've always just said 'I work hard' for my strength," Puempel said. "But everyone there is an athlete. We all work hard. The test helped me find out more about myself and more strengths that I have and that was great. It helped me during the forum."
 
Bajek, a senior defensive lineman for the Broncho football team, like most participants, wished he could have attended the event in person. But he still got a lot of it.
 
"For being virtual it was still eye-opening and very informative," Bajek said. "It was cool to see people who have (worked in athletics) done that or are currently doing that share their experiences and it was good to interact with people my age who are thinking of doing the same thing. There was a part where we all shared what got us into athletics and it was great to hear other people share that and their love for sports and stuff like that."
 
Bajek is a professional media major at Central and said he wants to work in media, but if he didn't, he would either go into coaching or athletic administration and the forum played a big role in that.
 
Dunlap, who is also an All-American for Central's tennis squad, learned a lot about identity in the forum and called that her biggest takeaway.
 
"My best takeaway from the career in sports forum, what struck a chord with me after attending, was learning to find my own identity outside of tennis and sports," Dunlap said. "They talked about not letting your specific sport define who you are and finding an alternative passion after college when you are finished with your eligibility."
 
Dunlap called the forum "a blast," and said there were plenty more highlights.
 
Central Oklahoma has had eight student-athletes selected to participate in the Career in Sports Forum over the past three years. The forum is designed to help NCAA student-athletes find a career path in athletics, from coaching to administration, as well as network with other people in the same position as them and other coaches and administrators who have been where they are now. The NCAA puts on the event every summer.
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Players Mentioned

Isabella Dunlap

Isabella Dunlap

5' 2"
Sophomore
Hazel Puempel

#28 Hazel Puempel

OF
5' 9"
Senior
L/R
Devon Bajek

#96 Devon Bajek

DL
6' 3"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Isabella Dunlap

Isabella Dunlap

5' 2"
Sophomore
Hazel Puempel

#28 Hazel Puempel

5' 9"
Senior
L/R
OF
Devon Bajek

#96 Devon Bajek

6' 3"
Senior
DL
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