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MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // DECEMBER.2015 14 with Bill Robertson, then vice president of communications for the Minnesota Wild. Robertson told Peters of an internship with USA Hockey. "The Brian Fishman internship was the start of my career in so many ways," Peters said of the yearlong communications internship at the USA Hockey headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo. "All of us that were lucky enough [to have the internship] have formed such a bond. Many of us are now working in professional hockey and it's so cool to see that it's becoming a starting point for people's careers." Following her internship with USA Hockey, Peters embarked on two more yearlong internships with the Minnesota Wild and a stint with the NHL's Florida Panthers before becoming fully employed by the State of Hockey's squad. "I lucked out with the timing of things, but you can't forget, I lived with my parents and basically had no healthcare for three years," she said with a laugh. "But I did that because that was what I had to do to stick in the industry." Now in her fourth season "completely in the industry" Peters is in charge of writing game notes and press releases, maintaining stats and assisting with the team media guide and interview requests. "I have my best day if a guy does a really good interview or if he feels comfortable speaking to the media, especially if he wasn't comfortable before," said Peters. "That's where I have a moment of pride and find that I can have a positive impact in that manner." BUSINeSS MANAGeMeNT Jobs include: Arena manager, hockey operations, general manager, administrator Requirements: Minimum 4-year college degree, master's degree often preferred MATT MAjkA Chief Operating Officer for Minnesota Sports and Entertainment/Minnesota Wild Hometown: Detroit, Mich. (has lived in the Twin Cities 40-plus years) Years in the Position: 7 (has been with the Minnesota Wild for 12 years) Favorite Part: "The roar of the crowd is something that you can't get working at a lot of other places. When you hear that roar and you know you had a small part in creating it, it's really rewarding." Word of Warning: "I wouldn't trade a day here, but there are many days and weekends, so that's a sacrifice you make and a sacrifice your family makes, too. It's not a nine-to-five job." Like many in Michigan, Matt Majka grew up playing hockey. He fostered that love through his youth association, dreaming of where it could take him. Then a dose of reality hit. "I realized I was never good enough to play at a high level, and certainly never good enough to play past high school," Majka says with a laugh. "But I really always loved the sport—it's just a passion that kept growing." He fueled that passion during his college years at the University of Minnesota. An aspiring sports broadcaster, Majka pursued a communications major before another realization hit: "I wasn't very good at that either," he joked. "So I changed courses a bit and looked for other opportunities in the sports world." WOrDS Of WISDOM Here are five pieces of advice for aspiring hockey writers, managers, agents and directors, from those who know the field best. "If you want to work with a professional sports team, start by working with a minor league team to prepare yourself for a potential job with a major league team. [In the minors] you really get to understand the ebb and flow of the industry and the elements that go into it." —Matt Majka, COO Minnesota Wild "When you're in college, look for experience, you can never have too much of it. My education at Syracuse was wonderful, but so much of what I learned was on-the- job work experience, and you just can't replicate that." —Carly Peters, media relations coordinator, Minnesota Wild "It was a dream come true. It sounds like such a cliché, but it's true. I didn't set out to necessarily work with an NHL hockey team, but it was a real blessing to have hockey come back to Minnesota and have a front row seat and be a part of its re-emergence." —MATT MAJKA, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR MINNESOTA SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT/MINNESOTA WILD help WANTeD