OUR RACE CREW
A Sport Management Professor and a Bunch of Brilliant Young Professionals!
I'm Dr. Caroline "Smitty" Faure, and I'm the Race Director for the Bengal Triathlon. I started this race in 2006 for two reasons: One, it was a way for me to engage my sport management students through experiential learning; Two, it was a way to give back to a triathlon community that has meant a whole lot to me! In the process, I'm hoping to attract new people to appreciate our sport! That includes my students, most of whom have never heard much about the sport - until they take my class!
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Experiential learning is a critical component of sport management student learning and one that can transform the learning process. Inside our classrooms, sport management students study event planning, facility operations, consumer behavior, human resource management, sponsor relations, marketing and promotion, risk management and more. With the Bengal Tri, they have to put those theories into practice. In doing so, most have to step outside their comfort zones to facilitate an event they initially know only a little bit about. By the end of their semester, they've (hopefully) begun to master the art of sports event management!
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From all of my race experiences and my training as a USA Triathlon Race Director, I like to think I know a little about what racers want in a race (like cool race swag) and what they need (like ridiculous attention to course safety). I keep those things in mind and every year, I strive to make the Bengal Tri a little bit bigger and a little bit better. As I tell my students all the time... it's all about the details!
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Make no mistake about it: This event showcases my students just as much as it showcases you, the athletes! I think that's pretty cool... and I hope you will, as well!
I'm looking forward to seeing you in April at the Bengal Tri!
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