Jonathan Oliveira worked as a stadium competition analyst for Copa América at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (Photo provided)
In his role, Jonathan was responsible for implementing and monitoring operations activities directly related to matches, press conferences, and stadium familiarization of all the national soccer teams who played at the stadium. In addition, he coordinated overlapping activities in areas inclduing transportation, protocol, and marketing. Further responsibilities included managing match equipment, locker rooms, ceremony rehearsals, organizing volunteers, and more.
On the highlights of his summer, Jonathan said, “I had the opportunity to interact with some of the most famous soccer players, coaches, and staff in the world and learn about the behind-the-scenes of match-day operations. I could connect and learn from several brilliant professionals with vast experiences in the sports events industry. This experience at Copa América was a dream accomplished!”
Nate Beebe holds a glove used by Rita Meyer Moellering of the Peoria Redwings, a team from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1940s. (Photo provided)
For someone who wants to work in baseball in the future, Nate Beebe had a dream internship this summer.
Beebe, now a senior in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, spent his summer interning at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
Beebe was one of 16 students chosen for the 2024 Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development. The program, which hosted its 24th class, offers interns the opportunity to learn from Hall of Fame employees, senior leadership staff and Steele Internship alumni through various seminars and career development events.
Beebe said the idea to apply for the internship came from RST Teaching Associate Professor Mike Raycraft. Beebe’s role involved compiling reports for leadership and developing new queries for specialized searches, building his skills as a data analyst. Additionally, he had the opportunity to create a 10-minute presentation for museum guests about artifacts not currently on display.
“I worked very closely with Kimberly Adler (manager of Data Analytics) and Jason Schiellack (director of Membership and Annual Giving),” he said. “Kimberly was who I did all of my day-to-day tasks with, and she helped me become acclimated to the systems that were being used and the practices in place at the Hall.”
Beebe said he enjoyed his time in upstate New York, working at what many regard as the best of the four major sports’ Halls of Fame.
“The feeling that I had is probably best described as excitement,” he said. “There’s just so much history in Cooperstown, and I couldn’t believe that I was going to get to work there every day for 10 weeks.”
While interning, Beebe lived about 30 minutes south of Cooperstown in Oneonta. The nearby State University of New York campus has a relationship with the Hall of Fame and directs interns to stay in the college’s dorms, he said. He took advantage of the location by taking day trips to Philadelphia and New York City for baseball games.
Those trips could be viewed as scouting for future work opportunities.
“I would like to work in baseball after graduation,” Beebe said. “I’m not sure if I want to pursue that immediately after school or try to work in a corporate environment first and develop some skills, but, eventually, I would like to work in some type of data analytics role with a baseball team.”
RST Assistant Professor Yannick Kluch studies sport as a platform for promoting social justice. Kluch has worked with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, USA Diving and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He spoke with research editor Sharita Forrest about the history of Olympic athletes’ social justice protests and governing organizations’ efforts to avert them with Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter.
RST Assistant Professor Yannick Kluch studies social justice protests and political activism in Olympic and collegiate sports. (Photo by Fred Zwicky)
What was the origin of Rule 50?
A first version of Rule 50 was added to the Olympic Charter in 1955. During the Cold War, the International Olympic Committee was thinking about ways to keep politics out of sport. In my work, that’s one of the key questions I look at. Spoiler alert: It’s not possible. Sport and politics always mix.
The IOC views the Olympics as a neutral place where everybody can come together regardless of their differences. However, the Olympics have always been mixed with politics.
Rule 50 came into the public spotlight after the 1968 Mexico City Olympics when U.S. athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith protested by raising their fists on the podium. That’s become one of the most iconic images in sports history. The backlash was intense. After that, the IOC added the terms “racial propaganda” to the rule.
Who have been the rule’s greatest proponents?
A recent study I conducted looked at that question. We found that the biggest proponents are Olympic committees representing dictatorships like China and Russia. They support the notion that we shouldn’t talk about politics in sport, whereas more democratic countries such as the U.S., Germany and Canada believe the rule infringes on athletes’ freedom of expression.
The IOC advocated heavily to keep the rule, although there have been some developments, especially leading up to the 2020-21 Tokyo Games. More recently, the IOC made an addition to Rule 40 that underlines athletes’ right to freedom of expression. That change has important implications for any policy seeking to silence athlete protests, such as Rule 50.
What consequences are imposed on athletes who violate Rule 50?
There’s a lot of inconsistency and lack of communication about the consequences.
In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos were expelled from Team USA. In 2019, when Gwen Berry raised her fist at the Pan-American Games, the USOPC put her on probation.
However, the USOPC later reversed that decision as part of a comprehensive policy change that now allows Team USA athletes to protest at USOPC-sanctioned events.
In Tokyo in 2021, when Raven Saunders raised her arms on the podium in protest, initially the IOC wanted sanctions, but Raven’s mother died a couple days later so the IOC chose not to impose any.
There were other protests at the Tokyo Games that revealed an inconsistent stance. For example, the IOC allowed a German athlete to wear a rainbow armband in support of LGBTQ+ people during competition—which would usually be a clear violation.
Are there indications that the IOC is becoming more tolerant of athletes’ protests?
The IOC’s response to the 2020-21 protestors was very different compared with 1968 and hints that things are changing somewhat.
Generally, the IOC portrays itself as more tolerant, but there is little evidence that policies have changed. The IOC issued a consultation request in 2019 inviting athletes, experts and the national committees to weigh in on Rule 50—but it remains intact.
However, we had historic changes on the U.S. side. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee created the inaugural Team USA Council on Racial and Social Justice, bringing together over 40 Team USA athletes, alumni, national governing body representatives and external experts. I was one of the four experts.
The Council released recommendations saying that Rule 50 infringes on athletes’ freedom of expression because it’s not compatible with the major human rights frameworks in sport and international relations.
About two days later, the USOPC Board of Directors announced they would no longer punish athletes for peaceful protests. This was a complete 180-degree reversal. Just two years before, they had sanctioned athletes Gwen Berry and Race Imboden, but the council’s recommendation led them to lift those sanctions.
Do you foresee similar protests from U.S. athletes at the 2024 Summer Games?
Four years ago, I would have said yes because there was a lot of conversation on racial and social justice globally. Support for athletes utilizing their platforms for social good was at an all-time high.
Leading up to the Paris Games and this next decade of sport mega-events, I am a little worried that the protest momentum has fizzled out. Four years ago, I got a lot of inquiries from national governing bodies about how to manage protests. But it’s been quiet, so I don’t anticipate as many.
Still, there are many issues worth speaking up about right now—including systemic racism affecting athletes globally and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. We have some great Olympic and Paralympic athlete leaders advancing social justice, so hopefully we’ll see some discourse surrounding these topics.
Editor’s note: There were no major protests at the 2024 Olympics or Paralympics.
Greetings, Friends and Alumni of the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism,
Welcome to the fall 2024 edition of the RST newsletter. I am pleased to share highlights of the latest research from our faculty, remarkable student achievements, and the continued involvement of our distinguished alumni.
We are proud to spotlight the accomplishments of our students and showcase how the cutting-edge research conducted by our faculty positions our department as a leader in advancing knowledge, shaping the future of our field and addressing pressing issues in the communities we serve. Whether you are an alum, current student, or a member of our esteemed faculty, we hope you find these stories both inspiring and thought-provoking.
As I reflect on this past academic year away from RST, I am profoundly grateful for the strong tradition of leadership within our faculty and alumni network as I return to this post. Your steadfast support and commitment have been instrumental in the continued growth and success of our department, evidenced by our expanding educational programs and sustained influence in academic and professional arenas. Together, we’re connecting the academy with industry and making a difference in people’s lives. With your continued partnership, we’re shaping a healthier, more inclusive future for communities. Thank you for being such an essential part of our journey!
Warm regards,
Carla Santos Head Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Students visited many noted tourism sites during the RST180 course this summer (Photo provided)
The Hall of Fame tour that serves as the essence of the Recreation, Sport and Tourism 180 experiential course has been the subject of much discussion since it was introduced in 2016.
The 12-day excursion component of the course—led by RST Clinical Associate Professor Mike Raycraft—spans more than 2,000 miles and has drawn attention from local news channels, magazines and newspapers over the years. Students visit notable tourism sites including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Baseball Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame as well as historic destinations in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
But what makes the course so beloved by its participants? Students who took the course and went on the spring 2024 trip along with a few RST professionals who lead tours on the trip weighed in.
For Axel Mueller, a sophomore studying sport management, getting to know other students was what made RST 180 truly special.
“I was able to meet so many other people within the RST department and get a better understanding of the recreation and tourism side, because at school, I don’t ever see those people much.”
Mueller recalled one of the trip’s hiccups where the lift on their charter bus broke down during a rainy day in New York. The group had stopped for lunch at the famed Anchor Bar, the birthplace of Buffalo chicken wings, and on the way out the lift that was supposed to help Kendall Speaks, an RST major and wheelchair basketball team member, get onto the bus broke, leaving the group stuck in a parking lot for more than an hour.
“I had to squat down, have her wrap her arms around my neck, pick her up, and then carry her to her seat on the bus,” Mueller said. “Of course, Dr. Raycraft was able to arrange another bus that day.”
It was that type of attitude, from Mueller and others in the group, that turned what could have been a deeply frustrating situation into a humorous anecdote, and the tour continued without major issues after that point.
Another aspect of the course Mueller appreciated was getting the opportunity to talk to experts in his prospective field of sports management.
“It definitely opened my eyes a little bit—there’s so many things I can do with a sport management major,” he said. “I would say it broadened my perspective rather than narrowed it.”
Carter Blount, another sophomore in RST, put his perspective on the tour plainly:
“Professor Raycraft makes the trip,” he said. “ He’s done this for so long. He knows all these people and has crazy connections, and he definitely makes it enjoyable.”
Blount went on Raycraft’s spring break study abroad course to London, and despite the exhausting overnight flight and packed schedule, he enjoyed it and was influenced to enroll in the RST 180 course for the second half of the semester. Blount wasn’t alone in this; he said around 20 students who went to London that spring also enrolled in RST 180 this year.
A few fond memories for Blount included cramming into one hotel room with everyone to watch the NBA playoffs, walking the Princeton campus at night where he coincidentally met a student who had gone to the same high school as he did, and watching the sun set over the lake in Cooperstown, New York.
“I can’t think of a single night where I wasn’t in someone else’s room,” Blount said, referring to the close-knit evenings the group spent together after the day’s tours were done.
“It reaffirms my perspective that there are Illinois people everywhere, but also in places you would never think of,” Marshall said. “It’s a reminder to just keep my eyes open and look for connections wherever I can find them.
Todd Marshall
RST student
Blount spoke about the positive experiences the group had with their hosts, with the students who were able to ask questions about internships, careers and their own experiences breaking into the industry. He also discussed how the class itself enhances the trip, saying “you spent eight weeks studying the places you’re going to visit, so it’s cool to go see them all at the end.”
Todd Marshall, an RST graduate student at the University of Illinois, had a slightly different experience than the other students on the trip. As a graduate student working closely with Raycraft, he got an inside look at what it takes to organize and deliver experiential learning opportunities that will serve him well as he enters the field. Marshall was heartened by the large number of alumni they connected with at the locations they visited, taking the opportunity to learn from people not much older than him who successfully made it in the sport management industry.
“It reaffirms my perspective that there are Illinois people everywhere, but also in places you would never think of,” Marshall said. “It’s a reminder to just keep my eyes open and look for connections wherever I can find them.”
Chris Willis first met Raycraft in 2019, while he was doing research for his book on Red Grange, an Illinois alum who played for the Chicago Bears from 1929 to 1934 and is one of the most famous NFL players of the 20th century. When they met, Raycraft mentioned the tour, leading Willis to offer his expertise as head archivist at NFL Films in New Jersey. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic preventing the addition to the tour for a few years, eventually students were able to visit the studio, libraries and research facilities at the headquarters.
“We provided an overview and general information about what NFL Films does, and the facility is a big part of that,” Willis said. “We have everything under one roof.”
Willis is no stranger to hosting tours at the facility, saying they have around five or six per year, usually with friends or family of employees or groups of students like the ones from the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism. Willis confessed he enjoys leading student tours the most, saying he prefers “talking to a younger crowd.”
“Some of the subjects we study are between 50 and 100 years old, so it’s fun to interact with younger students or fans and show them what we do or talk to them about NFL history or the history of NFL films,” he said.
The highlight of the tour was the studio, according to Willis. Many students, sports fans themselves, recognized the place where many of the NFL’s talk shows are filmed and enjoyed seeing the back end of their favorite sports productions.
Mark Thomas found his love for working at parks while working at a summer camp in Rockford as a teen. After graduating from the department of Parks and Recreation (now RST) in 1975, he managed the grounds of a college campus for seven years until it closed. For a long time, Thomas found jobs outside of the industry, doing work in consulting, retail and politics before he was able to work his way back into parks, where he was asked to host RST 180 at Niagara Falls in 2016. At that point, he had been serving as the western regional director of state parks in New York since 2007, with a main office in Niagara Falls.
“I have a tremendous amount of experience,” Thomas said. “The students have a lot of great questions about the park, and so I’m able to elaborate on that for them.”
When the RST 180 students first arrived at Niagara Falls at night, the lights (a $4 million system whose installation Thomas took part in overseeing) shined orange and blue to welcome the tour, an experience cited by many students who went on the trip. They saw the natural landscape and participated in the Maid of the Mist boat tour offered by the American side of the park. Thomas said the students were curious and engaged with the tour, regarding both the history of the falls and the logistics behind managing them.
“They love the tourist experience—who wouldn’t, right? It’s a great experience, but they also embrace the learning aspect of the visit as well.”
Grace Burns, a senior majoring in statistics and minoring in RST with hopes to go into sports analytics post-graduation, was excited by the prospect of the course but admitted to feeling anxious about going on a long trip with complete strangers. Her worries ended up being unfounded.
“Going into it not knowing anyone, I was definitely really nervous,” she said. “I was like ‘Oh my gosh, what did I get myself into?’ But I met so many people. I’m almost glad I didn’t go with my friends because it allowed me to branch out more.”
Burns’ favorite memories from the trip include a night she and several other members of the tour went out for karaoke in Albany, and listening to a panel at the NCAA headquarters where she was able to speak to someone with a career in sports analytics and recordkeeping.
“That’s what initially got me into sports analytics,” she said. “I love all the records in sports, especially baseball—there seems to be a stat for everything. So, it was really neat to hear from him.”
RST 180 exemplifies the passion for educating, events and entertainment, and accommodating all who travel, whether they are sports fans, history buffs, or national park enthusiasts. The class and tour provide a unique experience for students that puts them on both sides of this transaction.
“I would encourage everyone to look into the class even if you’re not RST affiliated and even if you don’t know anyone,” Burns said. “It sounds clichéd, but it was really awesome, even if you’re not into sports.”
