Bluffton University

Sport management

10/09/2024

Matt Dennis ’25 gained coaching, marketing and community relations experience as a summer intern for the Lionsbridge Football Club.

Dennis Finds his calling at Bluffton

Matt Dennis ’25, a sport management major, from Suffolk, Va., spent his summer as an intern with Lionsbridge Football Club, a semi-professional soccer team located in Newport News, Va.

Through this internship, Dennis was able to see first-hand what coaching is like and what it takes to run an effective practice. Dennis shadowed the team’s coaches and set up drills for the team.

Not only did Dennis get coaching experience, but he also got experience managing the team’s marketing and serving as a liaison between the team and the community. If any items needed autographed by the team, Dennis coordinated which team member would sign it and where the autograph needed to go.

Before games, Dennis was responsible for setting up the field, and during games he took stats for the team. 

“I have never had a bad experience with sports and this experience was no different,” said Dennis. “I learned so much in the three months I spent doing this internship. I was able to expand my knowledge of the sport management industry and network with players from all over the world.” 

Dennis came to Bluffton undecided on his major. Dennis first tried out exercise science, however, after a few courses in this major, Dennis knew this was not the path he wanted to take. Fascinated by the management side of sports, Dennis officially declared his major in sport management. 

“Being a sport management major, there are so many people who know they want to work in sports, but they don’t know exactly what they want to do in the sports industry,” said Dennis. “Being at Bluffton, having small class sizes and professors who actually care and want to help us figure out what we want to do, has really helped me succeed and find my calling.” 

At Bluffton, Dennis plays soccer for the Beavers. Dennis says his close relationship with his teammates has allowed him to stay connected to Bluffton and feel at home. 

“My professors and coaches have made my time here a lot easier,” said Dennis. “If I was at a larger school, my professors would not know my name like they do here at Bluffton.” 

After graduating from Bluffton, Dennis plans to return to work with Lionsbridge and hopefully be a graduate assistant coach at a nearby university to the Lionsbridge headquarters in Virginia.