CCU job fair sets high hopes for Grand Strand sport tourism

Some students with Coastal Carolina University said they hope a career in sports could help boost the Grand Strand’s sports tourism. They attended a career fair on how to do just that on Wednesday.

CCU senior football player Chris Adrian said that he’s got big career plans but not to become a pro-athlete.

He said instead he wants to be a part of making the Grand Strand more poplar among visitors but not for the sun, sand, and beaches and rather for its sports.

“I’m from Chicago so maybe talk to a few people back home and be like hey come down here you know, because it’s a growing area where if you come down here you’ll make a difference to where it’s more diverse where teams from California could come here, teams from back home come down here and try to get different teams from different states to come down and experience the culture of Myrtle Beach and see how important it is to us to help it grow,“ said Adrian.

CCU Senior Justin McKenzie said he hopes his passion for sports will help him land a career that not only will be good for his future but also for the future of the Grand Strand.

“Sports bring families together,” said McKenzie, “we need people to put on the programs and broadcast out about what sport is going on and so those are the people like us that are behind the scenes.“

Tourism officials said that they hope the student’s interest in sports marketing could be the help they’re looking for to make the Grand Strand a well rounded tourist destination.

Some said that they are trying to recruit as many interns as possible for events like the National Holiday Basketball Tournament in December and the upcoming 13th annual Myrtle Beach Marathon in February.

“These are good qualified candidates or these positions,” said the university’s Career Services Coordinator Tom Woodle, “this is a strong employee pool so that businesses and agencies in this area don’t have to go outside of the area to look for qualified candidates, they’re able to find right here.“

“There a lot of people interested in working in sports but not a lot of jobs so the best way for these students to get involved in this industry is through internships and that’s why we are all here,“ said Roy Edmondson Sports Manager with the Myrtle Beach Convention Visitor’s Bureau.