Sport Management Student Takes Love for Lacrosse Across the World
Veronica Brancato has been playing lacrosse since she was 7 years old, but it wasn’t until she had the opportunity to intern with the World Lacrosse Championships that she got to see the sport she loves take an international stage.
The Sport Management major learned about the internship when one of her professors sent out an announcement calling for applications. Shortly after, Brancato found herself on a plane to Netanya, Israel, where she would spend the next three weeks exploring the country, working with international lacrosse teams, and meeting ambassadors from all over the world.
The first week of the internship allowed the students to explore the surrounding area, including an exploration of Masada, an ancient fortress overlooking the Dead Sea, take a dive in the Dead Sea, and visiting other historic landmarks such as the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Holocaust Museum.
After her week of exploring, Brancato and the other interns were given an exclusive look at what goes into an international tournament. “I’ve always been interested in the events side of Sport Management,” says Brancato. “It was good to see the behind-the-scenes view, and I got to see more of the backend. There’s a lot more that goes into it than it seems.”
Brancato’s focus during the internship was field operations, where she and other interns provided support for the field ops which included working at tables on the sidelines, controlling the clock, and field setup. She also worked in the VIP and ticketing areas and provided support for the marketing and social media efforts. “I worked with a lot of the 46 countries there and the ambassadors that came to watch their team play,” says Brancato. “It was great to be able to work the fields and work with the teams because you got to meet the players.”
She says that the opportunity was not only a chance to travel and work with the sport she loves, it also gave her insight into what she wants to do in the future. “I’ve been playing lacrosse my whole life and now at Drexel, I’m on the club lacrosse team, but as a Sport Management major interested in events, being able to get to work with the teams and work the stadiums really solidified what I want to do.”
