Walker Brooke is a 2015 graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School and ran cross country for two seasons. Currently, he is a senior at the University of Oklahoma where he is studying finance and sports management, and is an intern in the school’s athletic department.
Q: What are you doing now that’s related to your interest in sports?
A: I am a communications intern in the athletic department. I help the sports information directors prepare their game notes and am responsible for updating content for player biographies, team schedules, and other content on the University of Oklahoma’s athletic website.
Q: What activities are you involved in game day activities?
A: On game days I deliver live in-game social media updates on various platforms, including Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram. Another thing I do on game days are live in-game statistics. I’ve been doing all of this for three-and-a-half years.
Q: What is the best part of your job in athletics?
A: The best part is meeting new people and making connections within collegiate sports. Another favorite part is getting the opportunity to work at postseason tournaments, including multiple NCAA basketball tournaments.
Q: Is there anyone who was a great influence on your decision to follow this career path?
A: The first person I got connected with was Kevin Shields (Foxes’ football statistician) when I was in high school. He was a good mentor and I worked alongside of him for two seasons as an assistant spotter. I also helped him keep track of stats during the game. Mr. Shields, along with (athletic director) Mike O’Brien, were the two people who gave me the opportunity to get my foot in the door and really jump-started me getting involved with the different teams at Fox Chapel Area, which ultimately led to bigger opportunities.
Q: Do you have an idea of what you want to do after you graduate?
A: I would really like to work for a professional or minor league baseball team, but I would be open to working for any professional sports team, or in collegiate athletics. If I work in college athletics, my goal would be to eventually become a sports information director. Continuing in public relations would be a good opportunity too, but I think that working on the business side of sports would allow me to use my finance background and all of the skills that I have gained over the past few years at OU.