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Written
by: Brianna Kwasnik '16 M.A. '23
|
Nov. 13, 2025
A Bolt of Experience
At least three 511±¬ĮĻ students are working with the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena.
Jillian Meyer '25 is one of the at least three 511±¬ĮĻ students working with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Photo courtesy of Meyer `25
The next time you go to a Tampa Bay Lightning game, you might spot several 511±¬ĮĻ sport management students helping to make the night run smoothly.
In Thunder Alley outside Benchmark International Arena, Jillian Meyer ā25 will be there with a headset on. As a production and stage manager for the pregame show, she instructs the announcer on what to announce, when to turn the sound up or down, and when to open the doors.
She also edits scripts for the intermission report and assists with the teleprompter during the games. She has to communicate with many different groups throughout the night, including with marketing and social media, Thunderbug, the Lightningās mascot, and fans.
The most important thing she learned during this experience has been communication skills, she said.
āIf you canāt talk to people, you canāt work in sports,ā she said.
As a locker room assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kaden Hiryok '27 ensures everything is set up as it should be for game time and helps the visitors leave the arena quickly after the game. Photo by Juliana Musap '25
In the penalty boxes and team benches, you might notice the work of Kaden Hiryok ā27, who helps with the playersā equipment.
Last summer, Hiryok, who is the equipment manager of 511±¬ĮĻās club hockey team, attended a conference for equipment managers and athletic trainers. While networking, he met the head equipment manager for the Lightning.
āI was like, āIām at the University of Tampa. Iām right across the river from you. If you ever need anything, let me know. I have a little bit of a background in equipment, working with the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL the last three seasons.ā¦. Would love to learn moreā,ā Hiryok said.
Soon, he was invited to work and assist at all home games.
Now as a locker room assistant, Hiryok assists with setting up the locker room on game days and both the home and away benches and penalty boxes.
āBasically, Iām making sure everything is where itās supposed to be,ā he said.
He also helps to ensure the visitors can leave the arena very quickly after the game.
āThe turnaround is pretty crazy,ā he said.
If the team is going on the road, he helps to pack up all the gear.
Following graduation, Hiryok hopes to stay in the equipment field and in hockey.
Lauren Cloherty ā26 is a hockey analytics video assistant for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Part of her job entails compiling real-time statistics and data. Photo courtesy of Cloherty
Up in the press box, Lauren Cloherty ā26, a hockey analytics video assistant, compiles real-time statistics and data and tracks the game being played, an experience she describes as āsurreal.ā
When itās not game night, she does whatever the coaches need, including breaking down film, which entails deeply analyzing video and data to help improve team performance.
Following graduation, she would like to stay within the operations side of working with an NHL team.
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