Since being hired last June, club sports and intramurals coordinator Crystal Dooley has proven to be fit at Southeast as she continues to provide students with new opportunities.

Whether it is collaborating with students for the eSports/Gaming club, the scuba club, the women’s basketball club or allowing field hockey in the spring, Dooley in her first year at Southeast is providing multiple options for students looking to play sports or pursue their passion.

Just like students are able to explore their interest with clubs or intramurals, Dooley did the same with her career before finding her fit as a coordinator.

“I went to Western Illinois University for my sports broadcasting degree and had internships with the Bulls, White Sox, NBC Comcast Sports and realized this was not what I wanted to continue doing, because you can’t really be a fan in that field,” Dooley said. “While I was in that field all through undergrad, I worked in the Rec Center as an official and then moved my way up to the intramural supervisor. I thought, ‘I really liked doing that, that’s what I want to go back to,’ and that’s what pushed me to this.”

Now, Dooley has settled into her role at Southeast as she oversees both club sports and intramural teams.

When she is not supporting intramural teams or attending club sporting events such as traveling to St. Louis for the FIFA eSports competition, Dooley is focused on working with students. Part of her job is scheduling field reservations for teams or clubs, handling reimbursements and scheduling intramurals or tournaments.

During her time here, Dooley has been part of the growth of club sports and has helped organize the popular eSports club, which will be a top focus of hers in the fall.

“For the eSports/Gaming Club, we are really focused on trying to get that more involved,” Dooley said. “We were able to send a group out to St. Louis for a FIFA tournament [this semester] and we are still preparing to dive deeper into eGaming for next fall.”

Not only does her job allow her to create new clubs, but also regulate how intramural games are played over the course of the semester.

“I emplaced a lot of rules on certain things and more professional development,” Dooley said. “I have the officials and supervisors do professional evaluations at the end of the semester to see where they are and what they should improve on.”

With a year of experience under her belt, Dooley said the most rewarding part has been the formation of newer club sports.

Dooley mentioned sophomore KP Pierre who took it upon herself to start the women’s club basketball team.

“Once you have that one person to take that initiative, you have all of these other parties that want to join in,” Dooley said.

Nearing the end of the semester, Dooley is already planning ahead for next fall as she hopes to expand the competition for clubs and intramural teams through National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) tournaments.

While Dooley attended the tournament played at Texas A&M University this year, she said she plans on bringing a group of students with her next time to either play or gain experience at officiating.

With summer in sight, Dooley is staying busy as she plans a nine-week Redhawks kids camp.

“For me, continuing to grow because there is no better teacher than experience,” Dooley said.