Professor and Coach Greg King’s Take on Sport Management at Thomas Web Director | April 23, 2019

In 1996, Dr. Greg King joined the Sports Management program at Thomas College, and since then, he has witnessed and contributed to the continued growth and success of the program.

When Dr. King started, there were a total of seven courses offered to students. Today, the program offers 17 courses and two proficiency exams.

Dr. King recognized the commitment Thomas had to the Sports Management program when he inquired about access to industry-leading programs, which students should be proficient in before graduating. Without hesitation, Thomas provided the software needed to prepare students for the real-time environments they will encounter during their careers.

Says King, “The sports industry changes very rapidly. We need to be on top of those changes to ensure we are providing the right opportunities to our students so that when they get out in the real world, they will be prepared.”

Dr. King is also the longstanding baseball coach and finds that he can use the two roles to help his students. “When I am a professor, I am a professor. When I am a coach, I am a baseball coach. Obviously, there is overlap between the two; in the classroom I use examples that are baseball and baseball business related. I try to make the conversation not just about sports, but about the business of sports.”

When describing Dr. King’s efforts, Provost Dr. Thomas Edwards says, “He provides one of the best examples among the faculty of a match between mission and its execution. Professor King has stated, ‘I believe an educator is an educator whether it be in the classroom or outside the classroom.’ This perspective drives his contributions to Thomas as a coach, a faculty member, a teacher, and a colleague. It is a testament to his dedication to Thomas and his students that he excels in all these areas.”

Most telling about Dr. King is his description of what matters most to him.

“I love seeing students’ success. A lot of what they are doing is giving back to their community. That’s the one thing I have enjoyed seeing over the years. [Alumnus] Isaac Leblanc was one of my top students, and to see what he has done for the youth programs here in Waterville is wonderful. I am very proud of the success our alumni have had in the field of sports management.”

*This story was originally published in the Winter/Spring 2019 Thomas Magazine.