Anne Tobin ‘22 had always expected that she would end up attending graduate school for something. However, through her time at Haverford, the psychology major and neuroscience minor was also able to realize her non-academic interests, including playing on the College’s tennis team for four years. Now, she is serving as a runner in player operations at the upcoming U.S. Open in Queens, N.Y. (which will run Aug. 29–Sept. 11). Her position is with the United States Tennis Association (USTA), who runs the annual tennis tournament.
“Responsibilities range widely as the role is essentially to help the tournament run smoothly on the player-side,” Tobin said. “This would include one-on-one interaction with players and making sure their needs are met, checking to make sure the food and beverages for players are sufficiently stocked, ensuring players’ guests have everything they need, and just helping out wherever needed.”
Tobin realized she wanted to pursue a career in sports and player relations not only because she was a tennis player herself, but also through conversations with fellow athletes around campus.
“Spending time talking with people in the training room and the gym helped me realize that I wanted to work in sports, working with players to help them achieve their competitive goals,” she said.
Her advisor, Professor of Psychology Rebecca Compton, also provided support through advice, recommendations, and support of Tobin’s goals.
Once she had decided she was interested in working in sports, she was able to earn the job with the USTA after hearing about it through a family friend and applying via TeamWork. Tobin was grateful she was able to gain experience in athletics through her time at Haverford, even though she didn’t realize she wanted to make a career in these fields until late in her undergraduate career.
“Working with the Athletic Department is a great way to earn experience, which is crucial when trying to find a job in sports,” she said.
Tobin will be working with the U.S. Open for about two months, leading up to, during, and following the tournament. Once it concludes, she is hoping to work for a team in a full-time, managerial role, similar to what she will be doing in the U.S. Open. She hopes to not only play a role in that team’s success, but also form relationships and bonds with players and fellow staff.
“Where They’re Headed” is a blog series chronicling the post-collegiate plans of recent Haverford graduates.