Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Weaver.
Hi Rachel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I didn’t grow up knowing that I wanted to work in sports. I had always been around sports, but for a long time, I thought I was going to become a lawyer. Honestly, I didn’t even know being a creative was a career option at that age.
That changed during my freshman year of college when I switched my major to public relations, which is a funny story in itself, and started pursuing a new dream of becoming Beyoncé’s publicist.
I had always naturally gravitated toward communications. In high school, I was often the communications person for the organizations I was involved in, so when I got to Missouri State University, I continued down that path. I became the Engagement Coordinator for the Residence Hall Association, where I was responsible for communication and social media.
One thing that made my college experience a little different was that I had already earned my associate’s degree while I was still in high school. Because of that, I only spent two years and a semester at Missouri State. During my time there, a classmate invited me to join a sports and entertainment organization because of my major. That ended up being a major turning point for me because it was the first time I really started seeing myself working in the sports industry.
That interest led me to an opportunity in our athletics department, where I became a communications intern. It was there that I realized I wanted to combine two things I really loved: sports and social media.
The challenge was that, because I had a shortened time in college, I was only able to spend about a year in that communications internship and didn’t have as much social media experience as I wanted. After graduating, I moved back home and struggled to land the internships and positions I was applying for because I didn’t yet have the experience I felt I needed.
Instead of seeing that as the end of the road, I found other ways to keep building my experience. I took a position at my former high school as a college readiness teacher for freshmen while also working with my former dance teacher as a graduate assistant coach. During that time, I decided that graduate school would give me another opportunity to develop my skills and get more experience in the industry.
I started reaching out to schools throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and eventually received an offer from Reagan Ratcliff at Dallas Baptist University to become a Media Relations Graduate Assistant. It felt like the perfect opportunity because I could continue my education while also gaining hands-on experience close to home.
Then, another opportunity came along that I wasn’t expecting.
The summer before starting at DBU, I went through the interview process with the American Junior Golf Association and was offered a position as a Traveling Communications Intern. That summer was a huge turning point in my career. I worked with a team of nine people to put on golf tournaments across the country. My communications partner and I handled the social media and communications efforts for each tournament, including creating and curating content, writing and distributing press releases, and capturing photos and videos.
When the summer ended, I started graduate school at DBU and began my role in media relations. I served as the primary communications contact for men’s and women’s tennis and men’s basketball.
Not long after starting at DBU, I received another opportunity, this time with FC Dallas, as a Social Media Intern. I created and developed content for the club’s MLS NEXT Pro team, North Texas SC, while also assisting my supervisors with the first team through the end of the season.
During my second year at DBU, I continued working with basketball and tennis while also taking on men’s soccer. During basketball season, I received permission from our creative department to create a short-form interview series called “Mini Mic,” which featured fun, personality-driven interviews. I also produced in-game highlight reels for Instagram, which gave me the opportunity to continue developing my skills as both a storyteller and content creator.
About two months before I graduated, my boss at FC Dallas reached back out and brought me on as a part-time Social Media Coordinator. It was a full-circle moment and an opportunity to continue growing in an organization where I had already learned so much.
Not long after that, I received an offer from Illinois State Athletics to become the Assistant Director of Social Strategy and Content. In that role, I managed the social media accounts for football and track and field.
My time at Illinois State ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Our football team competed in the FCS National Championship, and during that run, our social platforms saw a 557.4% increase in impressions and a 356.5% increase in audience growth. Even after that season ended, the momentum continued, and the page has continued to grow exponentially because of the foundation I built during that time.
After a year at Illinois State, another opportunity came full circle. The Missouri Valley Conference offered me the position of Director of Digital Content and Brand Engagement.
I’ve now been in the role for about a month, and I’m excited to be in St. Louis and to continue building on everything I’ve learned throughout my journey.
When I look back, my career definitely didn’t happen in a straight line. I went from wanting to be a lawyer, to dreaming about becoming Beyoncé’s publicist, to discovering sports social media almost by accident. A lot of the opportunities that shaped my career came from simply being willing to say yes, reach out, learn, and find another way when something didn’t work out. I didn’t necessarily know where I was going when I started, but every experience helped me get a little closer to where I am today, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. My career has been anything but a straight line, and I think some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned have come from the moments when things didn’t go according to plan.
One of the biggest struggles was early on when I realized I wanted to work in sports and social media, but I didn’t necessarily have the experience to get my foot in the door. Because I graduated with my associate’s degree while I was still in high school, I only spent two years and a semester at Missouri State. That meant I had less time than a traditional college student to build internships, make connections, and gain experience. After graduating, I moved back home and applied for a lot of internships and positions, but I wasn’t getting them. It was difficult because I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn’t yet have the experience employers were looking for. That period really tested my patience and forced me to get creative about finding ways to continue developing myself.
Instead of waiting for the “perfect” opportunity, I took a position at my former high school as a college readiness teacher and also worked as a graduate assistant coach with my former dance teacher. Those weren’t necessarily the jobs I pictured myself doing when I graduated, but they helped me continue building relationships, developing communication skills, and figuring out my next step. That experience ultimately pushed me toward graduate school, which opened the door to opportunities I might not have otherwise had. From the American Junior Golf Association to Dallas Baptist University, FC Dallas, Illinois State, and now the Missouri Valley Conference, each opportunity built on the one before it.
I’ve also had to learn how to be comfortable with not knowing exactly what comes next. There were plenty of moments when I questioned whether I was doing enough or whether I would actually get to where I wanted to go. But I learned that a setback doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going in the wrong direction. Sometimes it just means you have to take a different route. So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. But I’m actually grateful for that. The challenges taught me how to be persistent, how to create opportunities for myself, and how to keep moving forward even when the path wasn’t clear.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work in sports social media, and I really specialize in content creation and digital strategy! My dream is to work in professional sports, I love working with athletes and being able to tell their story through social media in some way and I think that is what really sets me apart! https://gondola.cc/raachelldanae
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to be patient with my own timeline.
There were so many moments when I felt like I was doing everything I was supposed to do, but the opportunities I wanted just weren’t happening. I would see people around me landing their dream jobs or reaching milestones while I was still waiting for mine, and it was easy to wonder, “When is it going to be my turn?”
What I’ve learned is that someone else reaching their goals before you doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. Everyone’s path looks different. Looking back, I can see that the opportunities I thought were taking too long- moving back home, working at my former high school, going to graduate school- were actually helping prepare me for the opportunities that eventually came. I’ve also learned that patience doesn’t mean sitting around and waiting. You still have to keep learning, making connections, putting yourself out there, and finding ways to grow. You may not be able to control when your opportunity comes, but you can control whether you’re ready when it does. Your timeline is your timeline, and sometimes the waiting is part of the preparation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gondola.cc/raachelldanae
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raachelldanae/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldweaver/
