LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 10, 2024) — Emily Fields was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and says she bled all her life, just like her mother. She has family in Kentucky and she grew up loving University of Kentucky sports. During her high school years she was an avid gymnast and cheerleader, she was passionate about becoming an athlete. However, although her athletic career came to an end after sustaining a major injury to her knee and undergoing multiple surgeries, she never lost her passion for the sport.
When Fields arrived on the UK campus in 2016, she started a new dream.
“I've always said if I can't be an athlete anymore, how can I continue to be involved in what I've wanted to do for almost my entire life,” Fields said. “When I decided to come to the UK, I decided to major in Integrated Strategic Communications (ISC). It was very unique in the sense that I learned about public relations, marketing, digital media, advertising, etc. There are so many paths I could take. there was.”
The game-changer for Fields was when she was lucky enough to land a public relations internship with UK Athletics. She said her experience there helped shape her degree, which kept her in the game.
“I have worked very closely with the men's soccer, men's basketball, and gymnastics programs for about four years. This experience has shaped my future career in ways I never imagined. And I We are fortunate to have so many relationships,” Fields said. It still remains strong. I have several mentors within UK Athletics and I still speak to them often. ”
In 2019, Fields earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from ISC with an emphasis in public relations from the UK College of Communication and Information, a minor in community and leadership development from the Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment. The next chapter of her education will unfold on the University of Florida campus, where she will earn a Master of Science in Sports Management in 2022. Additionally, Fields became a Certified Athlete Development Specialist, which provided her with an avenue to become an advocate for many athletes. In her journey in the sports industry.
After leaving Florida, Fields went straight to several sports organizations, spending five years in the National Football League (NFL), traveling to several states and as far away as Seattle, Washington, where he played for the Seattle Seahawks. Worked as a public relations officer. . Soon after, she received a call offering her a job back in central Kentucky, which she truly calls “home.”
“For me, it was a no-brainer and I jumped at the chance to return to a place I love and call home,” she said. “I was brought to Lexington Sporting Club (LSC) to help create a market and establish a true brand for the club and to give the Lexington community a sense of who we are here and who we are and how we can be involved in the community. It helped me show that I was ready.”
Fields currently works as the marketing, communications and community engagement coordinator for LSC, a two-year-old professional soccer organization in Lexington. Their Men's Professional USL League 1 team is the second tier of the Men's USL, and their Women's USL Super League team is the same level as the National Women's Soccer League (NSWL), the highest level of women's soccer. In addition, LSC has a youth program that works with children and teens to develop soccer skills from the basics.
“Especially at my age, I’m only 25 years old, and it’s not every day that you get to create and collaborate on so many marketing, media and community opportunities with a fledgling professional sports organization,” Fields said. “This is a unique opportunity to write a story for the Lexington community and be part of establishing LSC’s tradition as a club you can call your own.”
Many people think that sports administration, like sports in general, is a male-dominated industry. Fields says being a woman in sports administration is only difficult if you let it be, and it all comes down to how you present yourself. Fields has two strong female mentors who have shaped her career.
“Susan Lux, Director of Athletic Communications and Public Relations (Football), was one of my biggest mentors at UK. She taught me almost everything I know from a sports communications perspective. And to this day, she's my somebody,” she said. You can ask for advice. She had this confidence in herself and her determination that I always admired and carried with me when I went on adventures on my own. ”
Fields describes another mentor, Julie Barber, director of media services operations for the Seattle Seahawks, as a powerful woman in sports who walks into a room with confidence, but also someone who teaches others. , describes her as a woman who fosters a desire to grow and acts openly. In the industry.
“Two women shaped my career,” Fields said. “This industry can be very intense and stressful at times, but if I stay true to myself, be authentic, and believe in my work, my work speaks for itself.” It instills in me what it means to be deaf.”
Fields says her favorite part of her job is the same one that has motivated her throughout her career: creating beautiful stories that tell the stories of the talented athletes that represent LSC.
“I love sitting with the players and hearing their stories and hearing why they do the things they do, and then flipping it around and realizing how great these athletes really are. Show it to the world,” Fields said. “We have players from such diverse backgrounds that each one has a different passion behind what they do and why they play. I am incredibly lucky to be able to learn from each of them. , and we are honored to share their beautiful stories with the world.
“There are so many ways to tell a story, and I think that’s what’s unique about what we do,” she said. “It's not just writing anymore. It's social media, it's TV, it's everywhere. You can write feature articles about athletes, you can write press releases about why athletes come to your team, you can write photos. You can also visually show off more of their personality on social media with something as simple as a video.
Storytelling and player development are the heart and soul of what Fields does every day. She says making a difference in the lives of athletes through her work is why she loves what she does.
“I get up every day to work, but I don't necessarily do it for myself. I'm telling a little bit of other people's history, but I'm trying to influence athletes and put them in the spotlight. The fact that they can is really important to me, especially being involved in college athletics, and seeing the impact it can make, even though it may be a small change. I can see them go away and have a career and be successful.”
Fields said LSC currently has two indoor facilities open to the public and numerous outdoor fields, but plans call for a stadium on Athens-Boonsboro Road in Lexington that will seat about 7,500 people when completed. It is said to be in progress.
“We are very proud to be in Lexington, which is why our owner Bill Shively introduced us here. We love this community and are currently The main thing is that we want to give back to the community as much as we can,” Fields said. “What I think is so unique is that we are 'one crest, one club', meaning that from our youth programs to our professional teams, we all wear the same crest. No matter what, we are all working together to create something truly special here in central Kentucky.”
For now, Fields is looking forward to the start of the USL League 1 men's 2024 season, which runs through October. She described this year's team of players as “phenomenal” and hopes people will go out and fall in love with the players and the sport of soccer.
“There’s something about the Lexington community and the way the people are here that always attracts me,” she said. “I always say Atlanta raised me, but Kentucky made me who I am. If I hadn't gone to UK, if I hadn't taken that internship with British Athletics, And if I hadn't done an internship with British Athletics, I wouldn't have gotten into this profession or had the experience. The people and mentors I've found here. That feeling and the encouragement and encouragement you get from people who represent your hometown even when you're abroad is priceless for me.”
For more information about Lexington Sports Club, please visit https://www.lexsporting.com or sign up for our e-newsletter here.
Things you may not know about Emily Fields
Fields is a huge music fan and has been to over 100 concerts. Her concerts were an activity she shared with her mother since she was 6 or 7 years old. As she grew older, she stopped asking for presents and started asking for concert tickets instead. Because, she says, nothing beats the experience that live music brings.
“I love the emotions and feelings that music can give me. I love the storytelling aspect of all aspects of life, and music tells beautiful stories and people can take both the positive and negative aspects of it. ” she said.
