Lessons from Sports and Sprott with AJ Palladino
AJ Palladino, BCom/14, played football his entire life, but the moment he started coaching, he knew it was the position he fit best. AJ played football with the Myers Riders Football Club in Ottawa from the age of eight to 22 years old. At 18, he started coaching with the organization.
“I love coaching more than I loved playing,” expressed AJ. “I was always a decent player but I was only ever good because I understood the game. Being able to coach was being able to transfer that knowledge and explain it to kids. I loved that.”
He began taking on more responsibility within the organization and began coaching higher level teams. The Ottawa Junior Riders, a team of 18-24 year olds, had a five year hiatus before being brought back last year. This season, with AJ as the head coach, the Ottawa Junior Riders won the provincial championship.
During his time at Sprott, AJ found ways to incorporate his passion for sports with his newfound interest in marketing. One experience that stands out to him was the opportunity to attend a sports marketing conference in Montreal.
“That was the most amazing conference because it literally put my two passions together in sports and marking,” said AJ. He said he still uses information he learned at the conference today.
He also joined the Sprott JDCC social team in his first year and worked his way up to being the JDCC Co-Captain in his 4th year. AJ was also the Sprott Business Students’ Society athletic chair during his second year, and was heavily involved with Sprosh Fall Orientation Week throughout his studies.
“What really helped me take on those leadership roles at Sprott was growing up playing football. I was always a captain or a leader on the team. Those leadership qualities get instilled in you at a young age, and it’s just something you carry through with you. That definitely helped me at Sprott,” AJ shared.
“I’d say coaching as well. Understanding that people respond differently based on their needs was a big learning for me that I got through coaching. Whether they are football players, JDCC team members or colleagues working on a project at work, understanding how to service someone’s individual needs and finding out what makes them tick is instrumental in aligning them towards a common goal.”
The summer before AJ graduated from Sprott, he landed a summer student job at Canada Post on the marketing team. While he finished his last year, he continued to work there on contract until he was hired full-time. He is now the Manager of eCommerce Partnership Development where he works with technology partners like Shopify so that small and medium sized businesses have the ability to compete with the major online retailers when it comes to selling online.
AJ’s advice for Sprott students and alumni is to acknowledge your gaps and try to fill them. This is advice that AJ lives by. A few years ago, he transitioned from a marketing role he loved to a contract role where he could get experience working in finance and operations because he knew that was a gap he had.
“Definitely fill that gap early if you can, as opposed to waiting and thinking I’ll get there eventually. As soon as an opportunity to fill something you need to in your career appears, I’d say do it. There’s no harm in being able to do it, cross that off your list, then move back into the role that you want. Or see where that takes you, you may be pleasantly surprised when er doors open up,” said AJ.
He also advises to get involved because it connects you with new friends and new opportunities.
“Get involved in some sort of community. It doesn’t matter what that community is. Mine has always been football,” AJ said. “Get involved so you can be part of a community and build relationships that will guide your career and personal life.”