Intern Feature: Bao Terry Cao

I was the Head JV Boys’ Soccer Coach for Amherst Regional High School. Coaching for ARHS is a big deal since we have one of the best soccer programs in the state of Massachusetts. 

HOW DID YOU FIND THIS OPPORTUNITY?

I found the job through indeed.com when I was looking for work coming back to Amherst from my year-long exchange in the United Kingdom. Coaching soccer has always been my career goal and it was the perfect job for me.

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

The experience gained during my spell at ARHS is nothing like what I have experienced before. Coaching intensively for a 2 month season while juggling a full load of courses was extremely tough as my job required a lot of travelling and work during the off-hours. I was constantly answering emails and planning for practices and games, sometimes deep into the night. However, I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. I learned what it meant to be a coach to 15 and 16 year old high school boys, how to conduct myself in a manner that is always dignified and professional and portray both my role and my school in a positive light at all times. We had a great season results wise with 14 wins and only 3 losses, and in each and every game I learned something new, whether about coaching or just invaluable human interaction with my players.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER STUDENS?

I would advise any student looking for internships to make sure they manage their time well and give themselves plenty of time for rest and school work. As I mentioned, I struggled massively with balancing my job and my school work and I found myself staying up 2-3AM to complete works for the next day. I would also say keep an open mind, as that was one of the things I found most valuable while on the job: you can never know it all!