Jonathan Leneschmidt
Emphasis on the Little Details
Equipment Operations | SPTE 444
Throughout my coursework in Sport and Entertainment Management and my hands-on experiences as an Equipment Operations Intern with South Carolina Football and in SPTE 444 Event Management, I have learned that success in the sport industry often depends on attention to the smallest details. Whether preparing a team’s gear for game day or creating a step-by-step event plan, I discovered that what may seem like minor considerations often have major consequences. These experiences taught me to recognize how classroom learning connects with professional practice, how theory and application reinforce each other, and how paying close attention to detail transforms efficiency, trust, and overall outcomes. From these opportunities, I developed key insights that shaped my approach to work, problem-solving, and leadership.
Precision Creates Trust and Reliability
Working in equipment operations taught me that precision is the foundation of reliability. Coaches and athletes depended on me to ensure that every jersey, helmet, and piece of gear was accounted for and ready. Even the smallest oversight could disrupt practice or a game. In class, I learned about the importance of operational efficiency, but in practice I saw how accuracy built trust. By consistently handling details correctly, I became someone coaches and players could rely on without hesitation. This experience shaped my understanding that attention to detail is not simply about avoiding mistakes, it is about developing trust through dependability.
Small Details Have Large-Scale Impacts
In SPTE 444, I realized that event planning works the same way: minor details can shape the entire outcome. Every element of an event from signage, staffing schedules, contingency plans all contributes to the experience of attendees. During my project, I saw how overlooking even one component could trigger problems that spread throughout the event. This mirrored my internship, where forgetting a single piece of equipment could affect an athlete’s preparation and, by extension, team performance. Both experiences showed me how interconnected operations are, and how detail orientation prevents small oversights from turning into large-scale issues.
SPTE 444 - Event Management Capstone Project "Kick Cancer Classic"
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My coursework gave me frameworks for operational planning and risk management, but my experiences allowed me to see their practical value. For instance, building checklists in SPTE 444 initially felt like a theoretical exercise. However, when I began double-checking equipment for football practices, I saw firsthand how structured documentation ensured accuracy and prevented errors. By applying classroom concepts to real tasks, I began to understand that academic exercises were not just hypothetical, they were training tools designed to prepare me for professional responsibilities. This realization reshaped how I approach learning, motivating me to treat coursework as practice for real-world execution.
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Both my internship and my event planning experience showed me that attention to detail communicates professionalism. When a coach sees a team fully equipped or when an attendee enjoys a seamless event, it signals competence and care. I came to understand that professionalism is not only about big-picture leadership, but also about consistent execution of small responsibilities. This insight transformed my perspective on career preparation. Ultimately, detail orientation is not just a helpful skill, but a defining quality that separates good work from great work.