(Great Lakes, Ill) - Being a Navy recruiter isn’t easy. It’s long hours on top of long days, and for some, it includes learning a completely new job.
But Navy Talent Acquisition Group Great Lakes recruiter, Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Launching and Recovery) 1st Class Cyiah Wright isn’t one to shy away from learning new things.
And this year, that meant serving as the assistant coach for girls wrestling at Hartford Union High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“[Coaching wrestling] was completely out of my comfort zone,” Wright said. “But I think people should never stop challenging themselves or forcing themselves outside of their norm. It’s good for you and it builds character.”
Two members of Wright’s team competed in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state meet. For both of the athletes, it was also their first year wrestling.
“When we first started the season, it was loss after loss,” Wright said. But then the season hit a turning point and the girls started winning and eventually advanced to state. “To see them at state and see how happy they were just to get to that level, they were so thankful and happy. The girls didn’t really care what the outcome was and when they lost, they took it in such stride.”
While students were used to seeing Wright at school for recruiting purposes, she says coaching wrestling has helped her further connect with the Hartford community.
“[Wrestling] has helped build another bridge. I’m a person who has a job, but I also care and I think they can see how much time and effort I’m putting into it,” Wright said. “When I go to other events, teachers see first hand that I’m involved and care and not just trying to get a certain number of kids from their school to join.”
Despite the added time commitment, Wright didn’t let her work be affected. During down time at tournaments or practices, Wright would answer phone calls or use social media to recruit. Wright would also do table setups at some of the wrestling meets.
“You’re never really going to win when it comes to deciding what the right amount of time to dedicate towards your projects are,” Wright said. “But I think I did a good job making sure I was at practice and still doing my job.”
Navy Talent Acquisition Group Great Lakes Enlisted Production Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Kalan Kelly was able to attend the state meet and support Wright.
“Before the match, you could tell Wright’s athletes were so inspired by her. You can tell they’ve built a great relationship and that comes in part from Wright being such a great leader,” Kelly said. “She does so well for the command while she fills in as a recruiter-in-charge, so it’s neat to see how that talent translates into so many different levels.”
When asked to reflect on the season, Wright said she was grateful - for both the opportunity to coach and for the Hartford staff.
“The coaches were so knowledgeable and really cared,” Wright said. “It’s rare to see a coach that isn’t just about winning, but everyday he reminded us that if we went out and did what we did best, then we’d be winners. And I’ve started applying that to so many different aspects of my life, whether that’s coaching, recruiting or being a mom.”
Despite the added hours of coaching in the evening after a full day of recruiting, Wright says the work was worth it.
“It was definitely hard and it was definitely a lot,” she said. “But I would do it again. In a heartbeat, I would do it again.”
Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Great Lakes covers Northern Illinois, Northwest Indiana, Eastern Wisconsin and Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Headquartered in North Chicago, NTAG Great Lakes has 30 recruiting stations and employs more than 150 military and non-military personnel.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2024 13:35 |
| Story ID: | 468440 |
| Location: | MADISON, WISCONSIN, US |
| Hometown: | MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
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This work, Balancing Act: How One Recruiter Found Fun through Work, by Anna Jefferson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
