March, 2014 - Bruce Arians Inaugural Arizona Celebrity Golf Classic
Hello,
My name is Jake Hernandez, and I am currently a student at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. As a Business Sports and Media Studies Major, I am in a student organization called Sports Business Association. SBA has been great at finding members internship and volunteer opportunities in the sports industry.
One of the opportunities that we had a chance to volunteer at was the Bruce Arians Celebrity Golf Class located at The Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event was set up for the Arians Family Foundation that supports CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) in making sure that children who are involved in the court system, as a result of abuse or neglect by their families, receive the love and help they need.
Many celebrities and athletes came to participate and support the foundation by playing in the golf classic. Athletes include: Larry Fitzgerald, Carson Palmer, Patrick Peterson, Andrew Luck, Jerome Bettis, and your very own Ben Roethlisberger!
Big Ben was one of the athletes that I really had a pleasure to meet! He was one of the first guests to show up to the golf event and can really hit the golf ball! I heard he hit a 370 yard drive! While working at one of the holes, Ben came up to all of us and introduced himself. He was super friendly and took pictures with everyone. It was an awesome opportunity I could not pass on.
After the golf classic, we had a dinner and live auction with all the guests and athletes. Ben of course was one of the first to show again! He was a standup guy, making everyone laugh and was as friendly as he was on the golf course!
It was awesome representing my school, ASU, in the picture I got with him. I was able to support my organization SBA by showing we are truly a great organization by finding such great opportunities such as this.
I am the one on the right, putting up the fork (hand gesture) to support ASU. On the left, my friend Nick whom is part of the SBA board that helped get us involved and eventually get the chance to meet Ben Roethlisberger!