Cole Clark Combines Baseball and Academics at UA Little Rock
While many graduate students spend evenings studying in the library, Cole Clark spent his time balancing coursework with the fast-paced demands of Little Rock Baseball. For the Clarksville, Arkansas, native, earning a master’s degree in sport management at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock meant learning both in the classroom and in the dugout.
Clark will graduate from UA Little Rock this spring with a master’s degree in sport management.
Clark earned his undergraduate degree in health sciences from the University of the Ozarks. Although he knew he wanted to attend graduate school, he was unsure which degree path to pursue.
“Once I started looking at options, I came across the sports management program at UA Little Rock, and it was a perfect fit for me,” Clark said. “The program allowed me to stay close to home and also gave me the opportunity to get hands-on experience while working for the baseball team at the same time.”
As a graduate assistant with Little Rock Baseball, Clark said his coursework closely aligned with the work he was doing every day with the program.
“While completing the coursework, I was able to experience real-world examples of what we were covering in the classroom,” he said. “I was able to develop a deeper understanding of what was being taught because I was able to apply what we learned in class to real work situations right away.”
Clark said dependability became the biggest lesson of his graduate experience, teaching him that trust and responsibility go hand in hand.
“It was very important that my professors or the coaching staff could depend on me to get things done in a timely manner,” Clark said. “Being dependable creates trust and respect between you and the professor or coach. Once I had shown that the coaches could depend on me, my responsibility within the program increased, and I was trusted with more important jobs.”
Clark said Dr. Katie Helms had a major impact on his time in the program.
“She was always very interactive with us and was quick to help if we needed anything,” he said. “She also kept the coursework and classes engaging by giving us the freedom to pick and choose topics or sports that interested us most and gave us the opportunity to work in areas that interested us.”
He also credits Little Rock baseball head coach Chris Curry for helping shape his understanding of leadership, teamwork, and communication.
“From day one, coach Curry has done a great job of leading by example and showing what leadership looks like in the way he communicates and acts,” Clark said. “Being a part of the coaching staff for two years, I learned that it takes everyone working together and communicating with each other to help achieve our team goals.”
Clark said accountability and communication were essential to the team’s success.
“From a teamwork standpoint, it was important to hold each other accountable and be dependable even when doing the little things,” he said. “When communicating with each other, it was important to overcommunicate so that everyone was on the same page and knew what they should be doing and when. Being in a leadership role the last two years has taught me that these three areas are vital to a program’s success, and I believe I am leaving UA Little Rock with a better understanding of all three thanks to coach Curry and Little Rock Baseball.”
Clark said his biggest academic accomplishment was passing his board exams on the first attempt.
“Without passing those, I would not be able to graduate, so passing them was a big relief,” he said.
On the field, Clark said he is most proud of winning the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and advancing to a regional final during his first year with the program.
Little Rock Baseball head coach Chris Curry said Clark played an important role behind the scenes in the program’s success.
“Cole has done an outstanding job for us working behind the scenes and doing all of the tough jobs that nobody wants to do, but an entry-level coach has to do,” Curry said. “He’s done it with a great attitude, and he’s been a huge key to our success.”
He said Clark’s reliability and organizational skills helped him stand out during his time with the program.
“Cole comes from a great coaching pedigree with his dad, Jimmy Clark, at the University of the Ozarks,” Curry said. “During his time here, Cole has literally done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s not only a great baseball coach, but an organizer and someone we can rely on. We know that Cole will be successful in whatever he chooses to do next.”
After graduation, Clark said he is excited to bring the lessons he learned at UA Little Rock to the next program he joins, carrying with him the experience, leadership skills, and dependability that shaped his graduate journey.