Alumni Spotlight: Hugo Scheckter
Alumni Spotlight: Hugo Scheckter
By: MacAlister Steckler
Hugo Scheckter is currently the Founder & Managing Director at The Player Care Group. Hugo spent his years as an undergraduate at the George Washington University, majoring in business administration with a concentration in sports management. During his time on campus, Hugo was able to take advantage of the multitude of clubs and organizations available to students, such as being the head coach of the club soccer team, president of the soccer and cricket teams, SA senator, and many more. Hugo described to us the importance of getting involved on campus and trying as many things as possible. He felt one of the most important things he could do as an undergraduate student was to be engaged in many different experiences to learn the valuable lessons necessary to succeed in the sports industry and in general.
After graduating from GWU in 2013, Hugo struggled to find a job due to the sports industry’s general nature. Hugo decided to move to Indianapolis to work for the Indy Eleven Professional Soccer Team as the Team Operations Manager. He could get greater first-hand experience to break into the industry and continue to build critical relationships. After spending a couple of months with Indy, Hugo moved to the Southampton Football Club in England, where he was Player/Team Liaison Officer. In this role, he was the primary contact for the club’s players and coaching staff. He then moved to work for West Ham United, where he was the Head of Player Care and ran the team’s entire division of player care. Hugo built an extensive library of knowledge concerning player care from working with three various clubs, which led to his recent pursuit, founding a player care consulting business called The Player Care Group. His current venture came from his past experiences with other teams, building relationships with players, and becoming one of the leading voices in player care eight years after graduation.
Hugo described some critical skills needed to be successful in the sports industry and as an entrepreneur during our interview. Some of these skills include charisma, as it is essential to communicate in a way that gets across to players, some who have large egos and personalities. Hence, it is necessary to be able to take control of situations. More skills Hugo touched on were transparency, honesty, common sense, and self-confidence. All skills he was able to learn through his past experiences and time at GWU.
Hugo also described the best advice he had for those wanting to enter the sports industry and something he wished he knew as a college student. Hugo focused on one of the essential points of willing to move anywhere after graduation to build as many experiences as possible. The sports industry is tricky, so it is imperative to keep an open mind in regard to opportunities that may come your way. He said if someone offers a chance to you, say yes and just see where it takes you. Those experiences could provide you with a critical development moment and lead you to meet someone helpful down the road. The last point Hugo wanted to leave members with was the importance of networking. He said it was one of the things that he wished he did more of as an undergraduate. Hugo believed that building a network and relationships is one of the most important things to do while in college, as those relationships could get you a job and help down the line. While networking, he stated, one should focus on a wide range of industries to create as extensive a network as possible.
Hugo Scheckter is an excellent example of someone who broke into the sports industry and found his niche. He experienced as many things as possible in college, which taught invaluable lessons and skills, allowing his development into the player care industry leader.