Chappapeela Sports Park has recently decided to revamp their core staff by hiring women who specialize in a variety of

subject areas. The newest addition to the sports park comes from a woman who found a unique passion that merges a career in communication along with an enjoyment for sports.

Ryanne Dewhurst was recently appointed Youth Program Specialist and Marketing Manager of Chappapeela Sports Park.

Dewhurst grew up in Dallas, Texas with her parents and four sisters. She has recently become an aunt to three nephews.

Dewhurst did not discover that she had an interest in Public Relations until her sophomore year at Texas Tech University. At the university, she took an internship working for the Texas Tech Athletics Communications department. “I really figured out what I enjoyed doing and found a way to tie it into my love of sports,” said Dewhurst.

After graduating from the university in 2011, she began working for school districts in the fields of Public Relations and Marketing. Three years later, Dewhurst accepted a position that expanded her knowledge in those fields, and later served as a blueprint for her jobs that would follow. Dewhurst said, “It wasn’t until I accepted a job with New Caney ISD in Houston, Texas that I really started tying in my event planning, public relations, fundraising experience and passion for sports into one. That job really gave me the experience to have the opportunities I have today.”

As an Athletic Event, Marketing and Facilities Director at New Caney ISD and Associate Director of Events and Stewardship at the Texas Tech Athletic Department, Dewhurst gained experience in sponsorship sales and other specialized areas. She explains how both positions helped her to develop essential skills that tested her determination and grit.

“In both positions I faced challenges that really developed me into a critical thinker and problem solver,” said Dewhurst. “They also helped me learn skills to be sure I am organized and prepared to face issues as they arise.”

Dewhurst admits that she has played youth sports throughout her childhood and became a fan of the Dallas Cowboys. She now will have a unique connection to sports in Hammond. “My husband Brett Dewhurst is a college football coach at Southeastern so luckily I already love the sport and get to enjoy it every Saturday in the fall,” said Dewhurst.

Little did Dewhurst know, a chance encounter with Director of Chappapeela Sports Park Ryan Barker through mutual friends would bring a new challenge to her life: youth sports. “I think youth sports is a really valuable way to develop, encourage and promote physical and mental health in our children, so being able to be a part of that is really exciting,” said Dewhurst.

Although Dewhurst is a new addition to the park’s family, she has already set her sights on long-term career goals. Dewhurst explains, “CSP’s Youth Sports Programs are already growing, but being able to help manage that growth and add to it in a really efficient way is going to be my primary focus coming in. I want parents and kids to come to our park and leave feeling like they have really gained something valuable. I want the name Chappapeela Sports Park to continue to be known for providing quality programs and services.”