A Homerun Hire: Meet Garrett Nicholson

After eight long years of living away to attend a high school baseball academy and then go on to play NCAA college baseball, Garrett Nicholson has returned home to Cape Breton to join the CBU community as the new Coordinator of Recreation and Sports. 

At the young age of 16, Garrett moved to Vauxhall, Alberta, from Sydney Mines to attend a baseball academy with the hopes of pursuing a career in the sport. In 2017, he accepted a scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 baseball at Central Michigan University, where he also studied Sports Management. Two years later, Garrett transferred to Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota where he played NCAA Division 2 baseball and changed his degree to pursue Corporate Fitness and Wellness Management. Fast forward another two years and Garrett had graduated with his Bachelor of Science Degree in Corporate Fitness and Wellness Management, as well as earning two Masters of Science degrees in Sports Management and Business Management.

In addition to his success in the classroom and on the field, Garrett worked as a graduate student for the Minot State University Athletic Department’s marketing team, which piqued his interest in the industry. “Having this job helped me gain a love for working in university athletics,” says Garrett. “I loved my experience as a college athlete. Being able to take my knowledge as an athlete and put it to use in the business side of sports, it’s something that I’ve always had a big interest in.”

After his experience with Minot State’s Athletic Department, Garrett was intrigued by the potential of a career in Athletics and Recreation. When an opportunity opened at CBU, he knew he wanted to apply. “With the knowledge I gained and experiences I had, I wanted to be able to put them to use back home here in Cape Breton,” says Garrett. “My goal is to leave a lasting impact on not only the development of sports on our Island, but the people that belong to this community too.”

As the Coordinator of Recreation and Sports at CBU, Garrett is responsible for developing the intramural and club sports offered at the University, while working to expand the offerings for future students. He says working in recreation and sports gives him the opportunity to create relationships with students and have an impact on their university experience. “I was drawn to CBU by their continued success and the direction they are going by developing not only their varsity sports but their recreation too,” he says. “It’s important to get students involved at all levels.” 

Recreation sports are meant for everyone to enjoy. They offer an opportunity for students to get involved, play the sports they love or learn something new, feel like a part of a team and stay active. “Recreation offers many different ways to get involved, whether it’s through intramurals, club sports or even just the drop-in activities that are constantly happening in the Sullivan Field House,” says Garrett. “Being active is important and recreation gives students the opportunity to do just that. January will be an exciting time for us, as we will have some new leagues starting up and we hope to have a great turnout as always from our students.”

If students are interested in partaking in any of these activities, Garrett says IMLeagues is the best place to start. “IMLeagues.com is where students can access all our intramural league nights, tournaments and more,” says Garrett. “Students can also find out more about our drop-in activities or open gym times on the CBU Rec website as we are beginning to update all the sports that will be offered throughout the winter and spring.”

To learn more, visit cbu.ca/recreation.