Jordy Jones is moving on to another exciting opportunity in his professional life, but it means he鈥檒l be exiting the role he鈥檚 held since the late spring of 2016 when he took on the position of Outlook鈥檚 recreation director.
Jones stopped by the offices of The Outlook last week to chat about his time spent in the community and share his thoughts on the direction Outlook is headed in when it comes to sports, culture and recreation.
Jordy was approaching his final day as Rec Director when sitting down with this reporter on Thursday, February 6.
鈥淭omorrow,鈥� said Jones, asked when his last day was.聽 鈥淲ell, I鈥檓 actually coming in on Monday to have a meeting to tell people what鈥檚 on the go right now.聽 I start my new job on Tuesday.鈥�
Jones remembered where things were at in Outlook as far as the recreation department went when he began the job a few years ago and tied it in to how he was wrapping up his final days.
鈥淚鈥檓 doing a lot,鈥� he laughed, describing how he鈥檚 finishing things up.聽 鈥淲hen I first started, there was a lot of time between the time Jill (Lee) ended and I started, I think it was like three and a half months, so I didn鈥檛 have much at the beginning.聽 I basically got the keys and was told, 鈥楬ere you go, go through emails!鈥櫬� So, I made a big task list, month by month, of what the basic things I do are, and that鈥檒l be a starting point for the next person who comes in.聽 Things like the outdoor rink project, I鈥檓 making sure things are signed before I leave and giving them the right correspondence, or the Good Sams Club that鈥檚 coming again this year 鈥� I鈥檓 asking them what they need before they come so that there鈥檚 a task list.鈥�
Jones is excited about his new venture in working with a popular hockey team, the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
鈥淚鈥檒l be managing the ticketing department,鈥� he said.聽 鈥淏asically, there are three ticket executives and I鈥檒l be above that, pulling data on who鈥檚 buying tickets and where to go for leads.聽 It鈥檚 really about just trying to get more people through the door, more prepaid than walk-up.聽 With junior hockey, good teams can hide their ticket sales because people walk up if they can because the team鈥檚 good, but when they鈥檙e on the fringe, it鈥檚 harder to miss that maybe you鈥檙e not working as hard.聽 I鈥檒l know more when I start.鈥�
Serving as Outlook鈥檚 rec director for the last few years was an experience that Jordy says he probably couldn鈥檛 have attained anywhere else.聽 You learn a lot on a job such as this, you deal with a lot, but you come away with perhaps a wider perspective on a number of things.
鈥淭here was a lot of stuff I enjoyed about it,鈥� he said.聽 鈥淚t was a good experience for me, and I don鈥檛 think I would鈥檝e been able to get the same experience anywhere else that I got here, as far as having a wealth of it. 聽As many bad things that may have happened, there was a lot of good things, like the swimming pool.聽 Even things like just coming to the rink every day and being with people.聽 Some days it gets old, sure, but you tend to hear the most about the negative stuff while there are a lot of positives that you just don鈥檛 even talk about.聽 It鈥檚 in a good place as far as who鈥檚 in charge now.鈥�
In his few years on the job, Jordy has seen tremendous growth in several local clubs and organizations, and he鈥檚 tried to soak up as much knowledge as he could along the way while fostering relationships with people to get any number of tasks accomplished.
鈥淚 learned everything, and I still don鈥檛 know even 10% of it,鈥� he smirked.聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 just about treating people with respect.聽 I think that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 happiest about as far as what it鈥檚 become: people don鈥檛 come into my office and yell because they know it鈥檚 not going to get them anywhere.聽 I鈥檓 a lot more willing to work with people if they鈥檙e going to speak with me on the level of a conversation instead of yelling.聽 It鈥檚 gotten to be a pretty good place for conversation instead of complaining or a 鈥榃oe is us鈥� kind of thing.聽 The volunteering seems to be coming back, and everything has just grown!聽 Minor ball, when I first started, there were two teams here, and now we have 81 kids last year, I believe.聽 The skating club is at 64, and minor hockey has three initiation and two novice teams.聽 I think their numbers have grown almost 100% and minor ball is at around 250%.聽 The gymnastics club is thriving, curling is up again, and everything is just going again.聽 I almost think if there鈥檚 any time to leave, not that there鈥檚 any good time, then it鈥檚 now.鈥�
Outlook seems to be on the right track from a recreational and sports point of view, according to Jones, who says the community has always been recreational in one form or another.聽 With his exit, Jordy hopes Outlook鈥檚 new Rec Director is someone who鈥檒l continue to be truthful with the public and make an effort to get involved in the community that they鈥檙e serving.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to be honest,鈥� he said.聽 鈥淭here are a lot of times in that position where you can try and grey a lot of waters just to make someone feel better, but they鈥檙e going to find out what鈥檚 going on.聽 Be transparent.聽 Be involved, too.聽 I think that鈥檚 why I had some success because when I came here, I joined the senior hockey team and coached with ball tournaments.聽 You have to be in the community for people to know you.聽 My dad always told me, 鈥楳ove forward鈥�.聽 Even if you鈥檙e not doing anything, just get something done.鈥�
