For those dreaming of a career in sports, Brynn Smith’s path proves there’s no single way to succeed, but passion, persistence, and saying ‘yes’ will definitely help you along the way.

As a kid, Smith didn’t always picture herself working in sports, but thanks to her family’s season tickets to the Washington Capitals games, hockey quickly became an important part of her life.

“I grew up going to Caps games with my dad,” said Smith. “At first, I wasn’t the biggest sports person, but hockey changed that. Once I started understanding the players and their stories, I was like, this is so much cooler than I thought.”

That passion eventually followed her to Penn State and then onto a full-time role in the National Hockey League. 

When it came time to choose a college, Smith chose Penn State for its academics and extracurricular opportunities. During her time at Happy Valley, Smith earned a degree in public relations and gained hands-on experience as a strategic communications intern with Penn State Athletics. 

“I didn’t want to just do one thing,” said Smith. “Penn State lets you try everything — and that’s exactly what I needed.”

And she did exactly that, joining as many clubs and experiences as possible. She eventually joined Penn State Athletics by applying to the strategic communications office. This experience became the building block for her future career in sports. 

While initially working with club hockey, Smith eventually became the primary contact for men’s tennis. She handled everything from media relations to social content, a level of responsibility most students do not obtain.

“It was like a preview of working in pro sports. I mean, you’re around the team every day, so you get to build real relationships, and you’re responsible for telling their stories,” said Smith. 

However, hockey remained Smith’s passion, and in her spare time, she would work as many games as possible. It was during the summer before her senior year that Smith got her first taste of working in the NHL, with an internship with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“That internship really confirmed that the NHL was where I wanted to be,” said Smith.

After graduating from Penn State in 2023, Smith moved to Las Vegas to begin her career with the Vegas Golden Knights as a communications and content graduate assistant. While she initially planned to pursue a career strictly in public relations, that experience shifted her focus to a more creative route. 

“I thought I wanted to do PR full-time,” said Smith. “But once I got into content and social media, I realized how much I loved the creative side of it.”

Now with the Florida Panthers, Smith works as a social media coordinator, helping to shape how fans interact with the team online. While her day-to-day responsibilities vary, one thing always remains consistent: no two days are ever the same.

“One day I’m at practice, another I’m traveling, another I’m running around the arena capturing content,” said Smith. “It’s always changing, but that’s partly why I love the role so much, I’m never bored.”

In today’s ever-changing hockey world, success isn’t just measured on the ice; it’s also measured online with fan engagement metrics. For Smith, that means focusing on the fans above everything else. 

“Our strategy is to focus on the fan experience. The players aren’t the ones growing your audience, the fans are, so anytime we can get them involved with our content, it’s a win in our book,” said Smith. 

That philosophy has led to some of her proudest moments. During a playoff run, a chaotic on-ice fight turned into a viral opportunity when Smith invited Panther fans to create memes of that moment. The team then shared their favorites across all social platforms, making the campaign one of the year’s biggest successes.

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“It made fans feel like they were part of the experience. If something I made had been shared by a team when I was younger, I would’ve freaked out,” said Smith. 

By focusing on fan creativity and engagement, Smith and her team are helping redefine how NHL organizations connect with their audiences. 

While Smith’s career may seem like endless excitement, she was quick to acknowledge the reality of working in a professional sports environment.

“In college, you’re juggling a lot of different things. But in pro sports, you’re more specialized — but it’s truly a full-time grind as sports trades or announcements could happen at any moment. You are always ‘on-call,’” said Smith. 

Despite the many late-night games or breaking news, Smith wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. 

“I don’t feel like I work a day in my life,” said Smith. “But you have to love it, because it is a lot of work and the pay isn’t the best. For me, though, it’s the best of both worlds: sports and being creative. ”

For students hoping to follow a similar path, Smith emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and open-minded. 

You need to say yes to everything, even if it’s not exactly what you want to do at first, it’s going to help you grow,” said Smith. 

She also emphasized the importance of being willing to relocate, a reality many aspiring sports professionals overlook. 

“You’re probably not going to start with your hometown team, so you have to be open to moving and trying new things,” said Smith. 

When it comes to technical skills, Smith recommends familiarizing yourself with Photoshop and video editing, but the most important thing is your mindset. 

“This industry changes every day, but if you can adapt, you’ll be successful,” said Smith. 

In addition to her NHL role, Smith is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Florida. “One day, I’d love to be an adjunct lecturer,” said Smith. “I love talking about what I do and helping others get into the industry.”

When asked if she would ever return to Happy Valley to teach, she responded, “I’d absolutely come back to Penn State; I truly loved my time there.” 

From the stands of the Washington Capitals to managing the social media of the Florida Panthers, Smith’s journey is proof that passion, persistence, and a willingness to take chances can turn a dream into reality.