Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Hoxworth.
Hi Ian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am currently a property manager, after over a decade in convenience store operations. I was a District Manager for 5 years in that organization and currently manage HOAs as my day job. I have my MBA from Hamline University and have enjoyed team sports throughout my life, playing football, basketball and track in high school, and on many rec teams since. Kickball has been great because you can play at varying ages and ability, much like softball.
MUSA (Midwestern Unconventional Sports Association) started in Milwaukee in 2000. There is still a Milwaukee chapter in operation, and the Twin Cities chapter started a few years afterward (in operation for 15+ years). I have been playing in the league since roughly 2017, since joining an existing team that some friends were a part of. I was approached to potentially take over ownership/operations of MUSA in late 2021 and ended up taking the helm in early 2022. We are wrapping up our first Spring season under my commissionership.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
So far, it has gone pretty smoothly in my first year of operations of MUSA. It is a learning experience, and Tyler, the former owner/commissioner, has helped me immensely and stayed on in an advisory capacity for the year.
I am working to build the brand and try to get some traction with outreach as our league is aging a bit and we would love to see some new teams get involved. My focus has been on social media and trying to push engagement with those within the league and get the attention of others that may be interested to learn more. As a league of predominately older Millennials, the engagement on social media is not the highest, so it has been a challenge to push messaging out at times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My role in MUSA Twin Cities is to oversee the full operation and organization of the league. I create ads, social media content, open the registration for teams, complete schedules, organize the tournament at the end of each season, and supervise our team of paid volunteer Field Monitors and Umpires. I think our brand has a lot of growing to do. To those familiar, we stand for being inclusive and having a good time, as our logo suggests! Our league stands apart from others because we have a broad range of teams, but there is a community at the foundation of the league. It is more of a community than a business in many ways and we rely on those within it to keep it up and running.
I want to spread the message of this community to all that may be interested. We need continued new blood in the league and outreach, especially with losing some teams after Covid. We have room for anyone that is interested in playing. We have also made inclusivity a cornerstone and one of our first items this year was updating our rules to be non-binary as we had some gendered rules for males/females previously. I am proud to run an organization that reflects values like these, and we are going to have Pride merchandise available at our end-of-season tournament as well, with a portion of proceeds going to The Trevor Project. I want to do more collaboration, sponsorship outreach, marketing, and charity work moving forward.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I am not sure I am past my personal starting out point, but I would say that if the opportunity presents itself and it is something that you are passionate about,then take the risk, and more often than not, you will be motivated to do or learn what is necessary to make it work.
Pricing:
- $450/team for 2022 Spring & Fall Teams
- $55 for entry to Premium Draft (individuals) registration ends this summer
- Fall registration is now open for teams to register
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.musasports.com/twin-cities/
- Instagram: musakickballmn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musakickballmn
Image Credits
Kennedy Barber (I GOT NEXT Photography)
