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Home › General Interest › Mary-Kate Bula Selected as Assistant Coach of the USA Women’s Flag Football National Team

Mary-Kate Bula Selected as Assistant Coach of the USA Women’s Flag Football National Team

16Feb
Green KeyGeneral Interest, Pharma

Mary-Kate Bula, recruiter on Green Key’s Pharma team, was recently selected as Assistant Coach of the USA Women’s Flag Football National team. This decision comes at a pivotal moment for women’s football as the sport continues to gain momentum and recognition on a national scale. With her extensive experience as a player, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. Her dedication as a recruiter and to the game has proven her leadership skills will make her an invaluable addition to the coaching staff.

According to USA Football, “Bula, a native of Rockville, Md. who currently resides in Charlotte, N.C., was a defensive back with the U.S. Women’s Flag National Team in 2021 and 2022. She was a member of the team that defeated Mexico 31-21 in Jerusalem, Israel at the 2021 IFAF Flag World Championship. The following year, Bula and the U.S. won silver medals at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala. Prior to her international playing career, Bula won three National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Regional Flag Football Championships during her time at Towson University.”

We had the opportunity to chat with Mary-Kate about her new role and how she plans to excel as Assistant Coach.

What inspired you to start playing football?

I started playing when I was in second or third grade. So, I don’t know if I necessarily had an inspiration. It was kind of something in my family, we are big football fans, and everyone played, including my brother when he was younger, and I always wanted to do what he did. It was also just an opportunity to play something different, something not all the girls played. I’ve also always liked those kinds of rough and tough sports, which is why I got into football so young. Football has always been the sport I enjoyed the most but there weren’t a lot of opportunities for younger players as you do with most sports. So, I played when I was little and then picked it back up as an adult.

How do you feel about your new role?

You know honestly, I don’t know that I have the words to describe it, to be quite honest. I’m still almost like in a little bit of a shell shock that I got the position because while this has always been my goal, I didn’t expect it so soon. I just finished being a part of that team as a player last year. So, there’s really no words other than, I’m super excited and I’m ready to make an impact on the game in a different way than as a player. I’m just super excited.

What aspects of football coaching are you most excited about?

For me, I think the game of flag football is developing rapidly and I have that experience as a player. So, I think what I’m most excited about is to be able to relate to the current team and give them the knowledge and advice that I wanted as a player. I think I have a different perspective now than most of the coaches have had in the past. So, just being able to shed light on what it’s like to, you know, have the pressure of a player and be able to coach them through that more than anything is what I’m excited to focus on.

Are there any specific coaching philosophies or strategies you plan to implement?

This is a great question, and I’ve thought about this one a good amount. I’m not sure that I have a philosophy necessarily because again flag football is developing so much that I think that my philosophies are going to change a lot and strategies are going to change a lot as the game continues to evolve. I think just an overall philosophy I have as a coach and as a player is putting your ego aside and understanding that this is bigger than us, especially at this moment because football is on the path to being in the Olympics in 2028. We already did get brought in to the Olympics, so right now is a huge turning point in this program and in the sport in general. I really want to help the players understand that this is bigger than us and there is no I in team right now of course, but even more so right now as we’re looking forward to having that goal of being in the Olympics and competing and winning gold.

What challenges do you anticipate facing in this role and how do you plan to overcome them?

I think the first thing is learning how to kind of set boundaries with the players and understanding that, even though I’ve played with some of the players, I will be coaching now. So, number one, setting boundaries that, I am now a coach now and being transparent about both of our boundaries and just earning that kind of respect. I think just reminding the players that our titles are now a little bit different, but we still have the same goal. Other than that, I feel like I’ve always been a kind of a leader, and now I’m officially transitioning to the coach role I don’t see it being super difficult. I think it’s more of just having the players see me as a coach now, is my biggest kind of worry and one of those things I’m going to have to consciously think about overcoming.

What advice would you give to other women aspiring to pursue coaching roles?

I would always say go for it. I think right now you see so many coaches that are women like Callie Brownson and Jennifer King and the fact that they’re doing in the NFL is absolutely insane and amazing. So, there are multiple women that you can look up to you as a young girl and say I can be like them. I’m trying to do that same thing in the flag world, especially because it’s a women’s sport. We probably won’t ever have NFL level tackles but flag football, especially in the women’s space, is huge. So, all I want is to show that, you know, let’s be the trailblazers to hopefully make this a woman dominated field or sport and just to set your sights on not only being a player, but if you want to have that goal as a coach to just to work towards that as well.

How do you envision balancing your responsibilities as an assistant coach while working full-time at Green Key?

One of the first things I did when I got the position was talk to my manager about it and they knew that while I was on the team it would be the same kind of thing where I’d be traveling a lot and having very busy weekends. So, you know, I was able to do it as a player and stay on top of everything, while training constantly to stay in shape. So, I’ve done it before. I think doing it again just from a different perspective is not going to be too difficult, but I have to say I’m so thankful for my managers here at Green Key that they’ve given me all their support. And know that I’m pretty good at understanding that my day-to-day is different than my night because my night is going to be spent working on football stuff. It’s a little bit of a balancing act, but I’ve done it before and I’m ready to do it again.

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According to Investopedia.com, “A marketing strategy refers to a business’s overall game plan to facilitate the buying and selling of its products or services. A marketing strategy determines how to reach prospective consumers and turn them into customers. It contains the company’s value proposition, key brand messaging, data on target customer demographics, and other high-level elements. A thorough marketing strategy covers the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion.”

Types of Marketing Strategy

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How Does it Work?

A marketing strategy functions as a road map that guides all marketing activities and initiatives. It begins with a thorough understanding of the target market – their needs, preferences, and pain points. Based on this understanding, the strategy defines the positioning of the company’s offerings and determines the most effective channels and messages to reach the target audience.

Key components of a marketing strategy include:

Market Segmentation: Identifying and segmenting the target market based on demographics, psychographics, and behavior.

Value proposition: Articulating the unique value that the company offers to its customers and differentiating itself from competitors.

Channel selection: Choosing the most appropriate marketing channels to reach the target audience, such as social media, e-mail marketing, content marketing, or traditional advertising.

Messaging and Creative: Crafting compelling messages and creative assets that resonate with their target audience and communicate the value proposition effectively.

Measurement and Analysis: Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of marketing efforts and continuously analyzing data to optimize performance.

In conclusion, understanding marketing strategies, its types, and how it works are vital for business success, enabling companies to drive growth and engagement effectively.  

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Benefits of Marketing Strategies

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  • Customer Engagement and Loyalty: A strategic approach to marketing fosters deeper connections with customers. By understanding their needs and preferences, companies can tailor messages and experiences that resonate with their audience, leading to increased engagement and loyalty.

Marketing Stratego also highlights a few benefits including:

  • “Increased Brand Awareness: A strong marketing strategy helps increase brand awareness by promoting the business’s products or services to the target audience. This, in turn, leads to more recognition and recall of the brand, which ultimately leads to more sales and customer loyalty.”
  • “Increased Sales and Revenue: A well-designed marketing strategy leads to increased sales and revenue by attracting more customers to the business and increasing their willingness to purchase. This can be achieved through effective targeting, promotions, and other marketing efforts.”
  • “Better Customer Targeting: A good marketing strategy helps businesses understand their target audience and create campaigns that are relevant to them. This leads to more effective and efficient marketing, as businesses are able to reach their target customers more effectively and achieve better results.”
  • “Competitive Advantage: A strong marketing strategy can give a business a competitive advantage by differentiating it from its competitors. By creating unique and effective campaigns, businesses can stand out in their market and attract more customers.”
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  • “Improved Brand Image and Reputation: A well-designed marketing strategy helps improve a business’s brand image and reputation by creating positive associations with the brand. This, in turn, leads to increased customer loyalty, as customers are more likely to do business with a brand they view positively.”
  • “Increased Market Share: A strong marketing strategy helps businesses increase their market share by attracting more customers and retaining existing ones. This, in turn, leads to increased revenue and growth for the business.”
  • “More Effective Use of Resources: A good marketing strategy helps businesses make the most of their marketing budget and resources. By identifying the most effective channels and campaigns, businesses can maximize their return on investment and achieve better results.”
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