The Rowan University Center for Sports Communication and Social Impact began its celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Monday, with the founder and CEO of Break the Fourth Wall, Lyric Hamilton. 

During her high school years, Hamilton became involved in theater, specifically stage crew. After learning the ropes of the behind-the-scenes path, she took her passion a step further, becoming an assistant stage manager in her junior year and eventually a stage manager the following year. However, despite her love for theater, Hamilton decided to pursue a different career path, nursing. 

“I chose to go to Drexel for nursing, which doesn’t make any sense,” Hamilton said. “But, I went, I hated it, and failed out.”

Although she wanted to try something new, Hamilton knew her heart belonged to theater, which is why she pivoted to Penn State, where she found a program to best suit her interests. From there, she began internships at both the Wells Fargo Center (Xfinity Mobile Arena) and Bryce Jordan Arena in theater. Hamilton’s jam-packed schedule, filled with shows and rehearsals, allowed her to gain real-world experience while also getting paid for something she loved.

“Everybody in my family was in healthcare, still is,” Hamilton said. “I’m the only unicorn in entertainment and sports.”

Hamilton went on to explain to students that even though it felt unusual, she found her way with her family’s support, something that she said was very important to her.

In the next stage of her life, Hamilton expanded the confines of her career with a position in event operations with Comcast Spectacor at the Wells Fargo Center, now Xfinity Mobile Arena. In this position, she saw both sides of sports and entertainment, with concerts, Flyers games, and Sixers games. During her six years, Hamilton saw many different events and noted the drastic changes the building made to fulfill the needs of each one.

“It’s like an organized, chaotic mess. Everyone has a job, knows what to do, where to go, and how to do it,” Hamilton said. “It’s a lot of chaos, but it always gets done on time, and it looks great.”

As the first black woman with the organization to hold a title as such, Hamilton credited her previous connection to the renowned South Philadelphia building for opening the door to the opportunity. While she climbed the ranks of her event operations career, Hamilton often had to manage a lot of people to ensure things ran smoothly. With that being said, she tries her hardest to keep everyone motivated throughout the rough schedule.

Outside of her main role with Comcast Spectacor, Hamilton also works with the Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education organization. The non-profit provides access to hockey and hockey education to children in underserved communities in Philadelphia. Under the Flyers’ name, the organization also provides educational programs and mentorships.

At Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education, Hamilton sits on the Friends of Committee, where she takes new ideas and develops a plan to execute them properly. Although Hamilton has only been doing this for six months, she says the journey has been really exciting.

Now, 10 years since taking a position at Wells Fargo Center (Xfinity Mobile Arena), Hamilton looks back on her journey and how far she has come. When asked what she would tell her former self today, she gave students insight into what that conversation would be like.

“A lot can happen in 10 years. It’s been a long ride,” Hamilton said. “But I think I would just tell myself to hold on. You’re going to get there, don’t rush it.”

Hamilton continued by explaining why it’s important to take the time to learn what you need to know, rather than just speeding through everything. 

“It’s not going slower than you think, it’s going at the right pace,” Hamilton said. “You just don’t know it yet.”

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