In her senior year, back in 2012, Kolbe Robinson was captain of the girls’ basketball team here at Colonie. At a young age, she was a leader, but had to deal with a huge obstacle, a torn ACL. The setback, however, didn’t prevent her from helping the team win the Class AA section title.

The torn ACL“taught me how I could still remain impactful, but in a different capacity,” she says. 

While basketball didn’t directly influence her career choice, it did help her gain qualities necessary for her current  job as the Operations & Guest Services Manager at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

 “I work in a fast paced, collaborative environment. If you are not willing to work well with others, not only does your job not get done, stakeholders, customers, and co-workers are affected by your actions,” she says.

Learning how to work with others on the basketball team wasn’t the only lesson she took away from her time at CCHS. She enrolled in  AP English, not knowing what she was getting herself into. Her teacher, Mr Ruane, ended up helping her in many ways. 

“I was uncomfortable and had to be okay that I didn't know it all or I wasn't immediately successful. My work ethic, and Mr. Ruane's support in knowing I wanted to learn and understand, was what pushed me through,” she says.

Ruane’s method of “sink or swim”  helped her develop the skills she uses today, as she has tailored her managerial skills after it.

After graduation, Robinson went onto Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte to obtain a bachelor's degree in sports entertainment and event management. This degree, along with help from her older sister’s friend, allowed her to become the Operations & Guest Services Manager at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. 

Robinson’s job at the NASCAR Hall of Fame is to make sure the guests who come in are entertained. It takes a lot of people in different areas to work together to make sure things run smoothly. Robinson can be seen as a catalyst that helps make this business run smoothly.

 “I make sure that all departments have the information they need to ensure everyone is set for success,” she says.

Managing may have been her destiny, and she credits her success to the way she was brought up.

 “My parents really drove home the importance of a strong work ethic. You don't have to automatically be good at everything, but you have to have the drive to want to learn, ” she says. 

Although she is young and has already achieved so much in her professional life, she has goals for her career.

“Long term, I'd love to get back into the concert sector and run festivals and continue learning operations and production or work with NASCAR on the production and event logistics for each race and combine my two passions,” she says. 

Robinson sat in the same seats we are sitting in now, and after being shaped by the Colonie community, she has become someone people can look to for inspiration. She offers advice for current students. 

“Environment plays a big role - friends, work, relationships. Surround yourself with people who want to see you grow and vice versa. A toxic environment only brings you down, "she says. 

About the Author:

Brandon Campione is a senior at Colonie High School. He will be attending Siena college next year to major in sports communications. His dream is to become a sports reporter at a big company. He enjoys watching sports and is a sports fanatic.