Sports Network Int'l Biographies Page

"The People That Devote Their Lives to the Betterment of Youngsters Deserve Great Praise & Respect;
They Get That Here At SNI"

- Samantha Ste.Claire
President & COO, SNI

The Official Homepage for all Information Surrounding the company, Sports Network International - WELCOME!

The Official Homepage for all Military-Related Competitions, Training and Educational Materials

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GENERAL SNI INFORMATION General Information About Sports Network International
WHAT IS SNI? A General Overview of What SNI is All About
THE PEOPLE OF SNI Photos and General Info About the Principal Members of Team SNI
SNI FOOTBALL EVENTS Homepage for the National Youth Football Championships
SNI MILITARY EVENTS Homepage for JROTC Service Championships, Drill Camps, Raider and all things Military!
CONTACT SNI Homepage for JROTC Service Championships, Drill Camps, Raider and all things Military!
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BACKGROUND BIOGRAPHIES
OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND
SPORTS NETWORK INTERNATIONAL

The following individuals are the permanent members of Sports Network International (SNI). The people listed below work very hard year-round to help ensure that the goals and ideals that SNI has come to exemplify are met and exceeded! The unyielding pride, selfless dedication and attention to detail displayed by all of these fine people are the keys behind the greatness of SNI - making everything connected to Sports Network the best for our competitors, their families & guests.

Samantha Ste.Claire - President / Chief Executive Officer
Samantha joined SNI immediately out of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida just after the inception of the modern-day era of the company in 1982. She grew up in a sports crazy household an traveling from event to event as a young adult gave her a unique insight into the good and the bad of solid event management.

She became a co-owner of the company shortly thereafter, guiding SNI into a period of record growth. Samantha is the heart and soul of Sports Network International and the driving force behind its success. Her primary duties include oversight of all event production, management of all personnel, and control of all event and company finances. She works closely with all competition venues and hotels to ensure all event needs and aesthetics are met and surpassed for all attendees. During the on-sight management of events, Samantha provides oversight and direct supervision of every facet of the event and assures that every aspect is up to the high standards of excellence set by Sports Network International. While she has the head of a general, she has the heart of a Sergeant Major as she likes to have a hands on approach to all aspects of managing he company. She is now the primary owner of the company and oversees all of the corporate decisions.

Justin Gates - Vice President / Competition Director
After completing studies at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida and teaching public school with a degree in education, Justin began full-time employment with Sports Network International in 1988 after several years of volunteer work with the company. Justin earned eight letters in high school and played on two state championship contending teams, as well as officiating adult basketball, softball, and youth baseball, softball, football, basketball and soccer throughout the greater Washington, DC area.

Working closely with SNI co-founder Kip Horton, Justin quickly learned all facets of the SNI mission. Today, Justin is in charge of event regulations & procedures, judge/official acquisition & training, computer network hardware, software installation and internet/website maintenance & upkeep. Also, Justin handles acquisition of hotel contracts, event venues & other event related financial contracts, and oversight of all items related to competition management. Justin became a co-owner of SNI in 1993 and currently is a minority owner of the company.

Sharron Ritch - Event Director, Computer Database Manager
After completing studies at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, Sharron began full-time employment with Sports Network International in 1993. She was a very quick study and basically self-taught herself advanced computer programming. This work allowed SNI to greatly expand and provide computer information to teams in a timeframe unheard of within the youth sports community.

Sharron handles the formation of much event paperwork, company communications & public relations materials that are eye-catching and informative. Her duties also include handling all needs of event attendees and ensuring all SNI requirements are met regarding contracting. Sharron also produces all Microsoft Windows-based custom software packages utilized by SNI both during daily office operations, as well as specialized custom software programming used for score sheet tabulation at all SNI produced sports competitions, especially the intensive military events SNI hosts for the four service branches.

1SG Mike Jones (USA, ret.) - Marketing Director/Military Liaison
1SG Jones spent over 20 years as an Infantryman serving mostly in Reconnaissance Units, 1SG Jones has served in every position possible as a Drill Sergeant, including DS and SDS at A 1/50 IN, Fort Benning, GA, DSL and SDSL at the Fort Benning Drill Sergeant School and Chief Instructor at the USADSS at Fort Jackson, SC. 1SG Jones has also been a Judge and Head Judge at the National High School Drill Team Championships for 10 years. Intensity of purpose and understanding the focus of the drill manual gave 1SG Jones the finest perspective on judging seen around these competitions in many years.

Currently 1SG Jones is involved in numerous activities here at SNI but most importantly he will serve as the military liaison for judging, client contact and special projects involving sponsors and assets related to the U.S. military. He has a deep understanding of the role co-curricular activities play within the well rounded JROTC program from all services. His passion for excellence and his total love and respect for the goals and ideals of JROTC makes his efforts here at SNI exceptionally valuable.

SgtMaj Keith Williams (USMC, ret.) - Military Judging Consultant
SgtMaj Keith Williams (USMC, ret.) has made a name for himself both in and out of a military uniform. Serving as an event judge for many years at numerous SNI drill competition and then as the Event Head Judge for several before retiring from the military, SgtMaj Williams set the standard for drill judging quality and fairness with thousands of cadets. His demeanor and preparation was exceptional, always making the right judgment calls regarding the balance between steely toughness and positive reinforcement of the cadets he faced. His background of excellence led to his civilian position as a consultant with the U.S. Tennis Association working with some of the best young prospects in the nation as they come up from the Junior ranks. His mentorship work involved helping these young stars deal with the mental aspects of the game, the pressures they face, making the right life decisions and the ability to get the most out of their God given talents has helped countless kids on the international stage.

This unique, multi-faceted background in both military and civilian worlds gives SgtMaj Williams a fantastic perspective and background to serve as a consultant on all aspects of the military judging and training matters involving the many military drill competitions hosted by SNI. From advanced contact and tone setting, to in-advance and on-site training of judges, to the actual overview of judges performing their duties, Mr. Williams will review and ensure an outside, impartial overview of all things scoring takes place. We are honored to have SgtMaj Williams on-board as a trusted advisor to the SNI Team.

Ian Perry - NYFC Football Supervisor
Ian brings a wealth of knowledge, unique background and total love of both kids and the game of football to his work at the NYFC. Ian is a football official working throughout California in several youth football leagues. With his deep background as a football player, football coach and youth football game official, Ian brings a perspective of youth football from ALL sides of the football that is hard to match.

Ian supervises the fields at NYFC games evaluating officials, coaches & players, problem solving, and ensuring the high standards of the NYFC are in play at all times. His interaction with coaches is friendly and helpful. Ian is often looked at as "the problem solver" because of his dedication, pleasant demeanor, and his ability to get solutions for virtually all problems that can present themselves. Ian has worked with SNI since 2009 in his current capacity and he is a very valued member of the NYFC event.

Bert Tabor - Director, NYFC Sales & Marketing
Bert has a lengthy pedigree in the sports and promotions industry having worked for the Oakland Raiders for many years, as well as other high profile companies across the United States. A tireless, high-energy individual, Bert has been involved with youth football players, coaches and leagues for over 20 years. He maintains political, sports and other related industry contacts and works tirelessly to promote the benefits of youth sports and the National Youth Football Championships. Bert has worked with leagues and individuals from all backgrounds as he often welcomes the challenge of helping youngsters from all walks of life.

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