This week, we highlight former Tournament Director, Clark DeBusk, who recently left the AJGA staff to pursue his dream working for East Tennessee State University as their Director of Student Athlete Success. Although DeBusk began his career with the AJGA the same as most, through the AJGA Internship Program, his journey is nothing short of unconventional.
Growing up in east Tennessee, DeBusk played many sports and they were a big part of his life growing up. Even though sports are a huge passion of his, the ultimate goal when he went to college at Lincoln Memorial University for his undergraduate degree, was to become a doctor.
“I majored in biology and chemistry and as I started going through school, I realized medicine wasn’t where I wanted to end up,” DeBusk said. “My entire family is in the medical field somehow, so I was kind of the odd man out, but I really wanted to do something in sports.”
Once DeBusk finished his undergraduate degree, he decided graduate school was his next best path for transitioning into the sports industry, that’s where he first got involved with East Tennessee State University and learned that teaching was something he was very passionate of.
“I went and got my masters degree at East Tennessee State in Sports Science and that led me to an experience of helping one of my professors teach a class,” Debusk said. “That really steered me to pursue a career in teaching. I then got my Doctorate in Global Sport Leadership with the goal to get to an academic or athletic department down the line.”
DeBusk began teaching seventh and eighth grade science and continued to do so for the next five years. He eventually began receiving emails about the AJGA Internship from Teamwork Online which caught his attention. Though he had zero experience in golf he still decided to apply.
“I got my summers off as a teacher so I thought it would be a fun experience but also help me make a little extra money over the summer,” DeBusk said. “Little did I know I was going to be getting a job offer from them.”
DeBusk was an Operations intern in the summer of 2021 and initially had no intention of staying with the AJGA after the internship. It wasn’t until he learned the role of full-time Tournament Directors and his interests began to peak.
“The leadership aspect of a Tournament Director and seeing how each Tournament Director differed in leading the interns throughout the week caught my interest,” DeBusk said. “The more I watched different Tournament Directors carry through tournaments, the more I could see myself doing that as well.”
In addition to admiring the Tournament Director role, DeBusk enjoyed many aspects of the internship, such as traveling and being on his intern team. However, Clark found himself to be a few years older than his teammates, which he took as a great opportunity to grow.
“I turned 30 on the internship while a girl on my team was 21,” DeBusk said. “It was a wide range of ages which helps interns develop and work with people of all different backgrounds. Age is just a number, and I am still best friends with some of my teammates.”
DeBusk was then hired full-time as a Tournament Director in January of 2022. He is grateful for the skills he learned in his role with the AJGA and how it has helped prepare him for his new position. “I think the best part was how much the job pushes you to grow and be adaptable,” DeBusk said. “Communication is always a huge skillset, but additionally my organizational abilities from this role were a huge selling point when I was going through the hiring process.”
DeBusk transitioned into his new role with East Tennessee State University in October of 2024. In his role, he is heavily involved with the student athletes adhering to guidelines and their professional & personal development.
“For many of our athletes, this is the first time they are leaving home, so I assist with helping them learn life skills and financial planning and making sure once they leave, they are set up for success,” DeBusk said. “I am most excited for working directly with the athletes and even seeing after they graduate what is out there for them.”
DeBusk had always wanted to get back into working for an athletic department and sees himself continuing to work his way up within one.
DeBusk advises anyone looking to make a big career change to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Although his time with the AJGA was only for a few years, it helped propel him back into the athletic industry.
“I was a teacher for five years and in a very comfortable position, but I knew if I wanted to chase my career goals, I had to step out of my comfort zone,” DeBusk said. “At the end of the day it helped me get to the position that I am in now.”
DeBusk's journey—from AJGA Tournament Director to Director of Student-Athlete Success at East Tennessee State University—illustrates how stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing new opportunities can lead to unexpected and rewarding paths.
