VIP Consultants provides representation aimed to help young athletes navigate this age of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
By Scott DeCamp
LocalSportsJournal.com
Mark Konecny became familiar with Don Wolf decades ago when their respective Mona Shores and Traverse City high school football teams squared off in the rugged Lake Michigan Athletic Conference.
Konecny vividly remembers quarterbacking Mona Shores to a commanding, early lead over Traverse City before disaster struck during a midseason matchup on Oct. 3, 1980.
“Right before halftime, I was tackled on the sideline and broke my collarbone. Done for the season. We were ahead 28-0,” recalled Konecny, whose team saw Traverse City rally for a 29-28 victory, capped by Wolf’s short touchdown run in the closing seconds.
“Funny how (Wolf) tells it. He didn’t know the play. Never ran it before. They told him where to go and he scores from the 1-yard line with 1 second to play in the game.”
Wolf held the upper hand over Konecny that night, but soon they became teammates and close friends at Division III Alma College.
Years later, they’re on the same team again: Partners with VIP Consultants, a new business venture whose mission is to provide comprehensive, aggressive, and quality representation aimed to help young athletes navigate this age of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). The four areas of VIP Consultants feature representation, consultation, and promotion, plus training and development.
Konecny, a 1981 Mona Shores alumnus, is retiring as a firefighter for the Norton Shores Fire Department. Previously, he became the first player in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association history to make it to the National Football League. He spent three seasons in the NFL and two in the Canadian Football League.
“(Alma College) is where my playing days ended, but Mark’s took off,” said Wolf, who became a highly successful business professional in Strategic Partnerships and Growth Strategy. “I got to watch one of my best friends and fraternity brothers become All-American and (watched) his single-minded focus (allow Konecny to) make it to the next level from Division III Alma College. And now he is a pensioned NFL retiree.
“Watching Mark taught me that much of success in life is about having the right mindset. The commitment and determination it takes to be great, and you get back what you put in. You truly do, whatever it is in life.”
Along with partners Konecny and Wolf, the VIP Consultants team also includes David Jones and Paul Bobbitt, NFLPA certified agents, comprise the VIP Consultants partner company called VIP Sports Management.
In total, the VIP Consultants team boasts a boatload of experience: More than 30 years in the NFLPA and legal fields, 14-plus years as playing professionals, and 30-plus years in the areas of business and negotiating.
VIP Consultants are focused on clientele along the I-96 and I-94 corridors in Michigan, but they aim to grow beyond those areas as well.
The company’s vision is to guide clients in having a positive impact on and off the field. The goal is to help its athletes monetize their commitments long after they retire, with a focus on personal and financial growth.
Konecny said that VIP Consultants began to form with discussions this February and received its Limited Liability Company (LLC) paperwork in June.
“You know, I’m retiring (from the fire service) and I wanted to stay around the game,” Konecny said. “(The VIP Consultants team) all sat there, ‘Let’s make lives better for these athletes. Let’s give them some guidance, let’s give them some love. Let’s see if we can make them some money and, in return, we’ll make a little on the side.’ But it’s not about the money – we’re not money-grabbing. We want to develop a really good, solid name for VIP Consultants.”
So far, VIP Consultants has represented the likes of Mark Ingram II, Heisman Trophy-winning running back from the University of Alabama; Reeths-Puffer alumnus Nate McCrary; and former University of Michigan standouts Jourdan Lewis and Donovan Edwards, plus several more.
According to Jones, he and Bobbitt started VIP Sports Management because they felt with the quantity and quality of talent in Michigan, the state deserved a top-notch, full-service sports management firm to help young athletes reach their lifelong dreams.
Jones said he has known Wolf for nearly 20 years, and that they share the same passion, love for the sport, and track record of success.
Jones believes that it’s “absolutely mandatory” for young athletes to receive guidance in this rapidly changing landscape of sports.
“NIL has yet to be approved for amateur athletes in Michigan. However, the rapidly changing landscape that allows college athletes to be compensated, requires a dedication and focus on high school athletes now,” Jones said. “VIPMC and VIPSM are uniquely positioned to do just that.”
Muskegon High School junior standout Recarder Kitchen is one of the most sought-after football recruits in Michigan. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound edge rusher is being pursued by a number of high-level Division I college programs nationally.
Kitchen is the type of young man who tries to keep an open mind when it comes to dialogue surrounding recruiting, NIL, and such.
“I don’t know too much about all that stuff, so I have a conversation,” he said. “I’m never rude to nobody because you never know where somebody will end up, so I always have a good conversation because that’s just me. I, like, listen to it, see what they’re talking about, then if I want to look into it and know more information about it, I go to my coach and we’ll go to people and they’ll check and see if it’s legit and stuff.”
Mona Shores High School senior Tomarion “Ike” Steward, a 5-11, 220-pound running back who is committed to Division I Miami-Ohio, said it’s “very exciting” that prospects today are presented with NIL opportunities.
Steward said that some players are getting “crazy amounts of money,” but he believes it could help to have somebody help invest that money wisely.
“When you get that money, you’ve just got to be smart with it. You can’t blow it all,” Steward said. “That’s kind of what Mark’s doing. He’s helping you put some (money) away and keep some as well. He’s helping you become financially stable.”
Konecny views himself as a scout in a sense with many contacts and given his playing experience. He believes he reads players and talent very well.
Konecny said he got into coaching because he cared about young people and wanted to help provide pathways to pursue their dreams.
With the ever-changing world of collegiate athletics and NIL, the transfer portal, and such, Konecny said young people need guidance because “it’s the wild, wild West out there.”
Muskegon High head football coach Shane Fairfield believes it should first come down to the player, the player’s family, and the (high school) coaching staff, before any outside entities are involved. He said due diligence must be done when it comes to vetting groups for investment reasons, and that right now there are so many uncertainties when it comes to NIL and what’s guaranteed and what’s not, what’s a signed contract and what’s not.
Fairfield said that recently a college recruiter reached out to one of his players, as well as to the player’s grandmother, without first going through Fairfield, the high school, or the athletic department at Muskegon. Fairfield said it made the grandmother feel uncertain.
“The problem is that (some) coaches (and agencies) are going through social media. We’re part of an era now where (some) coaches don’t even talk to the high school coaches – they reach out to the kids, they reach out to the families,” Fairfield said. “When did we stop that respect and them calling and saying, ‘Hey, what about this kid? What about this young man?’”
Geoff Kimmerly, communications director for the Michigan High School Athletic Association, said that the organization currently allows a few things at its level: Working at camps, hosting them, and having jobs such as officiating.
Even though NIL may not be prominent at the high school level just yet, it’s knocking at the doorstep, per Fairfield.
Wolf said that VIP Consultants has established a 10-year plan, based upon many factors, but it is a combination of the total NIL football expected payouts 2025-2035, average client valuations, number of NIL clients, number of NFLPA clients (based upon rookie contract values currently, so low end) and client acquisition expectations yearly.
In order to accelerate the 10-year growth plan, VIP Consultants is currently developing strategic third-party relationships where they provide expertise, such as financial consultation, social media development, and social media platforms to connect athletes to business directly.
“We don’t aim to be heroes – we aim to make heroes,” Wolf said. “We have had our day in the sun. Whether it were managing business portfolios all over the world, or Mark standing on the 10-yard line at Vet Stadium to receive a punt, or Ryan taking every snap for the Cologne Centurians for a full season in 2004, we have done it.
“We do not have to make a nickel going forward to live the lives we live today. And we live nice lives today. Not doing this for the money. Doing this to make heroes. That will be our reward, watching the development of young men.”
Follow VIP Consultants at the following sites: vip-consultants-mi.com, @vipconsultantsmi (Instagram), and @vipconsultmi (Twitter).
LocalSportsJournal.com
Mark Konecny became familiar with Don Wolf decades ago when their respective Mona Shores and Traverse City high school football teams squared off in the rugged Lake Michigan Athletic Conference.
Konecny vividly remembers quarterbacking Mona Shores to a commanding, early lead over Traverse City before disaster struck during a midseason matchup on Oct. 3, 1980.
“Right before halftime, I was tackled on the sideline and broke my collarbone. Done for the season. We were ahead 28-0,” recalled Konecny, whose team saw Traverse City rally for a 29-28 victory, capped by Wolf’s short touchdown run in the closing seconds.
“Funny how (Wolf) tells it. He didn’t know the play. Never ran it before. They told him where to go and he scores from the 1-yard line with 1 second to play in the game.”
Wolf held the upper hand over Konecny that night, but soon they became teammates and close friends at Division III Alma College.
Years later, they’re on the same team again: Partners with VIP Consultants, a new business venture whose mission is to provide comprehensive, aggressive, and quality representation aimed to help young athletes navigate this age of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). The four areas of VIP Consultants feature representation, consultation, and promotion, plus training and development.
Konecny, a 1981 Mona Shores alumnus, is retiring as a firefighter for the Norton Shores Fire Department. Previously, he became the first player in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association history to make it to the National Football League. He spent three seasons in the NFL and two in the Canadian Football League.
“(Alma College) is where my playing days ended, but Mark’s took off,” said Wolf, who became a highly successful business professional in Strategic Partnerships and Growth Strategy. “I got to watch one of my best friends and fraternity brothers become All-American and (watched) his single-minded focus (allow Konecny to) make it to the next level from Division III Alma College. And now he is a pensioned NFL retiree.
“Watching Mark taught me that much of success in life is about having the right mindset. The commitment and determination it takes to be great, and you get back what you put in. You truly do, whatever it is in life.”
Along with partners Konecny and Wolf, the VIP Consultants team also includes David Jones and Paul Bobbitt, NFLPA certified agents, comprise the VIP Consultants partner company called VIP Sports Management.
In total, the VIP Consultants team boasts a boatload of experience: More than 30 years in the NFLPA and legal fields, 14-plus years as playing professionals, and 30-plus years in the areas of business and negotiating.
VIP Consultants are focused on clientele along the I-96 and I-94 corridors in Michigan, but they aim to grow beyond those areas as well.
The company’s vision is to guide clients in having a positive impact on and off the field. The goal is to help its athletes monetize their commitments long after they retire, with a focus on personal and financial growth.
Konecny said that VIP Consultants began to form with discussions this February and received its Limited Liability Company (LLC) paperwork in June.
“You know, I’m retiring (from the fire service) and I wanted to stay around the game,” Konecny said. “(The VIP Consultants team) all sat there, ‘Let’s make lives better for these athletes. Let’s give them some guidance, let’s give them some love. Let’s see if we can make them some money and, in return, we’ll make a little on the side.’ But it’s not about the money – we’re not money-grabbing. We want to develop a really good, solid name for VIP Consultants.”
So far, VIP Consultants has represented the likes of Mark Ingram II, Heisman Trophy-winning running back from the University of Alabama; Reeths-Puffer alumnus Nate McCrary; and former University of Michigan standouts Jourdan Lewis and Donovan Edwards, plus several more.
According to Jones, he and Bobbitt started VIP Sports Management because they felt with the quantity and quality of talent in Michigan, the state deserved a top-notch, full-service sports management firm to help young athletes reach their lifelong dreams.
Jones said he has known Wolf for nearly 20 years, and that they share the same passion, love for the sport, and track record of success.
Jones believes that it’s “absolutely mandatory” for young athletes to receive guidance in this rapidly changing landscape of sports.
“NIL has yet to be approved for amateur athletes in Michigan. However, the rapidly changing landscape that allows college athletes to be compensated, requires a dedication and focus on high school athletes now,” Jones said. “VIPMC and VIPSM are uniquely positioned to do just that.”
Muskegon High School junior standout Recarder Kitchen is one of the most sought-after football recruits in Michigan. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound edge rusher is being pursued by a number of high-level Division I college programs nationally.
Kitchen is the type of young man who tries to keep an open mind when it comes to dialogue surrounding recruiting, NIL, and such.
“I don’t know too much about all that stuff, so I have a conversation,” he said. “I’m never rude to nobody because you never know where somebody will end up, so I always have a good conversation because that’s just me. I, like, listen to it, see what they’re talking about, then if I want to look into it and know more information about it, I go to my coach and we’ll go to people and they’ll check and see if it’s legit and stuff.”
Mona Shores High School senior Tomarion “Ike” Steward, a 5-11, 220-pound running back who is committed to Division I Miami-Ohio, said it’s “very exciting” that prospects today are presented with NIL opportunities.
Steward said that some players are getting “crazy amounts of money,” but he believes it could help to have somebody help invest that money wisely.
“When you get that money, you’ve just got to be smart with it. You can’t blow it all,” Steward said. “That’s kind of what Mark’s doing. He’s helping you put some (money) away and keep some as well. He’s helping you become financially stable.”
Konecny views himself as a scout in a sense with many contacts and given his playing experience. He believes he reads players and talent very well.
Konecny said he got into coaching because he cared about young people and wanted to help provide pathways to pursue their dreams.
With the ever-changing world of collegiate athletics and NIL, the transfer portal, and such, Konecny said young people need guidance because “it’s the wild, wild West out there.”
Muskegon High head football coach Shane Fairfield believes it should first come down to the player, the player’s family, and the (high school) coaching staff, before any outside entities are involved. He said due diligence must be done when it comes to vetting groups for investment reasons, and that right now there are so many uncertainties when it comes to NIL and what’s guaranteed and what’s not, what’s a signed contract and what’s not.
Fairfield said that recently a college recruiter reached out to one of his players, as well as to the player’s grandmother, without first going through Fairfield, the high school, or the athletic department at Muskegon. Fairfield said it made the grandmother feel uncertain.
“The problem is that (some) coaches (and agencies) are going through social media. We’re part of an era now where (some) coaches don’t even talk to the high school coaches – they reach out to the kids, they reach out to the families,” Fairfield said. “When did we stop that respect and them calling and saying, ‘Hey, what about this kid? What about this young man?’”
Geoff Kimmerly, communications director for the Michigan High School Athletic Association, said that the organization currently allows a few things at its level: Working at camps, hosting them, and having jobs such as officiating.
Even though NIL may not be prominent at the high school level just yet, it’s knocking at the doorstep, per Fairfield.
Wolf said that VIP Consultants has established a 10-year plan, based upon many factors, but it is a combination of the total NIL football expected payouts 2025-2035, average client valuations, number of NIL clients, number of NFLPA clients (based upon rookie contract values currently, so low end) and client acquisition expectations yearly.
In order to accelerate the 10-year growth plan, VIP Consultants is currently developing strategic third-party relationships where they provide expertise, such as financial consultation, social media development, and social media platforms to connect athletes to business directly.
“We don’t aim to be heroes – we aim to make heroes,” Wolf said. “We have had our day in the sun. Whether it were managing business portfolios all over the world, or Mark standing on the 10-yard line at Vet Stadium to receive a punt, or Ryan taking every snap for the Cologne Centurians for a full season in 2004, we have done it.
“We do not have to make a nickel going forward to live the lives we live today. And we live nice lives today. Not doing this for the money. Doing this to make heroes. That will be our reward, watching the development of young men.”
Follow VIP Consultants at the following sites: vip-consultants-mi.com, @vipconsultantsmi (Instagram), and @vipconsultmi (Twitter).
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