The SportsGrad Podcast

Meet Parth Suri, Community Engagement Manager at the Adelaide Crows FC.Parth made the swap into the sports industry after being a banker for 3 years, and holds the record for the fastest SportsGrad member to land a full-time job - just an impressive 29 days after joining the Community.In today’s episode, he joins us to chat about how he navigated his way into his dream role through utilizing his prior experiences, resources, and connections he made in the Community, and the contrasts he found undergoing the industry transition.If you’re curious about what it takes to swap careers, or the inside scoop on a day at an AFL club, this episode is for you - Parth has mastered how to make work ‘not feel like work’, and shares his tips on how you can feel the same.Make sure you tune in, it’s a great one!In today's episode we cover: (00:00) Introduction(07:50) Community Update(11:15) Highlights of Parth's role at Westpac vs the Adelaide Crows(12:55) Quick Fire Questions(22:01) How Parth landed a role in sport only 29 days after becoming a SportsGrad member(33:24) Parth's role as Community Engagement Manager at the Adelaide Crows(36:00) 'Pinch Me' moments in Parth's time at Adelaide Crows(44:21) What a typical week looks like for Parth(49:49) Essential skills to work as Community Engagement Manager(55:09) Parth's advice to people looking to swap careers into sport(01:00:55) ASK SPORTSGRADAdditional episodes you may enjoy 👇#239: Journey to Head of Community at Melbourne City FC with Sunil Menon#260: Landing jobs at the Brisbane Broncos & FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023 with Maddie ReithWant to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.👉 Help me recruit talentIf you want to learn more about us, connect with us on LinkedIn!Reuben Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubenjw/Ryan Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwalker95/SportsGrad: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportsgrad/Instagram: @sportsgradTikTok: @sportsgrad_This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Jason Russell-Jones, Head of Community Legacy Projects at Rugby Australia.Australia is hosting the 2027 and 2029 Men's and Women's Rugby World Cups, and RA has the responsibility of leveraging them to grow the game - Jason is one of the people tasked with making that happen.Jase has an epic background, having worked at the Australian Sports Commission, Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW, and living over in the UK whilst at the England & Wales Cricket Board.Today on the pod, he joins us to talk about how he landed roles at dream organisations, navigating overseas travel, and skills that have contributed to his success. We chat about the impact of mentors, and his vision for Rugby Australia’s legacy.Make sure you tune in, it’s a great one!In today's episode we cover:(00:00) Introduction(13:23) What has been Jason’s favorite role in his career in sport(14:36) Quick Fire Questions(20:47) Jason’s current role with Rugby Australia(25:06) How Jason landed his role at Rugby Australia(30:58) How Jason found his calling for working in sport overseas(35:21) Planning in the lead up to the Rugby World Cups(40:20) Key skills Jason needed to perform in Jason’s role(42:48) The complexities of working with NSO’s and SSO’s(46:57) How Jason received support from his network throughout his career(51:35) What the future looks like for Jason(54:31) Jason’s advice to his younger self(57:53) ASK SPORTSGRADAdditional episodes you may enjoy:#239: Journey to Head of Community at Melbourne City FC with Sunil Menon#254: How to work in sports travel with Guy RedhouseWant to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.👉 Help me recruit talentIf you want to learn more about us, connect with us on LinkedIn!Reuben Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubenjw/Ryan Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwalker95/SportsGrad: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportsgrad/Instagram: @sportsgradTikTok: @sportsgrad_This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Sarah Burt, freelance sports journalist, commentator, MC and presenter!Recently, Sarah has moved on from Channel 7 to pursue working for herself, has stepped up to host 3AW’s AFLW broadcast, and also has past experience in media roles at the AFL, The Age Newspaper, Fox Sports, ESPN, and the Hawthorn FC - she has a plethora of experience, and jumps on the pod today to share it with us.She covers all things freelancing, such as what a day in her life looks like, how to navigate the pathway into working for yourself, and how to source jobs. Additionally, she chats about the skills needed to be a journalist, her tips on how to deal with networking (and the nerves that can come with it), and how she prepares for game-days and interviews.This is a great episode if you’re curious on how the sports media industry operates, or you’re wanting to get a taste on the route to freelance work - make sure you tune in!In today's episode we cover:(0:00) - Introduction(07:18) Community Update(14:09) Quick Fire Questions(19:39) What Sarah’s professional career revolves around(27:04) Sarah’s trajectory into sports media(37:04) What goes in to covering an AFLW match day(43:53) Key skills and experiences needed to excel as a Sports Journalist(49:24) Overcoming nerves when walking up to interview people(58:57) Advice Sarah would give her younger self starting out(01:00:22) ASK SPORTSGRADAdditional episodes you may enjoy 👇#244 - Katie Staniforth (Cricket Australia) - Event Manager at Cricket Australia#243 - Tom Hickey (Brisbane 2032 Olympics) - Living the dream at the NFL, IOC & Brisbane 2032 OlympicsWant to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.👉 Help me recruit talentIf you want to learn more about us, connect with us on LinkedIn!Reuben Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubenjw/Ryan Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwalker95/SportsGrad: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sportsgrad/Instagram: @sportsgradTikTok: @sportsgrad_This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Francesca Teh (or as we call her, Franny), the World Cup Legacy Program Manager at Football Australia.Dubbing her role at FA as ‘one of [her] greatest career decisions so far’, she joins us on the pod today to talk about her role as a Legacy Manager, and the positive impact that working on the FIFA Women’s World Cup has had.In this episode, she covers how she landed her first full-time job at Cricket Australia (whilst at uni), how she determined the path she wanted to follow, and the importance of continually up-skilling and developing, so that you don’t pigeonhole yourself in one area. If you’re interested in women’s sport development, legacy management, events, and operations, or you’re wanting to learn how to land a role at one of your dream organisations, this episode is for you.Franny will also be joining us at the Sydney Meetup on November 16th, so you can come along and meet her! Make sure you tune in, it’s a great one.*In today's episode we cover:(00:00) Introduction(06:48) Community Update(11:54) How Franny got recommended to a role at Cricket Australia while still at Uni(14:10) Quick Fire Questions(18:05) Highlights of working at the FIFA Women’s World Cup(21:29) Franny’s reaction to landing her role with Football Australia(24:42) The sequence of roles prior to the role at Football Australia(27:05) How Franny realised that game development / participation pathway was her way forward in sport(29:27) What does the day of a Legacy Program Manager look like?(33:26) How has Franny’s day to day work changed post the FIFA World Cup(39:19) Challenges/Hurdles Franny faced in her journey(46:43) Skills Franny finds important to perform her role(50:26) What does the future look like for Franny (53:04) Advice for people looking to follow Franny’s path*Additional episodes you may enjoy 👇#247: How to be the Event Manager at Football Australia with Sam Hickson#238: Journey to Sports Diversity & Inclusion Consultant with Rana Hussain*Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberFollow us on Instagram and TikTok!This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I failed to hit a 12-month goal and it really bloody stung.I learnt a tough lesson about how NOT to race a half-marathon.At first, I was upset and thought what a waste of all that training when I could have been out seeing the world.But then I realised it actually might be an important bump in the road needed to hit my goal - if I learn from it correctly.So how do you turn a failure into your next success?In today's pod I break down where I went wrong and how you can apply my approach of analysing a failure to succeed in your next goal.*In this episode we cover:(0:00) - Introduction(03:45) - Community Update(05:47) - The process behind running the Lisbon Half-Marathon(09:11) - Melbourne Half Marathon 2022 vs Lisbon Half Marathon 2023(11:12) - How Reuben reflected at his failed PB attempt(17:49) - What Reuben would have done differently(20:11) - A sub-optimal start to race day(25:22) - ASK SPORTSGRAD*Additional episodes you may enjoy 👇#223 - Tom Scollay (Cricket Mentoring) - How to turn your passion into your profession#255 - Reuben Williams - The Career Operating System that changed my life*Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter:http://www.sportsgrad.com.au/newsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?Become a SportsGrad Member and get exclusive access to hidden job opportunities, networking events, resources and recruiters.👉 Become a SportsGrad Member:http://www.sportsgrad.com.au/communityWant to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.👉 Help me recruit talent:https://www.sportsgrad.com.au/hireIf you want to learn more about us, feel free to connect with us on LinkedIn!Reuben Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reubenjw/Ryan Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwalke...SportsGrad: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spor...Instagram: @sportsgradTikTok: @sportsgrad_*This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au*If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and really makes a difference in helping to land guests.Review here: https://apple.co/3ojqo9ZThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Maddie Reith, the ultimate go-getter, who took her Early Childhood profession and turned it into a life in the sports industry…If you’ve ever wanted to work for your favourite sporting team, or land positions at some of the biggest events in the world, then this episode is for you. Maddie takes us through the process of how she ended up as the top Membership Sales person at the Brisbane Broncos, to working at the FWWC, to now leading 700+ people at the Gabba with the O’Brien Group. Learn how to nail those job applications, the importance of being yourself, and how you can find THE FWWC quarter-final penalty shoot-out ball in your house (yes, we freaked out over this too).Maddie is a wealth of knowledge, with tonnes of great tips and tricks - make sure you tune in!In this episode we cover:(0:00) Introduction(01:35) Reuben’s Portugal Experience (09:18) Community Update(12:14) Welcome Maddie(14:00) Quick Fire Questions(18:21) How Maddie realized she wanted to work in sport(20:54) How Maddy got her first sport experience(22:19) How Maddie articulated her transferable skills into sport(24:21) Application Process at Broncos(35:16) Maddie’s experience at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup(39:50) How Maddie secured a match ball from the Australia v France Quarterfinal(46:20) Maddie’s advice for people applying for role in sport(48:25) Maddie’s Day to Day with O’Brien Group at the Gabba(53:57) Advice for people looking to transition into the sport industry(59:50) ASK SPORTSGRADAdditional episodes you may enjoy 👇#208 - Kerry Gassner (MOPT) - How to make a career change into the sports industry#257 - Maddy Ryan (Carlton FC) - How to be a Membership Sales Officer in the AFLWant to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberFollow us on Instagram and TikTok!This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Champion Data, the storytellers behind the game…Something a bit different today - instead of joining you from the studio, we bring you inside the Champion Data HQ in Melbourne, where we went along to meet some of the staff behind the scenes who deliver sports data all over the world.If you’ve ever dreamed of working in sports and data specifically, then this episode might spark some interest.Champion Data provides data-driven insights with high-tech speed and precision, and works closely with sporting organisations, clubs, broadcasters, sponsors, and digital media content providers. They’re behind the data for the AFL, Netball Australia, LIV Golf, and the A-League, just to name a few.This pod is a collection of bite-sized interviews with a number of staff working across data analysis, account management, broadcast design, and much more.By the end of this ep, you’ll have a pretty good knowledge of just some of the jobs you can do at Champion Data. Make sure you tune in!In this episode we cover:(0:00) - Introduction(2:43) - Daniel Hoyne (Senior Analyst) on how Champion Data works with talent such as Fox Footy(10:28) - Corey Mobilio (Sports Analyst) on working with Herald Sun and how a cold email landed him a full time job at CD(13:21) - Aaron Broughman (Data Analyst) on supplying data and reports and working on LIV Golf(16:39) - Scott Disdale (AFL Analyst) on working on the AFL website and app(19:38) - Matt Gloster (Data Analyst) on making insights from data and the creation of Nissan Net Points(23:54) - Chris Burton (Team Leader of Cloud Services) on how CD build data platforms for clients(32:12) - Phil Odlum (Design Lead) on building graphics for TV and Venue to deliver stats and player graphics(45:17) - Tom Pettigrew (Sales Account Manager) on looking after CD’s existing and future clients(51:54) - Christian Eshman (Sports Manager) on managing Netball at CDAdditional episodes you might enjoy:#206 - Libby Owens (Champion Data) - How to get into sports analytics #256 - Meet the Sail GP staff on the ground in Saint-Tropez*Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?Become a SportsGrad Member and get exclusive access to hidden job opportunities, networking events, resources and recruiters.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberFollow us on Instagram and TikTok!*This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Chris MacPherson, and his double life as one of the voices of sport.Monday to Friday, Chris works in the insurance industry, but he’s also been a freelance Ground Announcer and MC for the better part of a decade. Chris’ speaking gigs have led him to work with sports like the Newcastle Jets, NSWRL, Cricket NSW, Football NSW, BarTV sport and many more.In this episode, we dive into how Chris created a part-time career in sport that fits around his 9-5 insurance job. He gives advice on how he manages a balance, how to find opportunities when starting out, and how to beat public speaking nerves.If you like the idea of dipping your toe into the sports world without quitting your current job, or if you’re interested in sports media roles, tune into Chris. In this episode we cover:(0:00) - Introduction(1:42) - Community update(7:05) - Welcome Chris(14:01) - How Chris balances his 9-5 with freelance work in sport(17:10) - How he got a start as a ground announcer (23:08) - How Chris handles making mistakes(28:38) - The opportunities for freelance work in sport (35:34) - His work on podcasts(38:11) - Chris’ vision board and aspirations to become an NRL Player Agent(43:11) - Chris’ best public speaking tips(46:53) - His advice for his 20-year-old self(48:14) - #ASKSPORTSGRADAdditional episodes you might enjoy:#124 - Hamish McLachlan (Channel 7) - How to commentate the AFL Grand Final#210 - Brian Taylor (Channel 7/Triple M) - How to be a commentator in the AFL*Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?Become a SportsGrad Member and get exclusive access to hidden job opportunities, networking events, resources and recruiters.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.👉 Help me recruit talentFollow us on Instagram and TikTok!*This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Maddy Ryan, Membership Sales Officer at the Carlton FC.Maddy made a transition into sport earlier this year, following past experience in Marketing and HR.She started off her career in sport, in a Membership role at the Richmond FC before making her way over to Carlton FC. Maddy takes us through the hiring process, how to nail an interview, and what a day in her life consists of.Membership roles are one of the most popular starting points for careers in sport, so in this episode we uncover what that journey looks like and what you need to prepare for, so you, like Maddy, can get your dream job in sport.Make sure you tune in, it’s a great one!In this episode we cover:(00:00) Introduction(06:19) Community Update(08:41) Welcome Maddy Ryan(11:06) Quick Fire Questions(12:57) Maddy’s Career Journey(17:44) Application Process at Richmond FC(21:33) - Similarities in the hiring process at Carlton and Richmond (28:55) - Onboarding process for memberships roles in AFL clubs(33:24) - What a typical day in Maddy’s role looks like (36:05) - Top 3 skills need to succeed in a memberships role(40:22) - Advice for grads looking to work in a memberships role (44:04) - ASK SPORTSGRADAdditional episodes you might enjoy:#208 - Kerry Gassner (MOPT) - How to make a career change into the sport industry#211 - Brant Hubber (AFL) - How to get your dream job at the AFL*Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterNeed help landing a job in sport?Become a SportsGrad Member and get exclusive access to hidden job opportunities, networking events, resources and recruiters.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.👉 Help me recruit talentFollow us on Instagram and TikTok!*This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friends, we’re not in the studio today… Instead this podcast comes to you from our French correspondent (hello, Reuben!) on the ground at SailGP to find out exactly what sort of jobs pull it together.If you’ve ever dreamed of working in F1, allow us to expand your ambitions to racing on water.SailGP is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sporting leagues in the world.Like the F1, the SailGP organisers and teams travel the world racing in glamorous locations, none more so than Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera.This ep is a collection of bite-sized interviews with over a dozen staff working across Media Operations, Communications, Water Safety, Performance Analytics, Marketing, Social Media, Operations and Boat Building!By the end you’ll have a well-rounded view of the roles involved in this incredible sport.It’s high-speed, high-tech, high-sustainability, and if you love to travel, this is a dream organisation for you!In this episode we cover:(07:12) - Olivia Hogan - Head of Marketing Communications(13:50) - Kyle Whittingham - Digital Marketing and Media Manager(15:04) - Walker Potts - Rescue Swimmer(16:40) - Nathan Heslop - Safety Swimmer(17:45) - Alex Reid - Head of Performance Engineering(20:02) - Hugo Stubler - Data Analyst(20:26) - Caroline - Data Analytics Intern(20:57) - Barbara Sikorski - Head of Photo and Media Operations(23:33) - Nick Bailey - Senior Communications Manager(24:22) - Sacha Kemp - Communications Director(25:41) - Thomas Couëlle - Event Operations and Branding(26:19) - Max - Photo boat Driver(26:59) - Lisa Darmanin - Onboarder Reporter(27:49) - Caroline Nazareno - Global Technical Site Manager(28:24) - Ellen - On-water Safety Team(29:04) - Courtney - Technical Teams Operations Manager(30:30) - Max Griggs - Wing Team Lead(31:24) - Matilda - Wing Team Rigger(32:10) - Vinnie Gohram - Social Media Manager for Team Australian and New Zealand(34:15) - Reuben's recount of SailGP👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter👉 Become a SportsGrad Member👉 Help me recruit talentFollow us on Instagram and TikTokThis episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.auThanks for listening! You’re all legends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.