The SportsGrad Podcast: The Ultimate Guide to Make it in the Sports Industry

Meet Lucy and Emma Race, sisters who are the co-founders of Making The Call.If you haven’t heard of Making The Call, it’s an organisation that develops and delivers pathway programs for women and non binary people in sports media.Additionally, they’re co-creators of the award winning The Outer Sanctum Podcast, and between them, they are public speakers, broadcasters, board members and producers - just all-round media weapons!Today we dive deep into their cohort program, Making The Call, how it came to be, where they found the inspiration, how they developed the content, how it’s grown from strength to strength and how you can get involved.If you’re keen to learn more on how to crack the media industry, make sure to give this episode a listen!We cover:(00:37) Who are Lucy and Emma Race from Making The Call?(01:42) Hello and welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast!(03:40) What’s going on inside the SportsGrad Community?(06:45) Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast Lucy and Emma Race!(08:22) Quick-fire questions(17:08) What is Making The Call, and how is it delivered?(18:45) Their career journeys and how they aligned(22:45) Where they found a love for broadcasting and how the Outer Sanctum came to be(27:33) Experiences that have taught them invaluable lessons(30:37) Lucy’s career journey so far(32:53) How does Lucy’s background align with Making The Call?(37:27) What does the curriculum at Making The Call look like, and how is it forever changing?(48:41) How the media landscape and current cohort influences the Making The Call program(50:45) How social media and content creation is changing traditional media(55:40) How Making The Call stands out in comparison to other programs(1:03:05) Who are some of the people who have been through the program?(1:10:05) What is their top piece of advice they’ve learnt along the way?(1:14:48) ASK SPORTSGRAD---Additional episodes you may enjoy:#238: Journey to Sports Diversity & Inclusion Consultant with Rana Hussain#263: Journey to become a Sports Journalist with Sarah Burt---Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterThe SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad TalentThis 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.

Welcome to part 2 of our 2 part ‘Best of Ask SportsGrad’ episodes!This is a collection of the most popular questions asked by you guys that have made it to Ask SportsGrad. Today we’re going to dive into your top questions specifically around job hunting, networking and using LinkedIn. You’ll learn how to find experience when you can’t get any, how to job hunt if you’ve just moved to Australia, what to do if you’re not qualified but really want the job, how to network, and how to find mentors. Then on the LinkedIn front we answer your questions on what should you be posting about, how to increase engagement if you are posting, plus how to craft your experience section properly. If you struggling to crack the sports industry job market, put this on repeat. Tune in and enjoy!We cover:(00:49) Welcome to SportsGrad! What is #ASKSPORTSGRAD?(02:34) How can I best get involved in volunteering?(05:47) How can I make myself a good candidate for jobs overseas?(10:04) I’m not fully qualified, should I apply?(12:05) How can I improve my networking in the sports industry?(15:03) Where do I even begin when cracking the sports industry?(17:15) How can I make the most of an internship opportunity?(21:50) How should I address ‘cultural fit’ on a resume?(26:03) Any advice on how to best seek a mentor?(30:41) How do I increase my LinkedIn engagement?(36:30) What content is suitable to post on LinkedIn?(41:01) How should I layout the experience section on my LinkedIn?---Additional episodes you may enjoy:#196: 8 steps to set up your LinkedIn profile like a pro#200: How to get a job in sport without getting lucky---Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterThe SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad 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.

Welcome to part 1 of our 2 part ‘Best of Ask SportsGrad’ episodes!This is a collection of the most popular questions asked by you guys that have made it to Ask SportsGrad.Today we’re going to dive into your top questions specifically around cover letters and interviewing. You’ll learn how to stand out in a cover letter, how to make sure you get to the interview stage, and how to follow up after an application if you don’t hear back. Then on the interview front, we answer your questions on interview nerves, preparation you should do, questions you can bring in and more.If you struggling to crack the sports industry job market, put this on repeat.Enjoy!We cover:(00:45) Welcome to SportsGrad! What is ASK SPORTSGRAD?(02:22) How should I structure my cover letter?(04:58) What can I do to talk about transferrable skills in my cover letter?(07:59) This is how a hiring manager wants you to respond to interview questions(11:32) How can I beat the job interview nerves?(14:14) How can I best prepare for an interview? Should I reach out to someone in a similar position?(20:04) What’s the best way to follow up on an interview?(24:27) How should you respond if a team asks if you have a favourite team you support?(27:37) How to answer the inevitable interview question “so, do you have any questions for us?”(31:13) What do I need to prepare for a phone interview?---Additional episodes you may enjoy:#128: Kimberlee Furness (Netball Australia) - How to sell yourself in a cover letter#200: How to get a job in sport without getting lucky---Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterThe SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad 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.

Meet Mirinda Kidman, Manager of Delegation Services for the FISU World University Games 2025.If you’ve never heard of FISU before, this episode is going to open your world to one of the largest employers in the sports industry - university sport. Based out of Germany in the Rhine-Ruhr region, the 2025 games will host over 10,000 athletes and officials from 170 countries across 12 days.In this episode, we dive into the World Uni Games, the second largest multi-sport event in the world after the olympics, and you’ll learn how Mirinda crafted her career to this position, what she does, and how she became a stand out candidate. Plus, why she loves being part of the SportsGrad Community all the way over in Germany.Enjoy the episode!We cover:(00:34) Who is Mirinda Kidman?(01:40) Hello and welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast!(03:31) What’s going on inside the SportsGrad Community?(07:30) What’s it like working in Europe with all of the major events on at the moment?(09:45) Quick-fire questions(16:52) Who are FISU World University Games and what do they do?(21:50) Why is the FISU so much larger than other university sports across the globe?(25:41) What planning is required in the year prior to the Games?(29:48) How many people work at FISU and will there be opportunities to work there in the future?(31:49) What does Mirinda’s role involve as the Manager of Delegation Services?(40:15) How did Mirinda get her role, and how did she get accepted?(46:15) How did Mirinda stand out in her application for this role?(49:10) Why did Mirinda join the SportsGrad Community?(51:10) What other professionals should get involved in the SportsGrad Community?(52:20) Mirinda’s advice for those applying for roles at major events(55:15) ASK SPORTSGRAD---Additional episodes you may enjoy:#289: How to move from London to Australia and work in sport with George Ludlow#283: How to get your first full-time job in sport with Hayley Gorman---Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterThe SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad 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.

Interested in making the move to Australia to land a job in sport? Meet George Ludlow, an Account Manager at Gemba who has just made the move from London!George has transformed his life from leaving behind a career in property he wasn’t passionate about, to now working on some of the most lucrative partnerships in Australian sport, including Toyota’s sponsorship of the AFL, Australia’s biggest sport. To arrive at what he describes as his dream job, George started his quest for a role in sport in Australia almost 8 months ago and has been extremely proactive in his approach.Today we dive into exactly how he made the move overseas, what he did to stand out, how he felt taking such a big risk, and his best tips on how you can take your career around the world.Enjoy the episode!We cover:(00:32) Who is George Ludlow?(01:53) Hello and welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast!(03:25) What’s going on inside the SportsGrad Community?(07:46) Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast George(09:10) Quick-fire questions(13:56) What is George’s role at Gemba?(15:45) George’s career journey post-university to when he decided to move to Australia(19:54) What made George initially choose the property industry over sports?(21:06) How did George decide to make the jump to work in sports overseas? Was he nervous?(22:08) How did George find out about SportsGrad whilst in the UK, and how did it benefit him once he arrived in Australia?(26:49) What was the interview process like at Gemba?(30:17) How have George’s feeling towards moving overseas changed now that he has landed a job?(31:20) What has he loved most about being in Melbourne?(32:21) Was it easier for George to find roles when he arrived, or was it possible while it was overseas?(34:18) What can people be doing to reduce the time job hunting in a new country?(36:59) George’s advice for someone who is thinking about moving overseas(41:52) ASK SPORTSGRAD---Additional episode you may enjoy:#251: How to move to London and land a job in sport with Chris Dobson---Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterThe SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad 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.

Meet Ashleigh Newton-Spence, the Competitions Coordinator at Champion Data. If you’re not familiar with Champion Data, they’re the company behind the statistics of some of your favourite sports - think the AFL, Netball Australia and LIVGolf! Ash has been with Champion Data for over 8 years, and previous to this worked in radio production, and at Channel 10 as a Production Assistant. She’s also one of our beloved SportsGrad Pro Members, so make sure to connect with her inside the Community.Lots to look out for including how to manage people effectively, how to grow within an organisation, and the ins and outs of coordinating match days. Make sure to have a listen, it’s a good one!We cover:(00:32) Who is Ashleigh Newton-Spence?(01:42) Hello and welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast!(02:32) What’s going on inside the Community? Community info night, events and wins.(05:42) Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast Ash!(06:34) Who is Champion Data and what do they do? (09:04) Quick-fire questions(18:13) What does the Competitions Coordinator do at Champion Data?(23:07) What makes a great data capturer?(25:21) Do you have to be good with statistics to work at Champion Data?(27:56) How does Ash continue to develop and grow whilst being at an organisation for 8+ years?(30:32) Challenges Ash faces at work(33:05) How did Ash develop her ‘people skills’ and how did she practice it?(37:31) The essential skills to work in a role like Ash’s(41:01) What other departments are there at Champion Data?(43:54) Why Ash got into the SportsGrad Pro Community, and what has she gotten out of it?(48:38) What advice would Ash give to her younger self?(51:35) ASK SPORTSGRAD---Additional episodes you may enjoy: #206: How to get into sports analytics with Libby Owen (Champion Data)#210: How to be an AFL Commentator with Brian Taylor---Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad NewsletterThe SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.👉 Become a SportsGrad MemberWant our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad 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.