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The SportsGrad Podcast: The Ultimate Guide to Make it in the Sports Industry
#285: Journey to Team Manager of a Super Netball Club with Leigh Southern
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Meet Leigh Southern, the Team Manager of the newest professional team in Melbourne, the Melbourne Mavericks Super Netball Club.
If you’re looking to work in operations in sport, team management, or want to know how people have made career changes into sport, you’re going to love Leigh’s story.
Leigh started his career in the tourism industry, but after a while realised it just wasn’t for him. Not one to sit back, he did his research and came across a company called Stage & Screen, and began working on their Cricket Australia account to look after all their travel. This led to roles with the Melbourne Renegades and the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, before landing at the Mavs.
If you think you’d love to travel week in and week out with a professional team, listen to how Leigh made it his career. Lots to look out for including the skills you need to work in a similar role, the behind the scenes of what goes on during a game day, and how to go from being a babysitter for a WBBL club to a team management role.
Enjoy this episode!
We cover:
(00:29) Who is Leigh Southern?
(01:48) Hello and welcome to the SportsGrad Community! Here’s what’s going on…
(05:15) Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast Leigh!
(06:11) Quick-fire questions
(13:43) What does Leigh do as a Team Manager with the Melbourne Mavericks?
(15:59) How Leigh manages all of his various responsibilities
(20:33) What’s it like being part of a new professional sporting club?
(25:53) What does a game day look like versus a regular day?
(32:00) Leigh’s experience prior to this role (Flight Centre, Stage & Screen (working with Cricket Australia/Cricket Victoria), WBBL, Melbourne Stars, Indian Women’s Cricket Team, T20 World Cup, and more.
(45:50) Challenges Leigh has faced and how he has overcome them
(49:15) Top skills needed to work in a team/operations management role, and advice he would give to his younger self
(54:43) ASK SPORTSGRAD
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Additional episode you may enjoy:
#284: Journey to Football Operations Manager at the Sydney Swans with Steph Maiolo
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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
Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.
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#325: How to build a career in sports media from scratch with Brody Burrows
01:02:50|Going from a family farm to filming Novak Djokovic on Rod Laver Arena in just 48 hours might sound surreal, but for Brody Burrows, that’s the reality of life as a freelance sports media professional.After building his skills from the ground up, Brody has quickly carved out a name for himself in the world of sports social media, working across events like the Australian Open, Gather Round, and content for Paramount+.If you’re unsure where to start, Brody’s story is proof that being proactive, backing yourself, and not taking no for an answer can take you a long way in sport.ABOUT THE GUEST:Meet Brody Burrows, a freelance sports media professional working across major sporting events and brands. Whether it’s filming Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, producing content alongside the Socceroos and Paramount+, or remotely managing A-Leagues social posts from his family farm, Brody’s work keeps him close to the action and the athletes that shape it.We cover:04:21 – Interview begins05:08 – Quick-fire questions13:32 – How does Brody explain what he does to friends and family?14:56 – What did Brody need to learn to get to the spot he’s at now?16:44 – What sparked Brody’s journey into his road to sport?22:52 - How did Brody land his role at Tennis Australia?26:54 - Do you have to be able to do everything when it comes to getting a social media role in sport?30:35 - What does Brody find are the biggest challenges of getting into social media in sport?32:03 - How did Brody convince his friends and family about making the move into sport?33:45 - Were there any moments where Brody felt it may have been too hard to break in?39:44 - How does Brody go about networking given his location?46:11 - How has Brody used analytics to improve his content?53:29 - What does success look like for Brody?55:42 - What is something Brody wished more people asked him about?57:45 - Brody’s pinch-me moment1:01:20 - Where would Brody be if he wasn’t working in sport?1:02:14 - Interview endsIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#302: Paris 2024, Content Creator | Stella Barry#286: Inside the GWS Giants social media strategy with Jacob Gaynor#258: How to balance freelance work in sport and a regular 9-5 job with Chris MacPhersonWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!
#324: How to turn a Law and Communications degree into a marketing role at the AFL with Veronica Steer (Sydney SportsGrad Meetup)
27:39|Transitioning from a law and communications degree into a marketing role is a huge leap, however for Veronica Steer, she made it happen.In this episode taken from the recent SportsGrad Meetup in Sydney, AFL Marketing Manager Veronica Steer takes us through her career transition and what it truly takes to market Australian Football in growth markets like Sydney and Queensland.If you’re wanting to learn more about what it takes to work in sports marketing, this episode is for you.ABOUT THE GUEST:Meet Veronica Steer, Marketing Manager at the AFL’s Fan Hub whose job is all about helping more people fall in love with Australia’s game. Whether it’s planning campaigns, creating content, or diving into community engagement, her mission is clear: grow the game, especially in places and communities where footy isn’t front of mind.We cover:00:23 - Interview begins01:20 - Quickfire questions04:03 - Did Veronica think sport was an option out of uni?05:56 - What did the AFL take a liking to in Veronica’s application?07:34 - What’s the overarching goal for Veronica’s department?10:43 - What are employment challenges that Veronica has seen?12:15 - What was an outstanding recent hire that Veronica made?13:13 - How is the culture at the AFL as a work environment?13:53 - What’s the process behind landing a game development role?14:53 - What’s exciting Veronica about the future of the AFL?16:14 -Veronica’s experience with Round 017:08 - Q&A Starts18:13 - Are there any plans for the AFL to go international again?19:05 - What’s one underrated skill that a marketing manager should have going into a role?20:02 - Does Veronica’s department look into community clubs?21:00 - How can Veronica tell when campaigns resonate with fans?21:35 - What’s the most underrated channel of communication that Veronica uses?22:20 - How does Veronica see AFL 9s developing?23:34 - A pinch me moment for Veronica?24:45 - Interview endsIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#289: How to move from London to Australia and work in Sports Marketing | George Ludlow’s journey to Gemba.#286: Inside the GWS Giants social media strategy with Jacob Gaynor#280: How to get a Sports Marketing job in the English Premier League with Alex KingWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!
#323: SportsGrad Melbourne Meetup Panel, Featuring Bianca Litchfield from Collingwood FC, Brant Hubber from the AFL, and Pruthvi Shivaram from Gemba
01:00:14|“I’m still learning to fully understand the sports industry”That was Pruthvi Shivaram at this past Thursday’s Meetup in Melbourne, where we hosted a panel featuring not only Pruthvi, but Brant Hubber and Bianca Litchfield.In this chat, we go through a range of topics, including each of the panelists career journey’s and some valuable career advice for people from all perspectives, among other things.If you’re in the UK and want to meet people in sport, come to our final SportsGrad Meetup in London on Wednesday July 3 here.ABOUT THE PANEL:Bianca Litchfield is the Community Foundation Partnerships Coordinator at Collingwood FC, specialising in developing partnerships to help facilitate Collingwood’s community programs.Brant Hubber is the Partnerships Account Coordinator at the AFL, working with stakeholders to help deliver partnerships with the AFL.Pruthvi Shivaram is a Strategy Consultant at Gemba, specialising in solving a range of commercial, strategic, or operational problems for clients relating to sport.We cover:09:13 – Panel begins11:07 – How did Pruthvi end up in a consulting role?16:09 - Bianca’s career journey20:32 - What was Brant’s approach to get into the AFL?27:24 - What does life at Gemba look like for Pruthvi?30:46 - How can people learn about strategy?35:10 - What does Bianca’s role look like?39:24 - What did Gather Round look like for Brant?45:17 - What kept Brant motivated in his early years at the AFL?47:46 - How would the panel describe a managerial or leadership position and how would they lead effectively?51:33 - How does Brant navigate being on maximum term contracts?54:18 - How did Bianca progress to the Community Foundation Partnerships Coordinator role from her previous roles at Collingwood?57:30 – Panel endsIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#314: How Kiri Madhani pivoted into commercial partnerships at DAZN#303: Gemba, Marketing Strategy Consultant | Sam Waring#265: From Westpac to the Adelaide Crows in 29 days with Community Engagement Manager, Parth SuriWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!
#322: SportsGrad Adelaide Meetup Speaker Panel, Featuring Brad Humphrey from the SANFL, Peter Giannes from Volleyball SA, and Christian Rodriguez from Football Australia
01:06:04|“I’ll give you a job tomorrow cause I need people now”.That was SANFL Head of Game Development Brad Humphrey at our recent Adelaide SportsGrad Meetup, where we were treated to 3 panelists who spoke on the night about topics ranging from AI in sport, to what they look for when hiring new staff. This is a must-listen if you’re wanting to understand the sports industry from 3 unique perspectives.If you’re wanting to still get involved in SportsGrad Meetups, grab your free ticket hereABOUT THE PANEL:Brad Humphrey is Head of Game Development at the SANFL. Specialising in growing football within schools across SA.Peter Giannes is Head of Participation at Volleyball SA. Helping to grow volleyball throughout SA. Christian Rodriguez is Marketing Coordinator at Football Australia, overseeing club development. We cover:04:38 – Panel Starts07:56 – How did Brad swap careers?14:11 – Christian's journey18:29 – How old was Christian when he decided to throw everything at football?20:01 – What challenges/opportunities do being in a more under resourced orgainsation like Volleyball SA bring for Peter22:00 – How does AI play into Peter’s recruitment process?24:38 – What does an ideal candidate who knows how to use AI look like?27:54 – How is the panel learning how to use AI?32:03 – What was a recent interview answer that stood out?39:07 – How did Christian keep motivation whilst hustling to reach his goal?43:06 – What are the inclusion policies of the organisations?49:34 – Do you still need to go back to university to achieve higher tier roles?55:23 – What’s the strangest question the panel have asked/heard in an interview?58:37 – How important is it that applicants have experience in a specific sport when applying?1:03:43 – Panel endsIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#280: How to get a sports marketing job in the English Premier League with Alex King#265: From Westpac to the Adelaide Crows in 29 days with Community Engagement Manager, Parth Suri#239: Journey to Head of Community at Melbourne City FC with Sunil MenonWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!
#321: How to land a job in sport from just one networking event (even if you’re changing careers)
16:47|Click here to meet people in sport at a SportsGrad MeetupWant a job in sport? Click here.Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast, hosted by Reuben Williams, ex-Cricket Australia employee, career coach, public speaker, content creator and Founder of SportsGrad. On this podcast you’ll hear how to find your perfect role, grow your network, win job applications, scale your personal brand, create opportunities for yourself, and land your dream job in sport. Plus the many failures and lessons Reuben has learned from landing a dream job before graduating, helping others to land 700+ jobs in sport, and interviewing over 300+ professionals from the NFL, NBA, AFL, ICC, Cricket Australia, Premier League, Olympics, and many more teams, leagues, agencies and startups.To learn more about Reuben, listen to this episode: #309: How I landed a dream job at Cricket Australia before graduating | Reuben WilliamsFollow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!
#320: How to make a career change into Motorsport from real-estate at 30 years old | Motorsport Australia Development Manager, Charlie Barlow
01:16:45|Pivoting careers at 30 can be seen by a lot of people as daunting, but for Charlie Barlow, she made a change into motorsport work.Charlie is the Development Manager at Motorsport Australia, leading programs like Girls on Track, First Gear, and Esports to get more people doing more motorsport, more often. But her journey into the industry didn’t begin until she made a bold decision at 30 years old to go all in on a career she truly loved.After years in real estate, construction, and admin roles, Charlie went back to uni, studied journalism, worked unpaid gigs, and eventually became a journalist at Supercars, before stepping into her current role shaping the future of motorsport participation in Australia.She’s also built a following on Social Media as a leader for Women in Motorsport, and recently was part of Channel 7’s national coverage of the Shannons SpeedSeries.In this episode, we discuss how Charlie made a career change at 30, how she was able to break into motorsport, and how she managed to accomplish her career goals even when it seemed impossible.Lastly, Charlie is our guest speaker at the Brisbane SportsGrad Meetup coming up on Thursday June 24, so if you want to connect with her, grab a ticket from our website.We cover:(02:38) – Interview begins(04:33) – Quickfire Questions(15:14) – What Charlie did about her career once she turned 30(30:45) – How Charlie started to build experience in sport(42:58) – Charlie's role with Motorsport Australia(30:45) – How Charlie started to build experience in sport(57:47) – The impact of Charlie's personal brand on her career(1:08:13) – What opportunity exists for those wanting to grow their personal brand on social media?(1:14:05) – Advice to her younger selfIf you like this ep, give these a go next:#289: How to move from London to Australia and work in Sports Marketing | George Ludlow’s journey to Gemba#265: From Westpac to the Adelaide Crows FC in 29 days with Community Engagement Manager, Parth Suri#208: How to make a career change into the sports industry with Kerry GassnerWant a job in sport? Click here.Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!#319: The impact of 60+ therapy sessions (Sporting Max interview)
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23:41|Want a job in sport? Click here.Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast, hosted by Reuben Williams, ex-Cricket Australia employee, career coach, public speaker, content creator and Founder of SportsGrad. On this podcast you’ll hear how to find your perfect role, grow your network, win job applications, scale your personal brand, create opportunities for yourself, and land your dream job in sport. Plus the many failures and lessons Reuben has learned from landing a dream job before graduating, helping others to land 700+ jobs in sport, and interviewing over 300+ professionals from the NFL, NBA, AFL, ICC, Cricket Australia, Premier League, Olympics, and many more teams, leagues, agencies and startups.To learn more about Reuben, listen to this episode: #309: How I landed a dream job at Cricket Australia before graduating | Reuben WilliamsFollow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!#317: Critical advice for people job hunting for 3+ months (and avoid 3 more months of job hunting)
19:46|Want a job in sport? Click here.Welcome to the SportsGrad Podcast, hosted by Reuben Williams, ex-Cricket Australia employee, career coach, public speaker, content creator and Founder of SportsGrad. On this podcast you’ll hear how to find your perfect role, grow your network, win job applications, scale your personal brand, create opportunities for yourself, and land your dream job in sport. Plus the many failures and lessons Reuben has learned from landing a dream job before graduating, helping others to land 700+ jobs in sport, and interviewing over 300+ professionals from the NFL, NBA, AFL, ICC, Cricket Australia, Premier League, Olympics, and many more teams, leagues, agencies and startups.To learn more about Reuben, listen to this episode: #309: How I landed a dream job at Cricket Australia before graduating | Reuben WilliamsFollow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokFollow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTokBig thanks to Deakin University for making this episode possible. Check out their Master of Sport Management, ranked #1 in Australia.Thanks for listening, much love!