Sport at Griffith, it’s more than you know

Sport is a growing global industry, with no signs of slowing down. As well as major international, multi-sport events such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, every sport from athletics to surfing to skeleton have some form of world championships, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have a Sport Diplomacy Strategy, and sport is now used widely as a tool for international development.

 

My dream was always to work in the winter sport industry, and so when I discovered that Griffith was the only university in Brisbane to offer a degree in sport management, I knew it was the obvious choice. Although it wasn’t until first year when I realised just how much Griffith’s involvement in sport can help students succeed in any discipline. Griffith is an Official Partner of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018). This is the first partnership of its kind between a university and major international sporting event, and it reflects the depth of Griffith’s sporting knowledge and expertise.

 

Here’s an overview of the many ways you can get involved with sport – professionally, competitively, or socially — at Griffith.

 

PROFESSIONALLY

Networking: The teaching staff within the sport management major in the Griffith Business School have industry-wide connections and access to student opportunities across the globe. From volunteering at a Gold Coast Titans U16 Rugby Competition, to attending a ‘Future of Baseball’ seminar at New York University, networking with Griffith’s academic staff exposed me to the global sport industry.

 

Work experience: Partnerships with organisations such as the Brisbane Roar, Gold Coast Academy of Sport and internal departments such as Griffith Sport and the Student Guild, provide a direct link for students to gain work experience in the sport industry. During my degree, I worked on the event team of Surfing Queensland, which included a gig at the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro! I also spent a semester volunteering as the Griffith Mates Social Sport Coordinator.

 

Coursework: There are sport-related subjects and research across many disciplines, and this could be a good way to spend any of your free-choice electives. These courses include subjects such as Sports Law, Sport Engineering and Sport Psychology, to name a few.

 

Research: Griffith is well-recognised for its research relating to the sport industry done by industry experts, there are projects relating to Women in Sport, wearable technology, sport economics, and more. In late 2017, Griffith successfully hosted the annual Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference. In my final year, I was accepted through Griffith to complete a research internship in sport socio-cultural studies at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

 

Elite athletes: The Griffith Sports College is something all Griffith students should be proud of. As an Elite Athlete Friendly University, Griffith supports 500 students who are elite athletes through the College, offering important services to help them balance study commitments while competing at the highest level in their sport.

 

SOCIALLY

Social sport: No matter your campus, age, background, whether you’re undergraduate or postgraduate, or whether you’ve played sport before or not, Griffith offers a social sport program for all students in every semester. You can try anything such as Volleyball, soccer, basketball, and more! Oh, and guess what? Griffith offers a social sport schedule for the community as well! You don’t even have to be a student to play.

 

Uni Games: Whilst no longer officially called “Uni Games”, the 2018 Nationals programs offer a week-long multi-sport event for students of all ages and abilities to participate in a variety of sports. As the 2018 Nationals are being held on the Gold Coast, you might even get to use the same grounds as GC2018 athletes! More than just fun, if you’ve been to a Uni Games before and are looking to build professional skills in a fun environment, Griffith are currently seeking Team Leaders to lead our team to victory.

 

Physical activity ‘at your own pace’: Griffith have more facilities than you can count on this one. From the multi-sport venues at the Mt Gravatt campus, to the Nathan football fields and the brand-new Gold Coast Campus Aquatic Centre, Griffith offers exercise and fitness programs in any format and facilities for students and non-students alike.

 

As you can see, sport at Griffith offers students unique professional insights into a global industry, as well as fun opportunities for socialising. As people from all over the world flock to South East Queensland for GC2018, Griffith staff and students can proudly share their knowledge of Griffith’s sporting excellence, both on and off the field.

 

By Joseph O’Rourke