Edition number 3; dateline 30 October 2009
Still a little stagnation on the career front as the recession continues but some people are moving out there.
Who's whom
Scottish Sports Development Conference stalwart Iain Campbell is leaving SportScotland to work for North Lanarkshire Council helping develop their sports strategy and facilities strategy, and leading on community sports hubs; GB Volleyball coach Harry Brokking has taken up a two-year post with Greek A league team Iraklis who, interestingly, “were heavily fined by the CEV after their fans rioted during a fiery clash with Italian club Trentino during last season’s European Champions League final match in Prague”; LOCOG has appointed former lawyer Doug Arnot as director of games operations in which role he will be responsible for the overall planning, co-ordination and delivery of “Games Time Operations”, which means venues, sport, village, security, games services and broadcast functions; and the Youth Sport Trust has announced who will be its “changingLIVES” athlete mentors to “add value to a wide range of YST activity including Living for Sport, Moving Generations, Step into Sport, the UK School Games and the Young Ambassador Conferences.” The list includes Olympic, Paralympic, World and Commonwealth medallists and highlights the challenges they have had to overcome including bullying, dyslexia, exclusion and living with a disability as well as the skills they have used to succeed in sport and life. They are Alex Danson, Olympic Hockey; Adam Whitehead, Olympic Swimming; Chris Cook, Olympic Swimming; Chris Horsman, Welsh International Rugby Union; Darran Langley, International Boxing; Dermot Gascoyne, International Boxing; Gail Emms, Olympic Badminton; Joe Glanfield, Olympic Sailing; Katy Storie, England International Rugby Union; Mark Lewis-Francis, Olympic Athletics; Mike Mullen, World Champion BMX; Nicola Minichiello, Olympic Bobsleigh; Rachael Mackenzie, World number one Thai-boxing; Steve Brown, GB Wheelchair Rugby; Steve Frew, GB Gymnastics; Tim Prendergast, Paralympic Athletics; Tom Davis, GB Judo
Who's looking for whom
No better barometer exists for the state of the sport and leisure nation that the jobs pages and websites that serve our fair industry. This is what’s afoot…
The explosion in cycling has not gone unnoticed by the commercial sector and in Birmingham private coaching company Aspire is looking for two “decisive, self-motivated, energetic individuals” who are no more than “competent cyclists” to become cycling instructors; Munster Rugby is recruiting a coach development manager to run a team of coach development officers and an Irish level 2 coaching qualification is only ‘desirable’; if you’re happy to be paid in dirhams Sport Structures are recruiting a number of positions in Dubai as part of the unfortunately named Kevin Keegan’s Soccer Circus; British Blind Sport are in need of a chief executive officer for two years; LeisureJobs are searching for sport and leisure managers in holiday camps who will “be tasked with managing and directing a large team of sports coaches, lifeguards, recreation attendants and swimming teachers and have budgetary responsibility for both income and expenditure and take responsibility for rotas, shifts and programming” and have an eye to the main chance financially and be paid about £19,000; the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation Studies at Coventry University is planning a number of events and activities to promote a “peace and reconciliation” agenda at the 2012 Olympic games and are offering a one-year research assistant post to “an enterprising individual with a background in peace, sports and media” at up to £31,515 and the hint of a trip to Rio; Netball North West wants a £21,000 per year Back to Netball development officer; the Welsh Lacrosse Association need a head coach for their women’s squad in the lead up to the 2013 world cup; the recruitment manager at St Edward's School in Oxford is advertising for a director of the North Wall; and two jobs, called lyrically Post A and Post B, are going at Shakespeare's Globe with A a production assistant and B being theatre and casting assistant, no mention of salary.
the people page
comings, goings and a personal spotlight
Spotlight: Sarah Pearce
Current position?
Marketing Manager for Wave Leisure Trust Ltd
Your biggest challenge over the next twelve months?
Professionally, to learn as much as possible about health and leisure provision in the Lewes District area, and to weave my marketing magic! Personally, to settle back into seaside living after 12 years away and spend as much time as possible catching up with friends.
Which job within the sport, leisure and culture sector would you most like to do?
My ultimate dream is to work for an F1 team.
Who or what has inspired you in your career?
First and foremost, my family and my son. Professionally, I have been incredibly lucky to have a great number of positively influential people who helped me to really believe in myself and my abilities but one individual, Dr Gary F Russell, stands out. I first met Gary in 2004 when he came along to do some work with the corporate team of the company I was working for but his approach to balancing life and work, and the methods he used for effective performance management, significantly influenced me. Gary is now a really good personal and critical friend.
What advice would you offer to a young person entering this industry?
Learn by doing, don’t be afraid to confront the brutal facts and get yourself a great mentor! Sometimes it is only through sheer determination and not taking no for answer that you can really learn and achieve.
Which single thing could improve the sector?
I really don’t think that one single thing is the answer as there are so many factors and variables making an impact. However, vision and a clear sense of where we are going is a no-compromise start.
What could the sector do without?
Various agendas impacting negatively on community benefit.
Where do you hope to be in ten years time?
Planning my retirement sojourn around the world – a senior gap year!
