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The SportsGrad Podcast

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Rating
★★★★★
5
from
5 reviews
This podcast has
418 episodes
Language
English
Publisher
SportsGrad
Explicit
No
Date created
2020/06/26
Latest episode
2026/10/20
Average duration
33 min.
Release period
4 days

Description

Ever thought "I'd love to work in sport!" but have no idea where to start? You're in the right place. Join Reuben Williams (ex-Cricket Australia) each week to learn about jobs in the sports industry and how the people in those jobs forged a career they love. If you're trying to find your place in the industry, need some inspiration on what to do to get started, or just want to keep your finger on the pulse... you're going to love this catalogue of interviews. For more help to take the next step in making a career in sport a reality, subscribe to the SportsGrad newsletter: www.sportsgrad.com.au/newsletter LinkedIn: SportsGrad Instagram: @sportsgrad Connect with Reuben: Reuben Williams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Check latest episodes from The SportsGrad Podcast podcast


The Method: Why Asking for Jobs Isn’t Getting You Anywhere
2026/10/20
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#375: How to Get Into Sports Presentation at Cricket Australia with Mitch Siwek
2026/10/18
Meet Mitch Siwek, Acting Sports Presentation Director at Cricket Australia. If you've been to an international at the cricket, you've seen his work: the big screen, the anthems, the music and the pyro. He started as a 15-year-old Cricket Blast volunteer, then graduated at the end of 2019, just as COVID shut sport down. What happened next came down to one question he asked after a uni tutorial, a podcast he started so his resume wouldn't have a gap, and a string of volunteer gigs most people would skip. A few years later, he was hearing the Australian anthem at Headingley during a World Cup. Lots to look out for in this episode, including the question that opened the door to Cricket Australia, why five AFL clubs is the wrong volunteering strategy, and what his manager told him actually tipped the hire. We Cover: (1:43) – Interview begins (4:18) – Quick fire questions (11:16) – From Cricket Blast volunteer to Deakin (16:51) – The tutor who changed everything (21:00) – Graduating into COVID (26:21) – Volunteering across different sports (31:10) – The agencies behind sport (33:26) – What a sports presentation director does on match day (41:44) – Landing a World Cup secondment (48:39) – How to break into sports presentation If you like this ep, give these a go next: #262: Sport Management grad to living the dream at the FIFA Women's World Cup and Cricket Australia #369: From warehouse to working with Olympians - How to build a sports marketing career w/ Pat McGregor #367: From Engineer to the FIFA World Cup - How Hector Arenas built a career in sports operations Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Method: How to Stand Out When Every Grad Looks the Same
2026/10/13
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#374: How Victoria won the NFL: What government's role in major events actually looks like with Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP
2026/10/11
Meet Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP, Victoria's Minister for Sport. Before entering Parliament, Steve ran a local café in Oakleigh, worked in the Department of Justice and at the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and served as a councillor and Mayor of Monash. He also worked for federal MP Simon Crean. Lots to look out for including how Steve came to lead the sport portfolio without being a lifelong sports fan, how Victoria secured the NFL through the work of government, what he asks potential employees in interviews, and how Melbourne's concentration of sporting organisations creates opportunities to connect with employers. We Cover: (03:40) - Quick fire: the "Minister for Fun" (05:28) - The interview question he asks potential employees (10:22) - What government's role in sport actually involves (18:50) - How Melbourne's sporting organisations create career opportunities (23:05) - What the NFL game was really worth to Victoria (26:48) - How Victoria secured the NFL (34:16) - What's being considered for the future of the MCG If you like this ep, give these a go next: #355: From Man City to the MCG – How to land jobs at the world's biggest sporting events with Jamie Fisher #243: From Commercial Lawyer to living the dream at the NFL, IOC & Brisbane 2032 with Tom Hickey #370: Melbourne Meetup ft. San Francisco 49ers Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Method: What To Post On LinkedIn When You Think You've Got Nothing
2026/10/06
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#373 From Hospitality to QRL: How Nancy Alu Got a Job in Sports Operations
2026/10/04
Meet Nancy Alu. Nancy is the Pathways & Performance Administrator at Queensland Rugby League, looking after everything off the field for Queensland's representative programs, from travel and accommodation to apparel for camp, including Junior Origin. Before sport, Nancy spent five years in hospitality walking events with food trays, then worked in concierge and member events roles. Along the way she spent eight years volunteering with her church youth group, running logistics for summer camps and conferences. She also paid her own way to volunteer at the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, and found a mentor in Dubai who pointed her towards SportsGrad. Lots to look out for in this episode, including how to get a job in sports operations when your experience is outside sport: how Nancy broke the rejection loop by learning to read job descriptions properly, the rep clubs and team manager roles she'd target to get a foot in the door, and the three questions she asks when a networking conversation runs dry. Plus, how she keeps growing in the role by always having questions ready for her manager. We Cover: (04:17) – Quick fire questions (12:42) – How sport became her place to belong (15:51) – The rejection loop: applying for roles in sport (18:40) – The mentor who pointed her towards sport (23:45) – Networking and SportsGrad meetups (28:0) – How church camp volunteering helped her get hired (31:36) – What a Pathways & Performance Administrator does at QRL (38:47) – Pinch-me moments: Maroons camp and Cameron Munster (44:46) – How to land a sports ops job in 30 days Related Episodes: 🎧 #367: From Engineer to the FIFA World Cup - How Hector Arenas built a career in sports operations 🎧 #368: From Gym Receptionist to CEO, with Sarah Loh (Softball Australia) 🎧 The Method: Turn any job description into a winning Cover Letter Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Method: Chasing "Any Job in Sport" Is the Wrong Way to Get Hired
2026/09/29
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#372: How to Become Head of Sales at the AFL with Steve Whately
2026/09/27
Meet Steve Whately, Head of Sales at the AFL. He leads a team working on new brand partnerships across the AFL, AFLW, Marvel Stadium, and the league’s digital and community channels. Before joining the AFL, Steve worked at KPMG, became Head of Strategy at Sport Business Partners, and held roles at the Australian Sports Commission and Nielsen Sports. Across those jobs, he built experience in strategy, sales, digital and data. His interest in working in sport began at KPMG, while auditing Golf Australia and Hawthorn Football Club. Steve wanted to find out what other jobs existed in the industry, so he asked friends whether their parents knew anyone he could speak to. One conversation led to an introduction at Tennis Australia, then a job at Sport Business Partners. In its 5-person team, he worked on projects for organisations across several sports. By the time the AFL role opened up, Steve had years of relevant experience to show. During the hiring process, he was asked to present a growth strategy for Marvel Stadium. He opened with a slide showing around 25 brands he had sold to. Lots to look out for in this episode, including why Steve says his degree wasn’t a factor in getting the AFL job, which sports agencies and consultancies are worth researching, and how to make your existing experience relevant to a sports employer. We Cover: (3:14) – Interview begins (5:08) – Quick fire questions (15:52) – What it takes to do Steve's job at the AFL (30:50) – First break into sport at KPMG, auditing Golf Australia and Hawthorn FC (35:12) – The five-person consultancy that changed everything (55:41) – The presentation that got him hired (57:08) – Mentors and the value of asking for help (1:00) – Advice to his younger self If you like this ep, give these a go next: #354: How to transfer your Finance experience to the sport industry, Golf Australia | Phil Speake #265: From Westpac to the Adelaide Crows FC in 29 days, Adelaide Crows FC | Parth Suri #334: Adam Collins (The Final Word) on political career, transition to sport & origins of TFW Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Follow Reuben on socials: | Instagram | Linkedin Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#371: Becoming the second ever Female TV Commentator for Triple M and Fox Footy, with Jess Webster
2026/09/20
Meet Jess Webster, AFL play-by-play commentator for Triple M and Fox Footy. Two nights before we recorded this podcast, she was on stage accepting the Clinton Grybas Emerging Talent Award at the AFL Media Awards. Jess grew up in Brisbane with three older brothers, running the scoreboard at her local footy ground for a pie and a can of Coke and umpiring boundary as a high-school casual. She studied journalism at Monash and the University of Queensland, did six weeks of TV internships that led nowhere, then moved to Darwin with no job, where someone resigned at the NT News two weeks later and she got her way in. Five years in the Territory gave her print, local commentary and the rise of live streaming. Back in Brisbane, she met mentor Quentin Hull, who taught her play-by-play from scratch and helped her call her first AFL radio game in 2017. Then she moved to Melbourne on nothing more than "if you're in Melbourne, we'd consider you." COVID hit, she lost her AFL job, and she went two years without a single play-by-play game, working government comms and thinking her career was over. She fought all the way back, called Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's history-making comeback as Triple M's first female play-by-play caller, and this year became the second woman to call AFL on television. Lots to look out for in this episode, including how to create your own opportunities in an industry where the jobs are never advertised, sustaining belief and bouncing back when the work you want disappears, and how the right mentor and the right mindset shift can change a career! We cover: (04:25) - Interview begins (06:23) - Quick Fire Questions (12:46) - How Jess got her foot in the door in sports media and journalism (17:24) - Jess' career after she moved out of the Northern Territory (28:46) - The feeling and preparation before calling her first game live (35:29) - What preparation tactics has Jess picked up from peers (37:10) - Jess' career move to Melbourne (43:45) - How Jess built a mindset that has helped her career journey (50:24) - Key takeaways from the "Finding Mastery" podcast (54:05) - How Jess landed her roles at Fox Footy and Triple M calling AFL games weekly (56:54) - The week after Jess' incredible call of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's moment against Melbourne FC (58:11) - Biggest Pinch me moment If you liked this ep, give these a go next: #263: Journey to become a Sports Journalist with Sarah Burt #356: Career journey of FIFA World Cup Commentator David Basheer #363: From outsider to on-air - how to become a sports broadcaster with David Culbert OLY Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Method: Why "I love sport" is the worst place to start
2026/09/15
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#370: Melbourne Meetup ft. San Francisco 49ers
2026/09/13
Meet Tori Coleman, Aaron Llavore and Amalia Sofia Navarro, three of the people building the San Francisco 49ers, live from our Melbourne meetup. In front of a packed room during the 49ers' first-ever NFL game week in Melbourne, this panel pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to work in US sport, and how three very different paths led to the same organisation. Tori is the Senior Coordinator of Youth Football Development and Community Programming. She started in education technology, moved through PR and comms in the athlete and agency space, did PR for the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and worked in college sport before landing at the Niners, proof that a non-linear start is a strength, not a setback. Aaron is the Creative Director, a decade into the 49ers, leading a "small but mighty" team of six that touches everything creative in the organisation. He got his first sports job as an assistant creative at the Golden State Warriors, from a post on Craigslist, then built his craft from the ground up. Amalia works in strategy and impact across the 49ers Foundation's international programming. A comms major from a family of educators, she got her foot in the door through community relations at the Oakland A's and the 49ers museum, working at the intersection of sport, philanthropy and education. Lots to look out for in this episode, including how to turn an "unconventional" or non-sport background into your edge when breaking in, and how roles inside a major sporting body keep evolving, so getting in is the start, not the finish line. If you liked this ep, give these a go next: #237: How Josh Growden launched The Kicking Consultant #277: Journey from Event Coordinator in Melbourne to NFL Stadium Director with Eray Saban #243: Living the dream at the NFL, IOC & Brisbane 2032 Olympics with Tom Hickey Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Method: Why 50% effort beats your perfect plan
2026/09/08
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#369: From warehouse to working with Olympians - How to build a sports marketing career w/ Pat McGregor
2026/09/06
Meet Pat McGregor.  Pat has spent the last five-plus years building a career across sports marketing, content and brand, most recently leading the marketing function through the formation of NSW Athletics. Pat's first roles were in retail at Kingsgrove Sports Centre and Adidas, before an internship in the membership team at the St George Illawarra Dragons was cut short by COVID. Working a warehouse job through lockdown and buried under rejections, he came genuinely close to giving up on sport altogether. Instead, he resigned, leaned on the SportsGrad community, and three weeks later landed a marketing coordinator role at Little Athletics NSW. From there, it snowballed to working alongside Olympians like Jess Fox and Sam Fricker at the NSW Institute of Sport, delivering a national-record membership campaign, and leading the rebrand through a merger. Lots to look out for in this episode, including how to reframe non-sport experience so it actually lands against a job description, and how to keep progressing (and creating your own next move) once you're inside. We cover: (03:16) - Interview Begins (05:00) - Quick Fire Questions (11:00) - How Pat decided he wanted to work in the sport industry (14:48) - How SportsGrad helped Pat early in his career (16:27) - Why Pat almost gave up on a career in sport (18:27) - Pat's role at New South Wales Institute of Sport (22:34) - How Pat became a 'one-person marketing department' at Little Athletics NSW (28:25) - How the Athletics NSW and Little Athletics NSW brands merged (30:42) - What challenges and opportunities arose in marketing the brands merging (33:14) - How SportsGrad has been helping Pat recently in his job hunt (39:28) - How to land a role in sport marketing in the next 30 days (41:25) - Biggest pinch-me moment working in sport (44:12) - What would life look like if it wasn't for a career in sport (44:42) - What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced, and how did it become successful  (46:17) - Pat's question for next guest If you liked this ep, give these a go next: #236: Sports Marketing Consultant career journey (so far!) with Danny Bowerin #280: How to get a sports marketing job in the English Premier League with Alex King #324: How to turn a Law and Comms degree into a marketing role at the AFL with Veronica Steer Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Method: Why you keep talking yourself out of it
2026/09/01
Want to land a job in sport? Apply for The SportsGrad Method: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program So you want to work in sport. You are not alone, and that is exactly the problem. Sport is one of the most competitive industries in the world. Everyone is passionate. Everyone has a degree. Everyone is willing to work hard. And yet most people spend years on the outside looking in, never quite understanding why. It is not a capability problem. It is a method problem. I am Reuben Williams, founder of SportsGrad. I landed a job at Cricket Australia the day after I finished university. When COVID hit and I was made redundant, I was headhunted into a role that doubled my salary. Not because I got lucky, because I had a method that most people never find. Since then that method has helped over 800 people land jobs in sport, from graduates with no experience to career professionals who thought the window had already closed. We have built a global network that members can tap into from day one, and spent ten years inside this industry learning exactly how hiring actually works. 80% of jobs in sport are never advertised. The people landing them are not the most qualified. They are the most visible, the most connected, and the most prepared to convert opportunity into an offer. That is what The SportsGrad Method teaches. How I can help you: 1. Listen to The Method — real coaching call snippets every Wednesday so you can hear the work in action. 2. Read The SportsGrad Newsletter — weekly insight on breaking into sport the right way. 3. Apply for The SportsGrad Method Program — if you are serious about making this happen, this is the fastest path. We review every application personally. If you refuse to settle for a career you do not care about, you are in the right place. Let's get to work: www.sportsgrad.com.au/program Reuben Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#368: From Gym Receptionist to CEO, with Sarah Loh (Softball Australia)
2026/08/30
Meet Sarah Loh, Chief Executive Officer at Softball Australia. Sarah's career spans nearly four decades across the sport, education and not-for-profit sectors, but it started at a reception desk. In 1988, she asked the owner of a Dandenong gym for a job every day for six months until he cracked and gave her three hours behind the desk. By the end of that year she was centre manager. From there she built one of the most deliberate careers in Australian sport: the YMCA, a local council role at the City of Whittlesea where she project-managed a $29 million leisure centre, her first CEO chair at the country's biggest junior football league, a headhunted executive role at VicHealth, and now the top job at Softball Australia, with a Women's World Cup on home soil in 2027 and softball's return to the Olympics at LA 2028. In this episode, Sarah unpacks why she deliberately took "detours" through corporate and government roles to build the credibility sport wouldn't give her, the interview question she now asks every candidate she hires and why "what have you built?" beats a polished CV, and how to actually progress from entry-level to executive when everyone is chasing the same limited roles. We cover: (02:48) - Interview Begins (04:38) - Quick Fire Questions (13:46) - How Sarah's career in sport panned out (21:10) - Why Sarah enjoys teaching at university and being on volunteer sporting boards (28:54) - What legacy does Sarah hope the 2027 Softball World Cup leave behind (35:41) - What is the best sport event you have attended and what is on your bucket list? (38:03) - Sarah's question for next guest If you liked this ep, give these a go next: #206: Journey to CEO of Champion Data with Libby Owens #217: How to be the CEO of the ICC T20 World Cup - Michelle Enright #338: From the AFL to Cricket NT CEO at 29, to Executive GM at Cricket Australia with Joel Morrison Want a job in sport? Click here. Follow SportsGrad on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Follow Reuben on socials: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok Thanks for listening, much love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podcast reviews

Read The SportsGrad Podcast podcast reviews


5 out of 5
5 reviews
★★★★★
Armaan192 2021/06/28
Great listen
Those who are trying to find a way into sports need to listen to this podcast!
★★★★★
ADubs1222 2021/06/28
One of the best podcasts for young professionals
This is one of the best podcasts for young professionals looking to get into the sports industry. SportsGrad does a terrific job of recruiting key lea...
★★★★★
Don't retire Dustin 2020/07/05
These guys are going places
Amazing insight - worth a listen for anyone who wants to improve their career
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