Aubrey's Australian Hockey Leaugue Wrap

By Aubrey Hamlett / @aubreyhamlett

Hockey Victoria hosted the Under 13 Boys National Championship and the Men’s Australian Hockey League at the State Netball Hockey Centre (SNHC) in Melbourne from September 27 until October 5.

 

As Communications Coordinator it was my job to handle all of Hockey Victoria’s social media platforms, website and keep the hockey community up to date with the events we were hosting. I had a number of tasks given to me by Hockey Australia and to give me a hand I also sought out an intern to help me during the tournaments.

 

I tried to seek out media opportunities for the competition and the Victorian Vikings (AHL), however, ran into a lot of roadblocks. The main and most obvious one was the fact the competition ran at a similar time frame to the AFL Finals series. Of course, in Melbourne, AFL is always priority number one. I received many emails from media outlets that read, ‘Thank you but we’re just in AFL mode right now.’ It frustrated me that I couldn’t get any additional major media coverage and focused my attention on more local publications such as Leader Newspapers, which worked quite well.

 

I’ve been employed at Hockey Victoria since July and it’s been a really different experience. I haven’t worked at state level before after having experiences working at Melbourne Storm (intern), Netball Australia (maternity contract) and very briefly at the Essendon Football Club (intern).

 

The amount of hockey events in our calendar is insane. Hockey doesn’t appear to have an ‘off season.’ Or at least nobody told hockey that it needs a break.

 

I’d survived junior and senior winter grand finals but I knew that the joint tournaments of the U13s and AHL would be a whole other beast. As well as the events we hosted there were eight other national events on at the same time around Australia. I knew that I’d really have to be on top of everything, not just the events we were hosting.

 

During the tournament I was mainly stationed in the media box overlooking one of our pitches at the SNHC with my intern, Sean Munaweera. I would cover the U13s and Sean would do the AHL.

 

Our days went relatively quickly as everything was broken up into 30 to 35 minute halves. I’d arrive half an hour before the first U13 game at 8.30am then the match would start at 9am, half-time at 9.35am, full-time at 10.20am and then to go downstairs and collect the match report and so on.

 

The AHL would be timed to start half an hour after the U13s matches got underway. I’d then write my U13 match reports and send the release to hockey communications and events contacts. I was also updating Hockey Victoria’s social media platforms and website throughout the day with results and photos.

 

The AHL was a bit different as we only had an hour after the conclusion of the last match to file and send the media release out. As the Victorian Vikings (AHL) usually played the last match of the day, Sean and I would head down to the bench at half-time and report from there.

 

I’d venture around the pitch taking photos, instagraming videos and updating Twitter. Sean would also conduct post match interviews with some of our Vikings players. We’d then head back into the office and send out the media release, update the website and social media.

 

I’d get home at about 8pm and would be in bed by about 9.30pm ready for the next day’s competition. I know I sound like a grandma but if I didn’t put myself to bed I would’ve passed out on the couch from being so tired. 

 

During the eight days of competition (two rest days), I worked out that I had watched roughly 48 hockey matches. That’s at least double the amount of AFL matches that I’ve ever been to. It’s fair to say, I’m all hockey-ed-out. 

 

But it doesn’t actually stop there as my CEO signed me up for the International Super Series Hockey 9s in Perth at the beginning of my employment. I leave for Perth next Tuesday and will spend six days over there. I’m looking forward to having a bit of a break even though I’ll be working as media centre manager for the event.

 

I’ll be working with Hockey Australia staff as well as other communications and events employees from other hockey states. It’ll be a good experience to work with new people and at an international event. I’m extremely lucky to have been put up for it.

 

As I mentioned before, hockey is a different beast compared to most sports in Australia. I think I actually feel more for our athletes purely because of their intense schedule. They  will have been involved with winter competitions, AHL and the upcoming International Super Series, Oceania Cup, World League and Junior World Cup – all before December 15

NRL Grand Final with Jess Ivers

Jess has worked with 2013 Grand Finalist Manly and also worked with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs who were in last year's Grand Final before moving to Tennis Australia.

As NRL Grand Final day approaches, there’s plenty of great memories I have that come flooding back about this time of year.

As a sports fan it’s the best week ever and you’re just stoked to be a part of it. Professionally, you can’t wait to make this one of the best week’s ever with your colleagues, the ones you spend 90% of your time with from March to October.

Everyone’s in a good mood and the sense of community at the club goes sky high. Everyone is proud of what they’ve achieved over the course of the year, knowing that after the final siren – no matter the outcome – it will all be over for another season.

The week goes a little something like this - you’re running on little sleep but you’re high on excitement. You can’t wait for Sunday night to come around yet you’re trying to soak up every moment that Grand Final week has to offer.  And your thumbs are blistered from going hell for leather on your club’s Twitter account while you’re eyes are turning square from churning out awesome content on your computer.

It really is like nothing else and I’m very lucky to have experienced an NRL Grand Final not once, but twice – both as part of a losing and a winning team – both some of the best days of my career.

From media day on the Monday to the fan day on the Thursday, it’s all systems go. You start your day in one place, then you’re taking players to another, they’re answering the same question for 10 different media crews. Still smiling regardless because they’re about to undertake an adventure like never before.

And before you know it, you’ve tripled the amount of fans you had from the week before. They are everywhere! It might be the locals flooding the streets with their jerseys on, the local bakery making themed goods or the newsagent hanging streamers and posters in their front window.  Again, everyone is in a good mood.

While I have no idea what is going through the players heads during the week, you can only try and understand the excitement and pressure that comes from being one of the last two teams standing.

From an administration point of view – you’re pumped. And when Sunday morning rolls around, you can’t  wait to hop out of bed, pop on your game day suit for the last time and sit there and support your team…plus tweet, Facebook, Instagram, video…

The joy that comes with a win is indescribable. The tears that come with a loss are heartbreaking. A lot of people might say it’s “just another game” but it isn’t.

Either way it’s one of the greatest moments of the NRL season and I look forward to it every year. Highlights will be made, heroes will be remembered and another team will go down in NRL history.

Good luck to both teams this Sunday, my heart will definitely be with Manly though!

Durham Player of the Year Dinner

It is always nice to dress up and celebrate the end of season at Player of the Year awards and last night was no exception! We had our Durham Player of the Year Dinner at the Marriott in Newcastle last night and it was an enjoyable but (another) busy night.  My task for the night was the usual social media work and photographer duties but also had to play reporter and interview the winners with our Sky Sports cameraman Jake!  Was a bit strange being on the journalist side and the guys found it quite funny but I hardly asked them hard hitting questions!!

 I just have one more day left here at Durham and can't believe how quick the last 6 months have flown by and the amount of fantastic things I have been able to do.

NRL Grand Final- Rooster Rewind with Jodie

Ah grand final week. I remember like it was…..three years ago. Yep, I reckon it has taken me that long to recover!

I was lucky enough to be a member of the Sydney Roosters 2010 grand final campaign. After ‘winning’ the wooden spoon in 2009 none of us thought it was a reality but week after week we kept on winning our matches and on the night of my 30^th birthday we qualified for the big dance.

Cue the champagne (for my birthday of course!) and then….the work. Yep, media schedule for the week sent at 2am. Little did I know that this would be the pattern of the week…..late nights and early mornings.

We flew in from Brisbane where we had played our qualifier and I stumped up at my mates place to watch the AFL grand final. I say watched….I meant sat on the balcony taking phone calls from media, coaches, staff and players.

This theme remained for most of the weekend as Monday was a big media day. By big I mean four hours of one on one interviews with around 10 players. That is a lot of journalists to move around and hurry up when their allotted time was up.

After this came a procession of open training sessions, press conferences, grand final breakfasts, Today Show crosses – with set up from 3.30am! – Footy Show appearances, harbour cruises, news crosses and Bondi Beach activations. In the end I was even doing radiointerviews just to accommodate every request…I can talk very eloquently about the weather and potential pitch conditions at ANZ Stadium!

My most apt memory of that week though was when the coach asked for a specific sports documentary from the US, that I had ESPN USA FTP to ESPN Australia and then, laying on the floor of the assistant coaches office due to sheer exhaustion, I burned 27 copies for the players.This was a documentary the coach HAD TO HAVE for the players. He walked into the office, seeing me half asleep on the floor, and asked me what on earth I was doing. ‘Burning your bloody DVD’s’ was my response. ‘Oh, don’t worry about that anymore’ he says. Geez, thanks!

So in the end, we lost the match, had a fair bit to drink afterwards, and I spent the next day on my lounge room floor sleeping and watching season 6 of Entourage.

The experience of a lifetime Grand Final Week. If you get the chance to be involved in one…take it! Exhausting but very very rewarding.