Cricket's Back!

It has been a while since I have posted on here, probably a reflection of what life is like once cricket season comes around again.  It's a Saturday night and I am writing match reports after having the Tigers match on live stream today whilst the TV had Day 3 of the Ashes- sums it up really! I am really feeling it too after not having an 'off-season' after working in England in the Aussie winter.

#Cricket #Ashes #UniteAus is EVERYWHERE and it is great to see as Australia hosts the return Ashes series.  After just three days of cricket we are set for an amazing 5 Test series.  I keep telling my non-cricket friends to tune in because they will see why Test Cricket isn't boring, so far it is living up to the hype which is good!  It is always good however to see my cricket loving 'Bowling Maidens Over' contributors tweeting away & even streaming whilst at the hair salon (hi-5 Sharn!).

Although we (Cricket Tasmania) are not hosting an Ashes Test, we did have the Ashes Tour match between Australia A and England a couple of weeks ago so this was a busy time. It was great to see some faces who I had met in England, I just wish the weather in Hobart wasn't so 'Tassie-like', 28 degrees one day and snow on Mount Wellington a couple of days later, making the English feel right at home!

Lots of media interest as the England Team arrived in Hobart

We have hosted just the one Bupa Sheffield Shield match at Blundstone Arena so far but being in digital it doesn't matter where we play I'm always following, tweeting, facebooking and writing match reports. Once you get into the routine of giving fans the content, they have expectations and I also have them on myself to push the information onto them and reflect the organisation positively.  Being reigning Shield champions too means there is obviously a great interest in the team!

We are also in full swing preparations for the KFC T20 Big Bash League (BBL|03).  A couple of weeks ago all the Digital Content Managers from all BBL teams met in Melbourne at Cricket Australia offices to discuss the season. It was great to catch up with everyone, a couple of us have been there since the first Big Bash so were the 'veterans' of the group!  It is always good to hear what the expectations are and discuss ideas on how we as digital content producers can add to the fans experience and bolster the T20 competition in our own right.  BBL is full on but I love it, we get good crowds in Hobart and they have really embraced the Hurricanes so looking forward to the third instalment and getting the purple out of my wardrobe again!

Away from cricket (a rare occasion as mentioned!) I last week ran a half marathon in Hobart- the world's toughest half marathon- the Point to Pinnacle. It was 21km of very hard work!! It started from Wrest Point Casino in Sandy Bay and went all the way up to the iconic Mount Wellington. Safe to say legs were sore on Monday but it was worth it.  We had a 'Hurricanes' team with a few guys from work joining me.

This week-end I also did some interview work with the Tasmanian Institute of Sport at their Coaches Forum.  We had a panel of Tassie athletes, 3 of them friends which made my life easier!  Eddie Ockenden (Kookaburras hockey team), Aiden Blizzard (Tasmanian Tigers/Hobart Hurricanes), Mark Divin (former Tasmanian Tiger) and Belinda Goss (World Champ cyclist) and it was great to hear their insights.

So that's it for now.  As a few of the contributors on here work in summer sports there will no doubt be some busy times but also lots of stories to share as we get into the Aussie summer!

Asking the Questions at the TIS Coaching Forum

Away from cricket- World's Toughest Half Marathon done!

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.

The Brownlow

So it is one of the biggest weeks in Aussie sport this week- AFL Grand Final! Before the big match on Saturday between Hawthorn and Fremantle there was all the glitz and glamor of the Brownlow Medal at Crown on Monday night.  One of our contributors, Megan was lucky enough to attend the red carpet and interview AFL's biggest stars including runner-up Joel Selwood for SEN.  You can hear the interviews HERE on this podcast (interviews from the red carpet around the 40min mark!).

Winners are Grinners

by Michelle
Wow what a day yesterday was! As I mentioned in my first post, I am very lucky to be over here working in England and yesterday this was epitomized when Durham won the LV= County Championship title for 2013.  When I first arrived at the club the general media view was that the club would struggle in the 4-day competition after losing several experienced players and signing no overseas star. However the side rallied, led by Paul Collingwood and England reps Graham Onions and Ben Stokes, our young local guys put their hands up when it mattered! The side had a superb season, particularly in the back half with the win against Nottingham yesterday (which sealed the title) our 5th win in a row.  There is still one match to go in the Championships but the lead is now too much for Durham's nearest rivals Yorkshire and even if they win their last 2 games they would not catch us so the trophy was handed over!

It was probably one of the busiest post-match media arrangements I have ever had to manage.  When we hosted the Ashes a month or so ago it was a crazy week but with it being an ECB run event I did not having to manage the media requests for players which was different to this where the players I manage were in demand!

There was a lot of media interest from all over the country-lots of print journalists from local and national papers alongside your cricinfo reporters and the like.  There was a also a big television presence, with the LVCC games not televised we had Sky, BBC and ITV all present to get highlights and all the post-match colour.

I think our Captain Paul Collingwood was obviously the most in demand and he did about 40 minutes of interviews and photos. There were a couple of times we had close calls when I had to sprint up to the players balcony and quickly get players for live crosses but we got there in the end and with them all being in good spirits it was made pretty easy!

Because my job also covers digital I was madly tweeting from the field and trying to capture all the craziness for those online followers and after all the media had wrapped up it was time to do the online and digital coverage for our website and social media.  I could not believe the amount of tweets our account was receiving, I had never seen anything like it, to this moment I have no read all the tweets but wow we got a few!  After another hour or so and finishing match reports and making sure the media were all happy in the media centre etc I made my way back to my desk to see the champagne had already been opened!  We had BBC broadcasting from the ground doing their sports program live and my only other official task for the night was to drag the champagne drenched trophy away from the change rooms for half an hour for them to use during their broadcast!

Celebrations went long into the night and it was great to be able to sit back and celebrate the success.  It is now starting to feel like the end of the season and I am mentally preparing to do my 3rd season in a row back in Australia soon! I feel pretty lucky that I have been part of Australia's 4-day and England's 4-day championship winning teams for 2013 in the Tigers winning the Shield and now Durham winning the County Champs!

First Ball

This is the first of I hope many posts for 'Bowling Maiden's Over' - a blog for Aussie girls working in Sport!

I am Michelle Cooling, I work in Media and Digital Marketing in cricket with Cricket Tasmania but am currently over in England working with Durham County Cricket Club as Media and Digital Manager.  I have been very lucky in getting this opportunity to work over here during an Ashes year and be part of working at a county who hosted their first ever Ashes Test match.  After hosting our Ashes match where around 150 media personnel were in attendance and traveling to various grounds including Lords, Trent Bridge and Old Trafford there is a general theme in the press boxes and that is that the majority of people are males and us girls are somewhat outnumbered!

I know that there are lots of girls working in sport and have been lucky enough to meet girls with the same passion for working in the sports industry and also through social media have met some great people with common interests. So this is where this blog comes into it......

Whilst on a train coming home from the First Ashes Test at Trent Bridge (where there were about 5 females in the press box including myself, Chloe from The Age and Roz Kelly from Channel 9), I got thinking about all the other girls I know working in various sports across the country and how some people may find it interesting to see what sort of things we get up to as part of our work.

So I have set up this blog which will hopefully give an insight and a behind the scenes look at the work girls in various sports and roles including Media, PR, Marketing, Digital, Events, Admin etc get up to.  If you would like to be featured or be a contribuor feel free to get in touch- @Shell_Cooling3.

I hope you enjoy the stories shared!