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| 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.
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