Sport Management student success celebrated

Sport Management student success celebrated

A lunch this week at Massey University’s Sport and Rugby Institute in Palmerston North celebrated recent student successes of the Massey University Sport Management programme, which started 25 years ago.

Undergraduate prizes were presented by long-term industry partners Sport Manawatu and Central Energy Trust Arena, with students, family, staff and industry partners attending.

The lunch also celebrated the success of the 2017 practicum students and their industry partners. Many of the industry supervisors are also Massey graduates, providing an extensive network of Massey Sport Management advocates.

Associate Professor Andy Martin, from Massey’s School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, has supervised more than 500 practicum students since 2000. “These students have contributed more than 100,000 volunteer hours in a variety of event management, sport development, sport coordinator and coaching roles, and many have gone on to have successful careers in the industry. Clearly these experiences provide a graduate point of difference that employers’ value highly.”

Liam Hurst, who was presented one of the Central Energy Trust Arena Sport Facility and Event Management prizes, thanked the regional sport organisations and Sport Manawatū for the opportunities that have been presented to the students.

The 21-year-old has been working with Cycling New Zealand staff on the recent National Secondary Schools Road Cycling event held in the Manawatū. He is supervised by Massey graduate Charlotte Pearson.

Current practicum students are also managing two other major events this week in Palmerston North – the New Zealand Secondary School Basketball Nationals and the Manawatu Turbos home game.

New Zealand Rugby coach education manager Mike Chu was a Massey student when the Sport Management programme started 25 years ago. At the prize giving, he commended the staff for leading sport management and coaching education in New Zealand over the past two decades.

Brendan Bourke, also a former Massey staff member, graduate, and currently tournament director for the 2018 International Cricket Council U19 World Cup, highlighted the large network of Massey graduates that are now employed in the sport industry, nationally and internationally. Mr Bourke has worked at many major events in his 15 year career, including Rugby World Cup, FIFA World Cup, and Commonwealth Games.

Prizes were awarded to:

• Cameron Lamont (distance) and James Liberona-Feek (internal) - Sport Manawatu Sport Practicum Prize
• Sophie Wheeler (distance) and Liam Hurst (internal) - Sport Manawatu Sport Management Planning and Promotion Prize
• Monica Buhler (distance) and Liam Hurst (internal) – Central Energy Trust Arena Sport Facility and Event Management Prize
• Julian Dean - JJ Stewart Memorial Prize for the top student in the Postgraduate Diploma

Learn more about the Bachelor of Sport Management.

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