THEFOOT BALLSACK INTERNSHIP PROGRAM CONTENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM 3 WHAT YOU GAIN 4 UNIVERSITIES and ORGANISATIONS 5 - 6 GRADUATE STORIES 7 - 27 APPLY NOW 31 ABOUT THE PROGRAM The Football Sack is one of Australia’s premier football media organisations. Founded in 2010, TFS provides coverage and satire of the Hyundai A-League, Westeld W-League, Socceroos and Matildas. A multi-award winning organisation, TFS prides itself on focussing not only on providing quality content and satire to the Australian football public but also providing a pathway for talented young media professionals to make it in the industry. Each year, TFS brings in a new crop of students from around Australia and New Zealand into its internship program. Currently 66 of these interns have turned into TFS Graduates, earning a dream job in the media, marketing and public relations industry. The difference between a TFS internship and others in the industry is that the program revolves around you and developing you to make you attractive to prospective employers. You won’t be making copies or fetching coffees, you’ll be at press conferences asking questions, or in the media box ling on deadline or even organising your own one-on-one interview with a star player. A six month internship with TFS equips you with the tools, experience and contacts to get the job you want. From television and radio presenters to journalists and social media marketers, TFS has helped launch all types of careers in this industry and will tailor a program that helps you achieve the targets you set yourself. Peruse this brochure and if working in the media, marketing and public relations industry is what you desire, please get in contact with us by the deadline. Awards Football Podcast of the Year x3 Young Writer of the Year x2 Best Use of Social Media x2 Football NSW Media Organisation of the Year SCU Excellence in the Arts 3 WHAT YOU GAIN An impressive portfolio of published writing material including one-on-one interviews, match day features, opinion pieces and various other works. You will be presented with briefs throughout the year to expand your writing styles and push your boundaries Feedback and advice. Our editors ensure that no matter what style you write in, you will be ready for whatever the real world has to throw at you. After eight years of preparing interns for the working world, we know what needs to be done to get you that job and with your cooperation we will get you there Media accreditation for the Hyundai A-League and Westeld W-League as well as any other football-related events in your city: for example Soc- ceroos and Matildas matches and/or touring European teams. This will get you into the press box where you will sit side-by-side with the top sports journalists in the country, an invaluable learning tool and way to establish contacts in the industry The network of TFS graduates, a club that stretches across the industry in almost any role you could possibly want. Previous graduates are available to mentor and guide you in an effort to help you get the full time role you want Free T-Shirts*, business cards and invitations to our annual parties 4 UNIVERSITIES Our interns have come from a number of universities including: Curtin University Deakin University Grifth University, Brisbane Grifth University, Dublin La Trobe University Macquarie University Massey University, New Zealand Monash University Queensland University of Technology RMIT University Southern Cross University University of Adelaide University of Canberra University of Glamorgan, UK University of New South Wales University of Newcastle University of Notre Dame University of Queensland University of South Australia University of Sydney University of Technology Sydney University of Western Australia University of Wollongong Victoria University Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Western Sydney University 5 ORGANISATIONS Organisations our interns have gone to work for include: 9 News Gold Coast ABC ACT Brumbies Asian Football Confederation BetFair Australia BMX Victoria Brisbane Roar Capital Football Central Coast Mariners Crocmedia Fairfax Media Football Federation Australia Football Federation Victoria Football NSW Football Queensland FourFourTwo Australia Fox Sports Australia GOAL.com Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Manly Sea Eagles Minor League Baseball (USA) NBN News NewsCorp NineMSN NSW Institute of Sport NSW Rugby League Perform Sports Media Perth Glory Radio TAB SBS The World Game Sky Sports Southern Cross Austereo Sydney Olympic Sydney Swans TattsBet Walkley Foundation Wellington Phoenix Western Sydney Wanderers Yahoo7 6 GRADUATE STORIES Michael Puterflam Digital Content Producer Football Federation Australia There’s no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t be where I am without The Football Sack. The funny part is that I nearly never came across the opportunity - what a mistake that would’ve been! After a presenting an assessment in my university tutorial, my teacher recommend- ed applying for an internship with TFS. As soon as I read the description of what was involved with TFS I was hooked. I had worked in a community sports organisation before, was completing an internship at FFA while doing some freelance at Fox Sports, but I had never had the opportunity to be a journalist and attend A-League and W-League matches to write match reports and sit in on the press conferences. The practical experience of creating content based on professional matches, players and coaches as well interacting with those personnel became vital to my development into a Digital Content Producer. Without myTFS internship I never would’ve been qualied for the job that I’m now doing at Fox Sports Australia. Besides the skills that I gained in my three months with TFS, I have now been exposed to a group of like-minded people (in TFS) who I can share and pitch ideas to. You never know where people are going to end up in thefuture, so it’s been great to make new contacts in my industry who I could work with down the line. 7 GRADUATE STORIES David Jordan Digital, Media & Communications Manager Central Coast Mariners I think what surprised me most when I started at the Football Sack was the level of professionalism both expected and exhibited. I initially approached it as just another Uni Internship but the way that TFS allowed me to feel like a working member of the media, attending matches, press conference and other media events quickly corrected my misgivings. In my time covering Canberra United in the W-League, I not only learnt a huge deal about live coverage of sport, including tweeting, but also met people who would help me down the track and others that I would end up working with. People can often get frustrated with internships and the fact that they are unpaid, however that was not the case here. The enormous benets of experience, networking, skill development and feedback are ample trade-offs, combined with being provided Media accreditation to professional football matches. It took me less than a year from beginning my internship to becoming fully employed in the football industry, and The Football Sack played an enormous role. It introduced me to Russ Gibbs (also TFS alumni), who gave me my big opportunity to cover for him, and fostered a working relationship that paid dividends later on. I can’t recommend the program enough to anyone coming through uni and looking to get involved in any facet of media. 8 GRADUATE STORIES Jessica Csaszar Media & Digital Marketing Coordinator Western Sydney Wanderers The Football Sack is an interning experience that you don’t want to miss out on. I joined the Sack back in 2014 with absolutely no experience in journalism or media. All I knew was that I had a passion for football and willingness to work hard. Before I knew it, I was thrown into the deep-end and was covering the W-League, A-League, Socceroos, Asian Champions League and even the Women’s World Cup. The internship exposes you to situations and experiences that University simply can’t give you and prepares you for the real world – which sounds cheesy, but it’s so true. TFS has a great support group led by Christian Layland and Matt Greenlaw who along with the past and present graduates help, guide and listen to some of the ideas you have. The internship puts you into contact with some of the most important people in the industry, opens doors to opportunities that would have been out of your grasp and gives you a respect in the industry that no other internship will give to you. It also teaches you important skills like time management, prioritizing, networking and lessons on making sure you stay true to yourself. I honestly don’t know where I would be if I never had the privilege of interning at The Football Sack and I can't this internship highly enough. 9 GRADUATE STORIES Madeline Riley Consumer Engagement Executive Sydney Swans The Football Sack has been one of the most valuable experiences of my career. Joining TFS during my second year of university put me a step above others completing my course and prepared me for a career in sports media by allowing me to gain relevant experience in sports media. The real-life experience I gained from TFS is something almost impossible to gain elsewhere. You’re treated as a real journalist and expected to act as one, which is extremely unique and benecial while you’re studying or looking to enter the sports media industry. You’ll nd the constructive feedback you receive week-in and week-out from the editors much more valuable than the feedback you get from a lecturer and you’ll learn to work to the deadline of a professional journalist rather than an assessment task.