BY ANDREW DUCILLE
As I approach the end of my first 6 months as Operations manager at BCOMS, I thought it would be a great opportunity to reflect on my time in post.
Working at BCOMS has been so refreshing, to be able to walk into meetings with leading people in the Sports and Media industry who have open minds to opening doors for those under represented is so energising! Creating and extending opportunities which young people in general are not able to access, let alone those from underrepresented groups who have no networks into the industry.
At the first BCOMS board meeting, the personalities, experience and determination from the people in the room really shone through and it is no surprise that the masterclasses have been as successful as they have been with the leadership team driving the programme. My role has been to help build on what was already a super strong foundation.
With the masterclasses in full swing, the first few months saw me eased into my role and I got to experience first hand what the programme offered. Hearing from industry leading professionals such as Ade Oladipo, Reshmin Chowdhury, Michelle Moore, the list goes on and on and has been amazing. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that this is all part of the role.
I’ve been working in and around sports for 20+ years and at every Masterclass, I learn something new. So for the groups to be picking that up at such an early stage in their careers is such a massive advantage.
As the months have progressed, more and more opportunities have been presented for the groups to showcase their skills, energy and professionalism.
Last weekend really summed up for me what BCOMS is striving to put in place in the industry.
On Friday 22nd April, 4 BCOMS participants led by Tom Gayle a fantastic sports commentator, who leads the group in the North got to work at Old Trafford for the Manchester United v Arsenal PL2 game. An idea which Tom has created and driven. The group got to commentate on the live game, report, create social media content and conduct post match interviews.
On Saturday 23rd April, 2 BCOMS participants reported from the press box at Arsenal. Full media passes, creating content and commentating on the game via @wearebcoms social media channels.
Also on Saturday, 6 of the BCOMS participants worked alongside BBC sport and British cycling staff at the Track Nations Cup in Glasgow. Recording, editing, interviewing and getting real life experience of working at a live sporting event.
At all 3 events it was full access, with all 3 of the groups absolutely smashing it, getting the experience they need to decide if a career in sports media is for them, building relationships with key people in the industry and getting the confidence to drive towards that goal.
As we move forward into the second half of the year. We aren’t going to rest on our laurels and pat ourselves on the back, we know that there is more work to do and it’s my challenge to build on the excellent work and strong foundations already in place.
The plan is to reach more organisations, enable more opportunities for a greater number of young professionals and further enhance partnerships across the media and sports industry.
