Public relations at the Geelong Cats

Contributed by Tom Peeters

During the final year of my Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations) degree at Deakin, I was required to complete an internship at an organisation with a public relations department. I was able to obtain two internships; the first at Foster’s Australia and the second at the Geelong Cats. After completing the internship at Geelong, I was offered a part-time position in the Communications department whilst I completed my studies.

Luckily for me, I was able to be a part of the Cats drought breaking premiership at the end of that year. It was an experience I'll never forget. To cap it off, I was offered a full-time position at the club when I finished my degree.

My job now involves me acting as a liaison between the media and the club. This includes representing players, coaches, directors, staff and anyone else connected with the club.

During the week we receive calls from the media regarding interviews with the players, comments on issues, injuries and anything else you can imagine. With over 1500 accredited media representatives covering the AFL, there is no shortage of media coverage of the team and club. As well as responding to media requests, there is also a need to generate publicity for events the club runs, as well as promoting the partnerships the club has with sponsors and anything else that may require media coverage.

I am also required to work on match days. This involves organising pre-game interviews with coaches and injured players, hosting special guests who attend the games and arranging post-match interviews and press conferences. Fortunately, we have won most of the games since I started, so the post-match scenario is not as intense as it otherwise might be. Working on match days has also allowed me to travel around the country with the team.

Although it may sound glamorous to travel around the country and work with footballers and the media, it is a time consuming job. Six or seven day weeks are the norm during the season, as are late nights. Despite this, I couldn't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

Advice for students

• The key to working in communications is having the ability to communicate properly! The number one attribute that employers look for is someone who can write clearly, succinctly and without mistakes. 
• It is important to have a passion for the industry you aspire to work in. Not only does it make it easier to get up and go to work every day but you will find it easier if you really believe in what you're doing. 
• Sometimes it's not what you know, it's more a case of who you know. Get out there and meet people in the industry, volunteer to do work in an area you're interested in or attend any events that would give you a chance to meet someone new. You never know when they will come in handy.