Sport Development
Interested in making a difference to your community through sport?
What do sport development officers do?
Sports development co-ordinators aim to provide opportunities for participation in sport for all sections of the community. They distribute information and organise sport-related projects, classes, programs, coaching, club development and training. Their main role is to increase participation in all sports but also address issues of health, social inclusion and often work closely with organizations and in partnership with government bodies to deliver government sports initiatives
Where are the jobs?
Sport organisations (e.g., Tennis Australia)
State (e.g. VicHealth), and national government (e.g. Department of Health)
Non-profit organisations (e.g., YMCA)
Job titles to search
Sport development officer
Sport development coordinator
Project officer
Skills required for the job
Skills you should aim to develop include:
- Skills in program planning, implementation and evaluation
- Teamwork, partnership & collaboration skills
- Communication (e.g. people skills, relationship building)
- Project management skills (e.g. organisation, time management, problem solving)
- Influencing, negotiating and advocacy skills
How to develop your skills
To give yourself the best opportunity to be job ready at the end of your degree, we recommend that you:
Volunteer at the local government level or in a smaller community or sport organisation
Find a mentor (e.g., someone working within the field at present, or an academic who may have connections in the community)
Acquaint yourself with current organisations employing sport development officers, sign up to their emails, and follow them on Facebook or Twitter
When you meet new people tell them (confidently and succinctly) what you want to do when you graduate. You never know but they may have a contact that they can introduce you to now or sometime in the future.
What units or courses to study at Deakin
Students can enrol in the Bachelor of Exercise Science or a Bachelor of Health Science to complete the physical activity and health major:
HSE111 – Physical Activity and Exercise for Health
HSE112 – Pathways in the Physical Activity, Exercise and Health Industry
HSE212 – Physical Activity Promotion and Evaluation
HSE213 – Children’s Physical Activity and Sport
HSE316 – Physical Activity and Population Health
HSE332 – Global Perspectives in Physical Activity and Health