As a BSc Sports Coaching graduate from the University of Brighton working in Sports Travel wasn’t an avenue I really knew about, let alone explored as a career path. However, I find myself in the industry for a third time with a fresh and exciting business, MSG Tours.  

My Sporting Start

As a youngster, I played several sports competitively (rugby, tennis, football, basketball & cricket), but basketball was the one that led the way for me. From the age of 14, I was given my first exposure into coaching as I led the year 7 basketball team, which continued until I left for college.  

Whilst at University, I got my first taste of ‘sports travel’ without realising it at the time. I worked initially as a group leader before progressing into roles with more responsibility over 4 summers for organisations offering foreign language summer camps in the UK, for overseas students. Organising the activity provision for the summer camp was a great opportunity to deliver varied and interesting activity and excursion programmes for the students visiting the settings.  

Following my final summer placement, I became the head coach of the men’s university basketball team. The two years of coaching gave me great experience and opened the door for my first full time role as a community coach in London.   

Starting in Sports Travel

Despite basketball being a huge passion of mine, I came to realise that my career aspirations were not going to be reached. However, I was able to use my experience in coaching to aid my start at Edwin Doran Sports Tours where I started as a Sports Tour Operator. Here I operated tours to varying destinations such as Barbados, Sri Lanka, UAE, Holland, USA, Canada and more. The job also allowed me the opportunity to visit the likes of Sri Lanka, Holland (as a Tour Rep), Canada and the Czech Republic.  

After 2 years, I chose to pause my role at Edwin Doran, as I took a year away to embark on a Working Holiday to Australia in the summer of 2019, which included a 5-week trip to New Zealand. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic we returned to the UK after an incredible 9 months. Due to limited working opportunities, we had to restart our careers out of my Mum’s house which found me working in IT Sales for 2 years. I learned a lot during this time but ultimately, I was itching to return to sports travel and was able to do so as a Senior Tour Operator and Team Lead back with Edwin Doran in the summer of 2022. During my return, I expanded my experience and have now been involved in the travel operations of tours in over 30 countries across 12 different sports. 

Returning to the Industry

Working in sports travel is where I have spent the longest time post university and has given a lot to my career and my development as an individual. When speaking to different organisations during my recent break my partner told me that working in sports travel is “where I’m meant to be”. I have loved my time in the industry to date and I’m thrilled to return, this time with an exciting new company MSG Tours as their new Operations Manager.  

From speaking with MSG Tours’ Founder and Director, Mark Gardner, I am excited to be joining an organisation that has a fantastic reputation in the industry and has been involved in great projects, such as the recent Rugby World Cup 2023. My new career home in MSG Tours will allow me to again further my experience in the industry and give me the opportunity to be involved in more life changing tours for supporters, clubs, students, and the military!