Internship Field Diary

Imran Ali Tamer 18019647
Friday14th August10am – 6.30pm: Today was my first day of my internship with
Sydney Olympic FC. Being an enthusiastic soccer fan and having played for a number of
years I was keen to see how the administrative and organisational side of running a
professional soccer club would work seeing. There is some great managers and leaders at the
club who were very welcoming and have some big goals that they want to achieve so it is the
sort of environment that you want to be in as there is always an opportunity to learn.
I met Federico Guzzo, the Head of Football Operations at Sydney Olympic FC at Belmore
Sports Ground and it was decided that I will be shadowing him to learn the ins and outs.
Thus, Federico will be my supervisor throughout my internship.
The day began with attempting to print out the matchday programs and team sheets for this
weekend’s games but the printers were down so I focused on completing other important
tasks which had to be done. I organised for the very important food deliveries to be placed in
the canteen at Peter Moore Oval for the weekend matches. I was also in charge of the office
whilst the rest of the staff took their lunch break and was set the task of organising the order
for the team photos with the photography company as well as processing parent’s payments
over the phone for these photos.
I also analysed the invoice for the photos to ensure that there were no errors with the order
and everything matched the club’s database. I also had to add two new player orders through
liaising directly with the photography company as two new orders were received by the club
from one of the parents and I also processed the payment for this customer. Additionally, I
assisted the General Manager Anthony Nicolaou in setting up the corporate boxes for
Sunday’s big game against arch rivals Sydney United 58.

Although it was a tough day it was a good experience. It was a great day which I enjoyed.
Although I stayed back 30 min extra, I got to learn and make the most of the day. To have
Federico congratulate me on my performance for the day was a real confidence boost as well
as a boost to my morale. I am really looking forward to Sunday where I will be involved in
game day operations.
I have a feeling this is going to be a great and enjoyable internship where I will have every
opportunity to learn and develop new skills within a sports setting.
Sunday16th August10am – 6.30pm: Today was the big day, the last game of the
season at home. Arch rivals Sydney Olympic FC take on Sydney United 58. The day began
with the preparation of the commentator’s box by setting up the microphone, speakers,
laptop, mixer and music files. It was really interesting as I have not been involved with
technological tasks such as this before. It was also a good learning experience to see the
action behind the scenes on game day.
The next task was to set up the merchandise stand. I occupied that stand for most of the day
and enjoyed the experience whilst selling 4 Sydney Olympic FC FFA jerseys, 4 Sydney
Olympic FC season 2016 memberships, 2 Sydney Olympic FC tracksuit pants, 1 Sydney
Olympic FC hat and 1 matchday program. Although the under 16s lost, I was proud to be
able to be involved in such a great event in which both the under 20s and first grade teams
were victorious. I enjoyed the sales experience which I was exposed to. It was good to be in
the middle of the action in the stands with the crowd which was really enjoyable.
I also assisted in packing up the merchandise stand at the end of the day and collected the
matchday ball from the referee’s room. Once that was done, I assisted my supervisor in
counting and calculating the money/profit which was earned by the club and assisted in
filling out forms of these calculations to be submitted into the club’s database. It was good to
be exposed to the financial aspects involved with game day and it was a good opportunity to
learn and develop new skills.
My supervisor gifted me a Sydney Olympic FC FFA jersey as a reward for my efforts
throughout the day. I am really enjoying myself and learning valuable skills and knowledge.
So far it has been a really good experience and I can’t thank the club enough for taking me on
as an intern. It really was a great day.
Friday21st August9.45am – 5.30pm:There is a real excitement around the place after
last weekend’s victory over Sydney United. With the club due to travel to Melbourne for their
FFA Cup clash and their big semi-final match on Sunday coming up, there are exciting times
ahead.

Today was an action-packed day with a lot of tasks which needed to be done. The day started
out with counting and sorting 6 boxes of extra gear received from Puma which we have to
organise to send back. The boxes were full of extra shorts, socks, balls, training shirts,
etc.…Once that was done, proof-read the club’s database to ensure that the correct amount of
gear was present. It is good to be so involved thus far, learning about the merchandise/stock
aspect of running a football club is really interesting. It was tough though with all the packing
and unpacking but it was good to learn how to transfer the information received through my
analysis of the club’s stock into the database.
The next task at hand was assisting my supervisor in printing the matchday programs for
tomorrow’s matches. Once the printer began printing 215 copies I was set the task of
organising, counting and sorting all of the other additional gear in the club’s store room
which could be sent back to Puma. In total the club had 13 boxes of extra gear which was
counted, sorted and organised into their boxes.
Once that was complete, I handed one of the club’s coaching staff the resources he required
for this weekend’s games and had some time on the phone taking reservations for the club’s
presentation night for all the players and their families. The day ended with putting together
some of tomorrow’s matchday programs. It was a tough day with a lot of tasks to do but I am
enjoying my time at the club and learning as the days go on. I am looking forward to next
week and continuing my learning experience.
Friday28th August10am – 5.15pm:A day of excitement and a rush of adrenaline as
our first grade boys will be playing tonight against APIA Leichardt Tigers FC in the grand
final qualifier. A real big game. A great day to be in the office.
Tonight is also the club’s presentation dinner for all the players, staff and family involved
with the club. The day began with updating the club’s excel sheets in regards to the extra
puma gear which needs to be returned.
The next task at hand was to update and add the photo galleries for the NPL season to the
club’s website as well as the 2015 fundraising dinner earlier on in the year. That was really
stimulating to see how the organisation and development of a website is handled and the
process involved in downloading photos. I also enjoyed some time on the phone providing
assistance to parents who had questions in regards to tonight’s presentation dinner.
I got the opportunity to sell some merchandise to customers which was a good experience.
Also had the pleasure of assisting one of the club’s directors in supplying him with the
resources and supplies he needed for tonight’s match and presentation dinner.
The final task for the day was to separate all the FFA Cup tickets and spread them out as they
were wet and needed to dry in time for Tuesday’s big game in Melbourne.

The day was actually one that went past really quickly. It was an enjoyable day and I feel like
I am a part of the club and have a really good relationship with my supervisor. Things are
going really well at the moment.
Thursday3rd September10am – 6pm:Back to back losses a real disappointment.
Losing against APIA and Hume City effectively ending the season. Two vital loses leaving a
bad taste in the dressing room. The urge for improvement is there.
Nevertheless, it’s still another day at the office. There is some good news, the club’s photos
finally arrived from the printing company. Good quality images. Time to sort through them
and ensure we have received the correct order.
That is how the day began, updating the club’s excel sheet and sorting through the men’s
photos making sure there are no issues. Good learning experience in the administration sector
of the office. Got the chance to sell some merchandise to some passionate Sydney Olympic
FC fans which was a good experience, had some interesting conversations about the club’s
history and had a sneak peek at the hall fame inside the office where all the club’s trophies
are stored which was really enjoyable, learnt a bit about the club’s history which was good.
Enjoyed some more time on the phone answering questions in regards to trials, presentation
nights and anything that needed answering. Set up the merchandise room by sorting out the
gear and placing them neatly on the shelves in preparation for next season as new stock will
be ordered. I will finish off sorting through the Women’s photos tomorrow and enjoy the
surprise of unknown tasks ahead. Should be a good day.
Friday4th September10am – 6pm:Today was a good follow on from yesterday’s
activities. Finished sorting through the photos and found some issues which I needed to deal
with, some players had not received their orders and so I had to contact the printing company
via phone and email informing of them of this slight issue so that they may send us the
outstanding photos. I also had to send emails and contact the parents of the children whose
photos had not come in yet to inform them of the situation at hand. It was interesting to learn
how to deal with such adversity and ensure that the issues will be solved.
I was also set the task of sending emails through to all the parents at the club informing them
that the club photos had arrived and they are ready to be collected. I also posted an
announcement on the My Team app which is a free app where the club has created a sort of
announcements/news feed page that parents can access, so I also informed everyone through
there. It is good to be involved and assist everyone in having an enjoyable experience with
the club and make sure everyone is happy.
For one last time I finished off sorting through the merchandise room as well as adding more
stuff to the gear which needs to be returned/collected by Puma as well as updating the club’s

excel sheet database. To finish off the day had some fun helping my supervisor rearrange the
club’s signs on the office in order to make them look smart and visible whilst adding a new
banner to the outside of the office which turned up looking really good. It was a good day,
got some good work done. Looking forward to next week.
Friday11th September10am – 6pm:I really enjoyed the day today, it was a tough day
with a lot of things to do but it was different, had some tasks which I had not usually
completed before which was good. The day began with emailing the printing company to get
an update on the outstanding photo orders which I sent through last week as well as sending
through 3 new photo orders which we had received. The printing company was very helpful
and informed me that the outstanding photos should be delivered to the office within the next
few days and supplied me with an invoice for the new photo orders which I forwarded to my
supervisor to ensure it gets paid. I also roughly weighed the boxes of gear which needs to be
returned to Puma so that we could inform them of the weight and the number of boxes to
book a date with them to come and collect the extra gear which they provided to the club. It
has been a good build up so far with each day following on from the other.
The next task at hand was to get the key to the office cut at the hardware as the club has
recently appointed a new youth technical director and it was my job to ensure he was
provided with a key to the office. I was more than happy to help and be involved with
ensuring the happiness of the staff around me. Once that was done I spent some time
answering calls and assisting customers with their queries. There is a high amount of calls
received daily so to be able to spend a portion of the day on the phone is rewarding to be able
to assist the people who are calling.
The next task which I was set was to send out letters of retention to inform certain players
that the club would like to retain them for next season due to their consistent performances
and great attitude towards the team. I also gave some parents their photo orders for their
children in between sending out the retention letters. It felt good sending through retention
letters as I am sure it brought happiness to those families receiving them and it was good to
learn a bit about the transfers operations at the club. The final task of the day was to post
some more photos of the fundraising dinner which the club held earlier on in the year on the
club’s website for the fans to engage with.
Also my supervisor agreed to supply some merchandise for an event which I am holding to
raise money and awareness for the Western Sydney Academy of Sport as part of my studies
in ‘Sport and Hospitality Event Management’ this semester which I was really impressed by
and proud that the club will be supporting my event and the academy. Overall it was a good
day, different to the other days that I have had so far which is a nice change. I felt like I
handled the work really well and to have my supervisor thank me and congratulate me on my
efforts was really rewarding to hear and gives me the drive to come in and do well next week.

Looking forward to next week, will be there on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday which
should be good. Really enjoying my time at the club, just shy of the mid placement review
and there have been a lot of great memories to look back on so far and I am happy with where
I am at so far and just focusing on the next chapter of the internship and looking to learn as
much as I can. The club has treated me really well so far and there is also the prospect of me
staying on with the club once my internship is completed but we have yet to sit down and
formally discuss this but as it gets closer to the end of the internship I will definitely sit down
with my supervisor and discuss any potential opportunities for next year. So far, so good.
Monday14th September10am – 6pm:Today there were a lot of tasks to complete. It
was a busy day. The tasks which I was set I was not particularly accustomed to but that’s the
aim of this internship, to learn as much as I can. The bulk of the day began involved calling
sponsors who have yet to pay for their advertisement being displayed in Sydney Olympic
FC’s fundraising dinner sponsorship booklet. It was my duty to get an update on the payment
for this advertising service as well as create and send through invoices to those companies
which requested them to be sent again whilst some organisations had not received invoices. I
was also required to keep a record of all of these invoices and sort through all details with my
supervisor to ensure we have recorded those companies which have paid and those which
have not.
I had some more time on the phone, helping customers and answering their queries. I also got
the opportunity to give some parents their child’s photos which they ordered. It was a long
day, really draining but got a really well-rounded learning experience which is the main aim
of this internship. Looking forward to going back to back these next couple days, not
something I a used to so should be good.
Tuesday15th September10am – 6pm:Today was an action-packed day. I had a lot of
work to do with no time to waste. The day began with reminding parents via email to come
and collect their child’s photos as a large portion of them have not done so. The next task
which I was set was to create and send out retention letters for the 2016 season for the
Women’s U/17s team.
Once that was complete I was required to create and send an invoice to one of the club’s
sponsors for the 2016 season whilst creating a new spreadsheet to keep the club’s database up
to date with all the new sponsors for next year. I also had some time on the phones as well as
giving parents their child’s photos.
The major task of the day was taking bookings for the club’s presentation dinner for Under
18s, 20s and 1st Grade and creating a spreadsheet to keep all the details of the bookings on
file. I was also required to call various people (players & Staff) enquiring about their
attendance to the event. Between yesterday and today it has really been a great learning
experience. Two days of similar tasks which were not like any of the other days spent in the

office. I am getting the opportunity to improve on a few things based on my supervisor’s
feedback. I am enjoying this internship, it has opened my eyes up to a new world which I
have not seen before. A lot goes into the running of a sports club and as a sports fan I
appreciate my club more as a result of my knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes.
Wednesday16th September10am – 6pm:Only one day to go before the presentation
night on Thursday. It is of paramount importance to get the bookings sorted out. The day
began with calling the U/18s players which had not given a definite response in order to
finalise numbers for the event. Once that was done, I had to ensure that I had updated the
spreadsheet with the remaining staff and board members. A frantic rush to get this done
within 20-30 minutes and total all the numbers for each team (1st grade, U/20s & U/18s),
staff, board members and guests attending (e.g. wives, girlfriends, parents etc...) in order to
send through to one of the club managers sorting things out for the event.
Once this was done, it was straight back into getting in contact with the organisations from
the fundraising dinner. There were some organisations which I was unable to contact but I
was shown a way to find their contact details, hence I was required to send them reminders
with their invoices in order for them to process the payment. There were also some
organisations which did not answer the phones so I had to call them back as well in order to
sort through the process of getting these payments for the advertising service that Sydney
Olympic FC provided.
As usual, I spent some more time on the phones assisting customers, helping to answer
enquiries. I also gave parents their photos which they came to collect. The final task for the
day was to create invoices for those organisations which had not received one and send it
through to them whilst I was required to make a trip to the post office to mail out one of the
invoices due to the fact that one of the companies did not have a functioning printer. Thus,
the money would not be received unless this was done.
It was a tough day, really busy, a lot on. It was one of those days which took its toll after two
long days in the heat on Monday & Tuesday. It was my first three day block in a row of work
which was something that I am not used to. My supervisor congratulated me for the hard
work that I have put in over the past three days and I am proud of what I have been able to
achieve. It may not sound like heaps but there was no time to waste. An action-packed few
days, time to rest up and enjoy a break. Will be back in next Friday.
Friday25th September10am – 6pm:Today was just one of those cold winter days
where a lack of motivation to get into the office lingered within. Would have loved to stay at
home instead of going outside in the rain and cold. To make matters worse, upon my arrival
at work I am notified my supervisor is sick and will not be coming in today so I was working
with Lorenzo for the day.

There was some confusion over tasks as Lorenzo was filling in as my supervisor for the day,
so it was a slow start but once I got into the routine and into the action, we got the ball
rolling. The first task of the day was to create and send players retention letters for the 2016
season. It is an interesting task to see how players are retained at the club. In between that I
was handing out photos to parents and taking payments when necessary.
The major task of the day which took up the bulk of my day was calling up all of the club’s
life members in order to invite them to the club’s Gala Dinner which will be held on 28th
October where the club’s achievements, players, staff, past players, sponsors and life
members will be recognised. It was slightly difficult getting my message across as the life
members I was calling are much older than me with broken English as they come from a
Greek & Italian background. I even had one of them get angry at me over the phone due to a
misunderstanding. It was definitely something that I have not experienced before and I was
able to generate interest in the event with some life members enquiring about sponsoring the
event which was good.
Overall, it was a tough day. With the bad weather outside and the absence of my supervisor it
was hard to find that spark of energy and motivation. However, I completed the tasks which
were set out for the day and I did improve on my time management in those tasks but
mentally it was an uphill battle to get the job done.
It is really beginning to sink in that my time at the club is also coming to an end. It has been a
great experience being here and I feel as though I have learned some new skills and gained
valuable knowledge of the operations of a football club. I have enjoyed my time at the club
and I am very grateful for the opportunity they have given me to complete my internship
under their guidance. I have four days left to go and I am looking to make the most of the
time I have left. It has been a great chapter in my development and I am looking forward to
my future endeavours in the sports industry.
Friday2nd October 10am – 6pm:Today was a very long and gruelling day. I was
informed last night that I would be alone in the office which turned about to be a tough day as
my supervisor would be taking a hands on approach to reach out to potential sponsors and
attendees for the club’s upcoming gala dinner presentation night. Hence, I was set the task of
calling up Sydney Olympic members to generate their interest in attending or sponsoring the
event.
It was the only task which I was set as it dragged on all day long. I did not meet the required
number of people to call as the list is just so large and expansive. However, I did manage to
call over 60 club members which I was proud of as I was literally repeating myself to each
client attempting to sell tickets & sponsorship packages for the event. I found it quite tough,
especially being alone with no one there to talk to even for a couple of minutes just to get my
mind off the task at hand. I felt as though I performed to the best of my ability under the
circumstances and I got a good experience in the sales and events side of running a business
in the sports industry.

I also had the opportunity to provide some parents with their child’s photos which we still
have at the office. It has been a really dragged out process with a lot of parents still required
to come and collect their child’s photos. At the end of the day I had the opportunity to take a
walk on the field and had time to reflect on my experience thus far. It had sunk it that I won’t
be here for much longer and I was just grateful for what the club has given me and the things
that they have helped me learn. I feel as though I have had a great time at the club and I am
glad to have spent my internship here. Only 3 days left and then I think I am ready for a
break. I am looking forward to finishing up and having a break before I begin looking
through other opportunities for next year. This internship has helped me realised that the
sports industry is definitely where I want to be and helped me redefine my long term career
goals. My long term career goals now are to either work for Sydney FC or the Canterbury
Bankstown Bulldogs. I am looking forward to a bright future ahead.
Thursday8th October 10am – 6pm:With only three days left I can see the light at the
end of the tunnel. I can’t wait to finally finish up and have a break. Today was a continuation
of previous days as I had to re-call the organisations who have still not paid for the
advertising service the club provided them back in July at the fundraising dinner. It was
frustrating as they always had excuses and the person in charge was never in the office.
I was also given the task of creating/editing more contracts for coaching staff for next season
and printing them out. Although I have done this task before it was interesting to see how
coach/staff retention is handled. I was also instructed to send through an email to all the club
managers to assist with the collection of money for the team photos which have still not been
collected as well as the coaching staff to return all the equipment to the club office. It felt
good to be involved and have the trust of my supervisor to contact so many important people
at the club.
My supervisor was upset to hear that I won’t be staying on as an intern beyond these next few
days and really thanked me for my efforts. He also indirectly offered me a potential position
which I will call him about in January when he has more information. It really has been an
enjoyable time here.
Friday9th October 10am – 6pm: I was really tired today after a really long week. I
couldn’t wait for the day to be over. I was just itching to sleep in and not worry about doing
too much. However, the day didn’t turn out to be too bad.
The day began with a couple easy tasks such as updating the spreadsheet for guests/sponsors
attending the upcoming gala dinner at the end of the month. I was also instructed to create a
new spreadsheet for park bookings and prices. It was a nice light start to the day.

The next task was to call back those companies from yesterday to try and get a response
which is starting to get frustrating when you have your boss pushing to get money and the
companies doing their best to evade the call.
I went from one money issue to another with a few players still owing the club money for this
year’s registration fees. I was then required to call these people to chase them up in regards to
their fees. I received mixed responses with a couple people paying on the spot, others
claiming they have paid and will show remittance on Monday whilst others are just in denial
about the fees. It’s a difficult situation and quite frustrating to have your boss pushing for
money and not getting the response you need from people you are calling.
It is a good learning experience and although it may get frustrating it is part of the job and
helps your development to work under pressure. There is only one day left after today, I am
looking forward to it, will be good to finish up and have a break before I call my supervisor
in January about this potential position.
Monday12th October 10am – 6pm:Today was a good day. At last I have reached the
end of my internship. It has been a long journey. Today was a busy today. It was like all the
tasks were piled up for one last ride.
Today began with searching through our bank statements to see if we have received a
payment from a parent for their registration fees. The next task was to sort out all the bank
statements and organise them for future use. Long and confusing at times but it wasn’t too
bad.
The next task was to email the council to book the park for a certain period as Belmore Sports
Ground is under re-development. Once that was done I made a couple announcements on the
club’s website advertising for new girls teams and catering services which will be needed in
2016. It was good to get some more experience with using the website.
From there on it was just an uphill battle to get things done. I had to finish calling the
organisations which have paid for the advertising service, call players with outstanding
registration fees and create and update spreadsheets concerning these matters.
I also created a spreadsheet for the retention letters that I sent out in order to track payments.
The tasks themselves weren’t difficult they were just time consuming. Today’s heat was
tough as well. Overall it was a good way to end my time here, it has been a great and
enjoyable internship and I have learnt a lot and really developed new skills whilst improving
upon my weaknesses.
I appreciate the opportunity the club has given me, time has really gone quicker than I
expected. I have enjoyed the experience and I am looking forward to what the future has in
store for my career. Time for a break.

Internship Field Diary

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