By Lewis Wiseman, Student Ambassador
For the students heading to Melbourne in January for the inaugural UCFB Global Sports Summit there is a lot to look forward to.
For first time visitors to Australia, one thing that will be exciting is the warm weather. Melbourne in January is usually 25 degrees or more and sunny, which will be a nice change from an English winter.
The warm weather makes it an ideal time for sport in Australia, and that is another exciting thing on the schedule. With four live sport experiences locked in, the Summit will allow students to really experience what Australian sport has to offer.
Over the course of the Summit students will experience the A-League by attending the Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC match, which is one of the most heated rivalries in the league.
They will also get to attend the first tennis major of the year – the Australian Open at Melbourne Park – and two Twenty20 Big Bash matches. Big Bash fixtures are full of entertainment and will be particularly exciting this year with both the men and women’s T20 World Cups set to take place in Australia during 2020. Students will attend one fixture in Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and one in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MC), where both World Cup finals will be held.
Excitingly, students will also gain behind the scenes access to the MCG, AAMI Park, the Australian Open tennis and the SCG. Now that is an unbelievable opportunity!
The sporting facilities in Melbourne and Sydney are incredible. As an Australian myself, I am really proud of how good they are and it’s great that UCFB students will get to experience them as well.
As well as watching live sport, those attending the Summit will get to hear from and network with major players in the Australian sports industry through a number of guest speaker sessions. This really will be an invaluable opportunity; a lot of the speakers and guests would usually be inaccessible to students and the public, so to be able to speak to these people face-to-face is sure to be one of the highlights of the Summit.
Both Melbourne and Sydney have a lot to offer – both have a very unique style and are thriving with live sport, cracking nightlife and street art. You can’t go to Melbourne without visiting Hosier Lane!
One thing that Sydney, Melbourne and the rest of Australia has to offer is a laidback, approachable set of people. If you’re lost or looking for something, just ask in a nearby shop for help and I guarantee you will be helped. Aussie’s will make time for anyone!
It is clear that the inaugural UCFB Global Sports Summit will be an amazing opportunity for students and alumni to experience the Australian sports industry and to grow their personal brand.
My tip to anyone coming to Melbourne is to make the most of it and really just enjoy it. As one of your Student Ambassadors, if you need any help or have any questions, then just ask me!
