Scott Lewis
Coach Education Officer, Northern Region Football
Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in Coaching
He has always admired the power of sport and the value it brings to people’s lives, says sport and recreation alumnus Scott Lewis who is now the coach education officer for Northern Region Football.
“My decision to chase a career in the sport and recreation industry was fuelled by my deep passion for sport and people. I always wanted to be in a position to make an influential difference in this field, and my Bachelor of Sport and Recreation has helped me grow valuable skills and capabilities that will continue to serve me for life.”
The combination of theoretical and practical learning made his sport degree extremely fulfilling and enjoyable, Scott says.
“I loved working and developing alongside inspiring like-minded people and truly valued the opportunity to apply my learnings outside of the classroom in a range of practical workshops and placement environments.
“For me, the significant learnings went beyond a typical assignment or classroom task, and involved people, experiences, emotions and meaningful discussions with passionate fellow students, lecturers and people in the industry. Having the combination of different learning environments was fantastic and made the experience very enjoyable.”
Finding his passion
Through his studies he also discovered his passion for performance analysis and coach development, says Scott who graduated in 2019 as the top scholar in the Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in Coaching.
“Completing the second-year Analysing Performance paper led by Dr Kirsten Spencer was a real ‘lightbulb’ moment and gave rise to my amazing workplace experience at the Vodafone Warriors, within the performance analysis department.
“Having the opportunity to be a part of the team, work with industry-leading software and technology, and link in theoretical concepts to my duties gave my learning real substance and deepened my desire to work within the sport industry.”
But this wasn’t the only eye-opening experience Scott had throughout his time at AUT.
“Another amazing moment was in my third-year Integrative Coaching Paper led by Dr Simon Walters. Discovering the concept of coach development, and linking in all knowledge on coaching theory and experience was very inspiring. This has consequently fuelled my passion to contribute to this very influential line of work.”
Advice for other students
Scott’s advice to other students is simple: network and take up opportunities.
“The sport industry relies massively on relationships, so it’s important to become well-connected and establish a reputation for yourself that you’re proud of. It’s also important to get involved as much as you can. Having conversations with lecturers and reaching out to people in the sector is a great way to achieve this and will allow you to establish more relationships in multiple circles.”
Scott himself has certainly made the most of the opportunities presented to him during his studies.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to gain experience in a range of environments, including at the Vodafone Warriors, New Zealand Football, New Zealand Rugby League, Mount Roskill Grammar School and Auckland United FC. I feel that being able to apply my learnings in a practical setting has made all the difference in the world. So be brave, be yourself, create opportunities and throw yourself in the deep end. You get out what you put in.”
