Scrums, tries and career highs: How one UofG student is transforming his passion for sport into a rewarding career

By George Gornall , MA Psychology and Spanish Student

I’ve always been sport mad. From a young age, it seemed to be what the world revolved around.

"When’s the next big competition?"

"Which team won this weekend?"

"Who’s your favourite player?"

While this is still somewhat the case, it wasn’t until my first years at UofG that I fully understood the personal, social and cultural benefit that sport has.

National leadership

It all started when I became a member of sportscotland’s Young People’s Sport Panel. I had the opportunity to work with like-minded young people to make a change in sport. This involved attending national events, CPD sessions and creating content, but the best outcome was working with senior SQA leaders to advise on amendments to the certified physical education curriculum in Scotland.

This experience then led to becoming the Youth Director at Scottish ClubSport, a national organisation supporting local sport. (It was a bit surreal being able to find my name on Companies Houses at 18.)

I gave input on a board while learning from others who were true experts in their respective fields. A highlight was hosting the national conference and presenting to key leaders across the sports industry. Additionally, I recruited for and chaired a young peoples group which created content and worked with national partners to improve the experiences of young people in club sport.

Opportunities like these are not only rewarding and a great way to network but also develop those necessary career skills like time management, problem solving and communication (eg how to speak to senior leaders).

Taking advantage of events

Scotland has also hosted some incredible sporting events recently, presenting opportunities to volunteer that have helped me grow my knowledge of the industry, network with some awesome people and ultimately increase sporting participation across Scotland!

I had the chance to be part of the Queen’s Baton Relay and spent a week travelling Scotland, visiting different communities and creating content for Team Scotland in the build up to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.

Later that year, I was a Media Assistant at the Davis Cup in Glasgow, helping to run press-conferences, interviews and support international journalists. While this isn’t my specific area of interest, I learnt about what I didn’t enjoy so much and also the pressures that arise at large events.

Last summer, Scotland hosted the UCI Cycling World Championships. Volunteering with the time-trial in my home city of Stirling was truly unforgettable and being that close to elite competition was ultimately a reminder why I have a passion for a career in sport.

Enjoying the day-to-day

While big events and national projects are exciting, my passion is rugby and the purpose that the day-to-day processes of sport offer. Over the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching in some awesome environments, and a standout has been with the Glasgow University Women’s Rugby Club. I grew massively in this role, despite being younger than many players; they trusted my advice and the direction of my coaching, leading the team and making decisions on matchdays.

My goal is to become a sports psychologist and one of my most valuable career opportunities came unplanned when working with the team. I’d noticed and players spoke to me about struggling mentally with the pressure and stress of matches. As a result, I created and led sessions to develop our mental skills which were well received and played a role in winning the club’s first every varsity match in front of thousands of fans at Scotstoun Stadium.

Discovering different cultures

Finally, I think one of the most powerful things about sport is that it’s a global language and a pathway to discovering new cultures. Last summer, I worked as a Sports Leadership Coach at The International Summer School for Teens and taught 13 different sports to students of 16 different nationalities.

Additionally, with Spanish as part of my degree, I’ve been lucky to have spent this year in Alicante. In a? globalised world, I knew speaking another language would give me a boost for my career (and the chance to escape Scottish winter). I’ve been coaching rugby at clubs and schools all while practicing my Spanish daily.

Ultimately, sport is much more than just kicking a ball about; it’s the chance to develop, lead, support and ultimately change lives. I believe everyone should take advantage of what sport can offer them as you never know what it may lead to.

Other resources

The GetPsyched Show podcast: Listen to George’s weekly sports psychology podcast where he speaks to a range of contributors from across Scotland

UofG Club Sports webpage: Browse over 50 Glasgow University Sports Association (GUSA) affiliated sports clubs

“The invaluable skills university club sport can teach you that'll help you in your personal and professional life”: Read about key skills you can develop through club sport, according to a UofG student

”7 key careers skills you pick up from playing sport”: Read about the skills you can develop through sport that'll boost your employability