I spent one week on work experience at Cricket Arena’s office at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. It was my first proper look at how a sports organisation runs behind the scenes.

‍

In the office I worked on merch for volunteers and players. I learned how to send designs to the vinyl cutter, weed the pieces, line everything up, and use the heat press to finish the hoodies. I also helped organise playing and media equipment for events, which showed me how much planning goes into a smooth day.

‍

I shadowed coaching as well. I supported coach Jawad Akhtar during an ECB Dynamos Cricket session as an assistant coach. I saw how the session was set up and led, and how much joy it brings to the kids. I helped with catching and throwing and tried to be an active part of the group. I also umpired a session at Concord—practised the umpiring signals with supervision and used the CricClubs app to score.

‍

On the media side I learned how to fly a drone with help from Waqar. Back at the office I edited a short TikTok in CapCut, matching clips to the beat and adding captions. Hamzah gave me pointers that helped me finish the video for Cricket Arena’s TikTok page.

‍

Overall, the week showed me what work in a community sports business is like. I got to do a range of activities—media, coaching, umpiring and making clothing—which links to what I want to do in my own business. It was motivating and has encouraged me to keep building my skills and to pursue opportunities that combine creativity and business in the future.