A current student of GBSB Business School, Aya Khedr discusses her passion for sports and why she decided to pursue a Sports Management Master's Education as well as sharing how her experiences have shaped her ambitions for her educational and professional career development post-graduation.
Hi, Aya we are pleased to meet you, can you briefly introduce yourself?I'm a 22-year-old Egyptian. I did my bachelor's in marketing and now I am doing my Master's in Sports Management in Barcelona at GBSB Business School. I've been a handball player for as long as I can remember. I played professionally in Egypt and won 2 African titles with the Egyptian national team. I'm currently searching for a club in Barcelona. I've had opportunities with some clubs here, but it didn't work out, but hopefully soon.
What have you been able to learn and how do you think it will help you to succeed in the sport industry?
When it comes to situations related to sports management I have had the opportunity to work on my time management, planning and connecting with the right people which I believe will help a sports industry manager solve issues and operate in the most efficient way. To add onto that I had several courses which are sports related, specifically sports (and esports) marketing and management. Within my internship which I had before coming to GBSB I found that these aspects were (and are) very important in the sports industry.
Practicing handball basically defined most of my life, I was training day and night and it helped me acquire skills like leadership and teamwork, it also taught me discipline and hard work. It has a significant effect on me and how I face anything, it gave me the perspective that could make me unique in the industry.
Now I'm focused on pursuing my athletic career and gaining knowledge and experience from the industry. I'm volunteering in the next WFS in Sevilla, I plan to get my FIFA agent license to help secure a job in the industry. I'd honestly love to explore all fields; sports marketing, event organization, management, or communication. Maybe I should get another diploma that could help me understand the sports industry better. For the long-term optimistic plan, I want to open my own 360 sports management agency, with Egypt being a big part of it, to give a chance for the industry to grow there. I also want to try to make a difference in handball in Egypt, giving players, especially women, the opportunities they deserve, whether it is with the agency or by applying for a job in the federation.
I would recommend the Masters to anyone passionate about sports and I would encourage them to pursue sports as a career.
The advice I would give them is that they should ask for practical classes, field trips, guest speakers, and more courses related to sports management. Learning and hearing from experienced professionals motivates the students and gives them a clearer idea of what to expect from the industry.
Connect with Aya on LinkedIn.
🎓Discover Sports Management courses in Malta, Spain and Online at GBSB Global Business School here.
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