30.06.2005
Imagine being paid to go to premiership football matches and report on them. Interview sporting legends such as Patrick Vieira and Arsene Wenger? This is the stuff of dreams for many sports fans, but is now reality for student Andy Verspeak (pictured below), who is studying for a degree in Sport Journalism at the University of Brighton and is currently undertaking paid work experience at Arsenal Football Club's official website.
Andy has already covered the launch of Thierry Henry's anti-racism wristbands, reported from a Champions League knockout game against Bayern Munich and one of his particular highlights was going to the FA cup final and see Arsenal victorious over Manchester United.
Andy says that he gets a real buzz out of seeing his by-line appear on the website and on his first day he wrote a headline story which was published on the site. He says he was made to feel like one of the team from the start and has gained a wide range of useful skills, including web page development, graphic design and research techniques.
Andy admitted: "It's hard work and there's a lot of pressure on you because your work is seen and read by fans the world-over" but he also said, "it's really fun. I'd love to do this for a career."
Paula O'Shea, journalism lecturer at the University of Brighton said of Andy's opportunity, "One of our past students at university now runs the Arsenal website, so when they wanted to expand, they naturally thought of our sports journalism students.
"Andy is the first student to do this sixth month paid attachment, but it is planned to give many more students on the course this opportunity in the future."
Andy is enjoying the course and said. "This course is intense and incredibly interesting, especially the practical aspects such as learning about the law."
Students studying sport journalism at the university learn how to compile match reports, structure and write interviews and features using various media. Work experience attachments are a course requirement. Active links have been established with various local press, the Observer's Observer Sport Monthly (OSM) and BBC Sport as well as with the Arsenal website. The university has a dedicated newsroom and bridges have been built with other departments such as photography.
You can read Andy's work by visiting www.arsenal.com and you can find out more information on the University of Brighton's increasingly popular BA(Hons) Sport Journalism course.
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton,
01273 643022
