Sport Management Jayhawks Down Under
By Dominique Kropp- KU Sport Management Doctoral Student
This week, as we continue our features on former and current Jayhawks in Sport Management, we travel to a different continent. Former KU Sport Management Masters graduate, Dr. Henry Wear, is a professor at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia and current KU Sport Management undergraduate student Michael Claude is studying abroad at the same institution. They each took the time to share their experiences about living in Australia and studying and working at Deakin University.
First, we asked both Michael and Dr. Wear about their backgrounds how they found themselves living nearly 10,000 miles away. Michael explained, “I came to KU from St. Paul, Minnesota. I was born and raised about 20 minutes north east of St. Paul, and always have had a passion for sports. I played baseball, basketball and football from the time I was young all the way through high school. I chose KU because of the amazing city, campus and respected Sport Management program.” Michael then touched on why he decided to study abroad, particularly at Deakin University in Melbourne. “I decided to study abroad because I gained an interest in traveling, and wanted to go live in a new country for a few months to experience a new culture. I chose Deakin University because it offered the courses I needed to stay on track for graduation, and it is a highly-rated Sport Management University in Australia that had great reviews.”
Dr. Wear is a former resident of the Pacific Northwest, growing up near Portland, Oregon and attending the University of Oregon for his undergraduate degree. Upon graduating with a degree in economics, Dr. Wear worked in retail for a year with Nike. In deciding to further his education after a year in the field, Dr. Wear decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Sport Management at KU. He explained, “While there I had some unbelievable experiences. I was able to work as an academic mentor and tutor with the athletic department, I spent a season with the Kansas City Royals as a media relations associate, and what was most impactful was my work as a graduate teaching and research assistant within the Sport Management program. I loved being in the classroom with students, and I had a real passion for research. From these experiences, I decided that while I loved my time working in the sport industry, I was most passionate about the academic side of sport management.” Next, Dr. Wear attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a Ph.D. In outlining the decision to take a job on the other side of the world, in Australia, Dr. Wear mentioned, “Through all these experiences I was able to take a position at Deakin University as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor). I never thought I would be the one to live and work in a different country, but I feel fortunate that my career path has lead me to a great university where I have great colleagues and students.”
Next, we asked Michael about his experiences at Deakin University and his future as a student in sport management. Michael explained that he is taking three courses, including Sport Leadership and Governance, Sport Marketing, and Fundamentals of Finance. He described, “My favorite parts of these classes have been learning about the AFL (Australian Football League), and everything involved such as governance structures, controversies, and just learning the rules of the game. I have really enjoyed working in groups for assignments and getting to know new people from all over the world.” At the same time, Michael is taking online class through KU. “I have found a good balance between my classes at Deakin, and my online classes at KU. Generally, I will work on my KU classes when I have a break from assignments at Deakin, and vice versa. Making sure I chip away at my KU classes has been important so I do not have a pile of assignments due at the last minute.” At the end of this month, Michael will return to Minnesota and before heading back to Lawrence. Upon returning to the Midwest, Michael will search for an internship opportunity leading toward degree completion. Michael concluded, “As far as my ultimate goal in sport, I do not have a main desired career in mind. The only goal I have is that I will be able to make a positive impact on the lives of others through sport, since it has had such a positive impact on my life, and really shaped who I am today.”
When we asked Dr. Wear about his experiences in Melbourne and at Deakin University, he spoke highly of the culture. “Living in Australia has been fantastic. Melbourne is an absolutely wonderful city. I never thought anyone was more sport crazy than Americans, but I think Aussies might have us beat. Probably unsurprisingly the culture is very much the same as most parts of the US. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest around Portland and Seattle, has made Melbourne feel quite familiar. I really do consider myself lucky to be living and working in such a great city.” Dr. Wear did explain that the lack of college sport and separation from family are two things that take some adjusting. In addition, he misses his coffee! “I am pretty passionate about my coffee, and while Melbourne has no shortage of great cafes, I do tend to miss having a Starbucks on every other block to turn to when the need strikes.”
“Living in Australia has been fantastic. Melbourne is an absolutely wonderful city. I never thought anyone was more sport crazy than Americans, but I think Aussies might have us beat.”
Finally, we asked both Jayhawks to discuss some of the unique experiences and best aspects they’ve encountered as both a student and professor in Melbourne. Michael shared, “The best parts of Australia are definitely the scenery and the people. The people are always so kind and respectful. I have been to Perth, Sydney and have plans to travel up the east coast following exams. Seeing landmarks in Australia has been a lot of fun. The cities are always so vibrant and diverse, making them very attractive for people to live in, and hence why Melbourne is the most livable city in the world, with Perth and Sydney not too far behind. Some of my favorite unique experiences in Australia have been watching a live AFL game, petting kangaroos, trying vegemite, and learning all of the new lingo that Australians use!” Dr. Wear addressed some of the unique sporting events he has been able to attend. “ I’ve been able to get to quite a few different sporting events already in the first 6 months of me living ‘Down Under.’ I’ve attended an Australia v. Sri Lanka cricket match, home matches of the Melbourne Victory (soccer), several AFL (Aussie Rules Football) matches and various stadiums, but the highlight may have been the Brazil v. Argentina soccer match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Being able to see Neymar and Messi with over 100,000 people was very special. The Australia Sport Analytics Conference was another highlight, and it was great to see how people are pushing the sport industry forward from a multitude of technologies.”
“The best parts of Australia are definitely the scenery and the people. The people are always so kind and respectful.”
We thank Sport Management Jayhawks in Australia for participating in this feature and wish them the best of luck at Deakin University. We look forward to seeing them return to the United States, permanently or just to visit!
