Corporate
New CEBL-U SPORTS partnership is a huge step in growth of Canadian basketball
U SPORTS sits down with each of its interns last semester in our interview series “Getting to know…”
- Name: Leah Diseris
- School: Ryerson University
- Program: RTA: Sport Media
- Internship position: Communications
- Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
1.) What attracted you to Ryerson and your program?
I didn’t really know what I wanted as a career in high school. My parents wanted me to go into business, but I could never sit in an office all day crunching numbers. I knew I wanted to stay in Toronto so, when looking through all the different programs that the universities had to offer, I came across Sport Media at Ryerson. I’m a die-hard sports fan and I was always good at presenting and writing so I thought I’d give it a try. Since my first day, I haven’t looked back. Ryerson’s one of the best universities in Canada and Sport Media is hands down the best program.
2.) Why were you interested in interning at U SPORTS?
I was interested in interning at U SPORTS because I wanted to get some experience in my future industry. As a sport media student, I was already involved in student athletics at Ryerson with our broadcasts so, interning at U SPORTS made sense. I already had some knowledge of the student-athlete landscape, but I knew that I could learn so much more working for them. The sports industry in Canada is small and tight-knit so it’s good to make connections early on that can benefit me in the future.
3.) What are your key learnings from your experience at U SPORTS?
At U SPORTS, I learned a lot about the sports industry in Canada, especially university athletics. We all enjoy watching games on TV or attending them live, but a lot of preparation goes into those events and it was eye-opening to see all the planning first-hand. As part of the communications team, I got to learn a lot about being professional in my writing and I got to be a part of the social media team creating graphics.
4.) Any memorable moments over the course of your internship?
This is a tough question because I’ve had a lot of memorable moments during my internship. One of the most memorable moments would have to be during championship season. Even though the atmosphere was really hectic, those were some of the best days at the office. It was great to see everything come together and to be a part of all the activity in the office. I also learned the most during those couple of weeks. Aside from the championships, I really enjoyed the friendships I made, and I am definitely going to miss being a part of the team.
5.) What is one piece of advice you can give to someone interested in joining U SPORTS?
I would tell them to go for it. It’s a great place to intern and they are a great group of people to work with. You’ll definitely learn some new things and there will never be a dull moment in the office.
6.) Why did you choose to pursue a career in sports and what is your dream job?
Well first off, I’m a huge sports fan. I also heavily believe in the saying that if you love what you do, you’ll never had to work a day in your life. Choosing to pursue a career in sports is no doubt one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. There are a lot of projects I want to work on but, a huge fantasy of mine is to be an analyst for ESPN for college football.
7.) If you could sit down with one person in the sports industry (athlete, coach, manager or professional), who would it be? Why? What would you talk about?
This is a tough question because there’s a lot of people that I would love to sit down with. Something that they all have in common is that they’re the best in their profession. If I had to name one person, it would probably Nick Saban – Alabama’s football coach. He’s hands down one the most successful coaches in football history. I’d love to sit down and pick his brain, hopefully get his secret to his success.
8.) After joining U SPORTS and gaining a better understanding of what we do, how would you describe the organization and the culture at the national office?
The office is definitely like a small, tight-knit family. Everyone’s there to help each other and there’s always good morale within the employees. The organization itself is very professional and has come a long way since the rebrand. I have nothing but faith in them that they will continue to grow successfully.
9.) What do you enjoy doing when you’re away from your internship and school?
Whenever I get the chance, I love to either watch sports or play them. I watch everything, so there’s always something on that I can follow. My favourite sports to play are softball, soccer, and football. I am also addicted to the gym, so I try to go at least four times a week. If I’m not being active, I like spending quality time with my family and friends.
10.) What is your most memorable sports moment?
Another tough question. For me, it has to be anything that gets my heart pounding and fills me with adrenaline. I remember going to a Toronto FC game against Montreal in 2016 with my dad. It was the conference finals and we won 5-2. Despite it being December and terrible weather, the atmosphere was absolutely insane, and it was one of the best games I’ve ever been too.
Ryerson also took some busses filled with students to the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines to cheer on the Rams basketball teams against Brock. During the men’s game we were trailing until 10 minutes into the fourth quarter. I don’t think I’ve screamed so much during a university game. We ended up coming home with the win and I couldn’t talk for a couple of days. Those were just two great memories but, there’s always something to take away from any sporting event I get the chance to witness.
The objective of the U SPORTS Internship program is to provide students currently enrolled in collegiate / university programs with concrete experience of what it is like to work in the Canadian sport industry.
To apply, please send all cover letters and resumes by March 22rd, 2019, to intern1@usports.ca, citing the position title in the subject line.