University of Brighton student, Louis Keating, has completed his placement at VYD (Value Your Development).
Louis is a student on our Sport Management BSc (Hons) degree and engaged in the community sport sector from March to May in 2025. The degree is endorsed by CIMSPA (the Chartered institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity) against the professional standard of General Manager (available via this link).
Louis did his placement at VYD. They are a non-profit organisation that aim to improve lives through football, targeting the disenfranchised, marginalised and displaced in society.
He undertook a variety of tasks at VYD which included him developing an Impact Report, coaching a variety of different type of football sessions to different groups, implementing safeguarding policies within the organisation, and helping with other aspects of VYD’s operations.
By fully immersing himself into his placement, he has developed an abundance of skills and industry experience.
Leadership
A major aspect of Louis’ placement was coaching various football sessions to different groups. One of these weekly sessions was a project called Zonal, where Louis helped lead a football kit design program that’s incorporated with football training sessions to a group of children at Fairlight Primary School and Moulsecoomb Primary School.
Louis also helped teach an FA accredited sports leadership course, ‘Leading From The Front’, to a group of students at Longhill High School. This course consisted of Louis teaching the students aspects of leadership in sport, how to apply them, and how to plan a sport session. Following this, the students would apply what they just learned to the pitch, conducting sport sessions for each other and for visiting primary schools.
Safeguarding knowledge
Louis had to adhere to safeguarding policies whilst coaching football sessions. On top of this, he created new safeguarding policy documents for VYD to align the organisation with national examples of Best Practice.
Initiative
At the start of his placement, Louis’ initiative was lacking. He often asked his colleague and supervisor, Fred, for reassurance on tasks, hesitated to take on responsibilities independently, and waited to be told what to do next. However, as time went on, his confidence grew. He found his feet within VYD and was able to confidently navigate himself through the world of the community sport sector, no longer having to constantly rely on someone else to make any progress.
Punctuality
Punctuality wasn’t always Louis’ biggest strength and was something that Louis wanted to improve on the most to demonstrate his commitment and a professional identity. Since starting at VYD, he made a conscious effort to turn punctuation into a strength.
Louis said “I was always late for my lectures at university. First impressions count, so I really wanted it to come across that I was a professional and taking this placement seriously the moment I started. Whilst it’s still not been perfect, I’ve became a much more punctual person whilst at VYD.” Louis added, “I think all of my coaching sessions is what improved my punctuality the most. People are relying on you to turn up on time and have everything prepared for when they arrive. If I don’t do this, then it impacts them and makes VYD look bad. Being given that responsibility has helped change my mindset.”
Louis gave his thoughts on his time at VYD:
“I’d 100% recommend VYD as a placement option for University of Brighton students, especially on sport management. They’ve helped me get my foot in the door in the sport industry and have allowed me to be involved in all aspects of their organisation. I have delivered football sessions to refugees & asylum seekers, children in primary and secondary schools, and children at half term camps. I’ve also been developing an Impact Report for VYD, which involved me interviewing the organisation’s beneficiaries. I’ve then assisted in any other way I can such as creating safeguarding policies and documents, advising on strategies for the organisation and helping to organise a charity football game. The small-sized nature of VYD makes you an integral part of the organisation, where you build close relationships with the people you work with and the people you help.”
Louis worked closely with Fred Sturgis (Head of Operations at VYD). Fred acted as Louis’ first point of contact, his supervisor and a mentor. Fred commented:
“We loved having Louis be a part of our VYD family. It is always inspiring to see Brighton University students share our vision and help improve disadvantaged people’s lives through football. Anyone else who wants to get involved, please reach out – we have high ambitions and a lot of opportunities”.
Louis’ placement at VYD has proven to be a big test for him, but the knowledge, understanding, skills, abilities and behaviours he came away with have helped prepare him for his future endeavours in the sport industry by enabling evidence of how he has started to meet CIMSPA’s professional standard of General Manager against which the course is endorsed.