There are people who excel in their field, we all know them, and some of us often wonder what are they doing that I’m not?
There could be a plethora of things that they’re doing differently, but one thing is for sure. They never stop learning.
ACPE’s Simon Hill is a fantastic example of somebody who excels in their field and never stops learning.
Simon Hill really is the voice of football for Australia. Any true football fan would have heard of him.
Let’s go through some of his career highlights, shall we?
“Working on Premiere League Football, Cup Finals, and Grand Finals, covering six World Cups, four Asian Cups, one European Championship, one African Cup of Nations and one Oceania Nations Cup.,” Simon said.
He has also commentated on every continent, interviewed Pele, David Beckham, and he has appeared on Match of the Day.
“Overall, it’s just having been fortunate enough to do a job I love, getting well paid and travelling the world having fabulous new experiences.
“The travel, in particular, is brilliant, my passport has stamps from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Uruguay, Honduras, Burkina Faso, Kuwait, Lebanon – what other sport can give you those experiences?”
Despite his experience, Simon wants to learn more.
When he decided to further his studies, he cited the volatility of the sports industry.
Simon explains: “television is increasingly a young person’s game.
“You never know when change is coming, so it is good to up-skill in different areas.”
He chose ACPE because he wanted to study a course that would be “both challenging but manageable.”
Simon is certainly not shy when asked how he balances career and study.
“I’ll be honest, and say sometimes with great difficulty.
“It’s not just the time required, but the headspace.”
Due to the non-stop nature of his industry, he often finds it hard to sit down and think about something completely different.
When asked about the support he has received from ACPE to help balance his work and study load, he was again, very candid.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have been granted an extension or two, and I’ve had to cut down from two modules to one in both semesters – I just don’t have the time nor the capability to do two.
“I am hoping they will continue to be as flexible.”
Simon’s advice to those who are working within the sports industry looking to further their scope is to learn as much as you can about different areas of sport.
The whole experience thus far has opened his eyes to other sides of the industry.
Though, being a journalist himself, he can’t let everyone in the industry off the hook.
