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A sport management professor will be visiting the kingdom to share her expertise and the endless possibilities awaiting people in the sporting field at the Youth City 2030.
Lisa Delpy Neirotti is the director and associate professor of the sport management programme at George Washington University School of Business in the US. She is being brought here by the US Embassy Bahrain to host three workshops at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Sanabis from August 22 to 24 on sport and social entrepreneurship.
The workshops are two hours each, from 2pm to 4pm, and geared towards adults aged 20 to 35 who want to learn about the different business opportunities in sport, the characteristics of an entrepreneur and what is involved in the entrepreneurial process.
“Sport is not often the first priority for many parents, but there is much to gain from participation in it beyond the health benefits,” said Neirotti who has been a professor of sport, event and tourism management for more than 30 years.
“This includes sportsmanship, resilience, teamwork, discipline, respect, compassion, problem solving, and self-esteem.
“The goal of these workshops is to encourage participants to develop sport programmes that will ensure they gain more than physical skills. For example, why not offer sport programmes in English as a way to enhance language fluency or include tutoring/homework time, or incorporate leadership lessons.”
Her workshop fits in perfectly with the scope of Youth City 2030, which is a national project organised by the Youth and Sport Affairs Ministry to empower the kingdom’s new generation. It features an array of vocational training programmes to develop skills and boost confidence and creativity.
The city, held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs and Supreme Council for Youth and Sport chairman Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, runs until August 25 with sessions in the morning for youngsters aged nine to 14 and in the evening for those aged 15 to 35.
It is also divided into five centres, each offering a different set of vocational training programmes such as the Sports Academy.
During the workshop, Neirotti will discuss the concept of sport social entrepreneurship.
“Participants will learn how to conduct market research and develop a business plan to launch a community sport club,” explained Neirotti who taught a few Bahraini students at her university and through the International Olympic Committee executive Master’s programme.
“Tactics on how to incorporate education in sport to provide a unique selling proposition will also be shared as well as best practices in the management and marketing of sport clubs.
“There are careers in managing and marketing sport organisations, events, teams and leagues from the youth to professional level. There are also positions with sport media, marketing agencies, corporate sponsors, venues, and sport manufacturing companies.
“Sport management is a popular degree now as sport is not only a passion for many, but also a big business. The number of people who are playing and watching sport is growing resulting in a need for professionals to manage and market these opportunities.”
Neirotti has helped develop a sport philanthropy certificate designed to support non-profit organisations. She also co-authored The Ultimate Guide to Sport Event Management and Marketing and is an advisory board member for the Women’s Sport Foundation, Up2Us sports-based youth development and the Council for Responsible Sports.
For further details, follow @mysbhr and @usembassybahrain on Instagram.
