My Co-op Experience at PESS: Ellie McCartney

My Co-op placement with the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (PESS) has given me the chance to experience a completely different side of sport. Instead of being on the pitch or in the lab, I have spent my placement working behind the scenes, helping to promote the work, events and opportunities happening across the department. This has included highlighting research and new publications, staff and student achievements, awards, sporting successes, events, placements and career opportunities, giving me a real insight into the wide range of work taking place across PESS. I have enjoyed finding ways to share these stories and celebrate the people behind them, while learning just how much happens within the department beyond the classroom.

From creating social media content and designing graphics to helping organise events, there has been plenty of variety throughout my placement. Two projects that stand out to me are Empower HER Game during Women in Sport Week and The Helmet of Memory.

Empower HER Game – Women in Sport Week

One of my favourite projects during Co-op was helping to organise and promote Empower HER Game as part of Women in Sport Week, in partnership with Limerick Sports Partnership.

The event focused on coaching girls and championing women coaches, and featured a coaching conversation with graduates of the MSc in Applied Sports Coaching. It was a great opportunity to help promote an event celebrating the experiences and achievements of women in sport.

I was involved in organising the event and creating promotional content to advertise it. This gave me a good insight into how much planning goes into an event before it takes place. I had to manage different tasks and deadlines while continuing with my other responsibilities within PESS.

It was also one of the first projects where I felt I was taking real ownership of something. I had to think about what the event needed, how it should be promoted and how I could contribute to making it successful.

The Helmet of Memory

Another project that stood out was The Helmet of Memory, featuring Ukrainian Olympian Vladyslav Heraskevych.

Heraskevych’s helmet features photographs of Ukrainian athletes and members of the sporting community who lost their lives during the war in Ukraine. He used the helmet to remember those who could no longer represent their country themselves.

The story gained international attention when Heraskevych was banned from competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics after refusing to remove the helmet. Rather than giving up the message he wanted to share, he chose to stand by what it represented.

I helped organise and advertise the event, including creating promotional content using Canva. Knowing the story behind the helmet made this project particularly meaningful, as I was helping to promote an opportunity for people to hear directly from an Olympian about his experiences.

More Than Just Sport

One of the biggest things I have learned from Co-op is just how many different skills are involved in working in sport.

Coming into the placement, most of my experience had been around sport science, training and performance. My time at PESS has shown me a completely different side of the industry, including communications, marketing, events and student engagement.

I have become much more confident using Canva and creating content for a professional audience. I have also developed my communication, organisation and time-management skills, particularly through working on events and managing different projects at the same time.

The best part has been knowing that the work I was producing had a real purpose and audience. Whether promoting Empower HER Game, The Helmet of Memory or other PESS activities, I could see how my work helped share what was happening within the department.

Looking Back

Looking back on my Co-op experience, I have gained much more than something to add to my CV. I have developed new skills, become more confident working independently and gained a better understanding of the opportunities available within sport.

From celebrating women in sport through Empower HER Game to sharing an important story through The Helmet of Memory, I have been lucky to work on projects that were varied, interesting and meaningful.

Co-op has shown me that working in sport isn’t just about what happens on the field. There’s a whole world behind the scenes, and I’ve really enjoyed being part of it.