Sponsorship Applications

“Students put their best boots forward”

Term 2 in year 11 sees students get a taste for life as a professional sporting athlete through working towards their first boot sponsorship.

In students’ My Take 1 unit (literacy skills) students are tasked with preparing and submitting an application to their favourite footy boots manufacturer to gain sponsorship for their upcoming season (and possibly beyond).

Firstly, students undertake a self-analysis to determine their sponsorship suitability and why a partnership with them is a worthwhile investment for their chosen footy boot company. With this information, students prepare a persuasive application detailing:

  • how they believe they align with the company’s values and mission;
  • any current and previous sporting achievements;
  • and how they intend to be an aspirational ambassador for the company, including using their social media platforms to promote and provide positive exposure for the brand.

They then must research and practice vital networking skills to establish contact and connections with the company to determine with whom they will submit their application. This task often requires drafting and sending professional emails, making phone calls, and other means of formal communication to help get to the right person.

Year 11 Geelong student, Lincoln Birley said, “It was exciting to reach out to senior people within footy boot companies”. Classmate, Jaymz Farrell, also said he enjoyed the opportunity to “reach out to the ‘real world’ and feel like an athlete with a possible boot sponsorship.”

Teacher of the year 11 Wangaratta cohort, Justin McMahon, said, “the boys are really enjoying it! I’ve found it has helped them reflect on their footy journeys so far but also think about their future aspirations. It’s also pushing them out of their comfort zones by getting them to reach out to company contacts and work hard on their professional presenting skills.”

Some students in previous years at The Academy have been fortunate enough to receive boots and other forms of merchandise from their chosen companies as a result of their achievements.

Hopefully this year’s students can be just as fortunate!