Here's how one Swinburne student got to toss the coin at the MCG

Every time winter appears, things can feel like they’re in a bit of a slump. More time inside can mean more time reflecting on your life as it is today. Some people focus on their health, others move cities, and some change their career trajectory altogether.

Life’s never as simple as kicking the footy around with mates, is it?

But, should you want to make the dive into a new career, or if you’re confused about where to start, Swinburne University of Technology is here to help.

Whether you’ve been delaying going back to study because you’ve been on a gap year or if you’ve just had a sudden spark of inspo that you’re clinging to, Swinburne can help guide you into a dream career — one that might just involve kicking the footy after all, thanks to partnerships like the one with Richmond Football Club.

Take Billy Zebra, for example. Knowing he wanted to do something in the realm of sport, but not really having much more clarity than that, he turned to Swinburne’s Exercise and Sport Science course.

“I’m studying a Bachelor of Health Science Honours at Swinburne,” Zebra told SPORTbible.

“I never really knew what I wanted to do. I always knew that I loved sport and wanted to be involved in it somehow. Sport Science seemed like a way to combo my love of maths and sport.”

As someone who wanted a practical degree, the Richmond Football Club’s Richmond Institute was a natural fit for Zebra.

“We partner with Swinburne to deliver courses to educate and empower the next generation of sport leaders,” Richmond Institute representative Nathan Palenkas said of the partnership.

“When Swinburne students come on board for a practical placement, we get them to get hands on.”

These students then play a crucial role in the careers of student athletes, helping to teach them even the most fundamental stuff like how to squat or bench press correctly — small lessons that’ll stay with them for a lifetime.

Just as people like Billy are helping to make a difference in not only his life, but the lives of others, Swinburne is now taking applications to start studying mid-year so you can make a change in yours with no further delay.

“One of the key elements of the partnership,” Zebra said, “is the opportunity for industry placements for students within the football club.”

Zebra is already seeing the benefits of his choice to study at Swinburne pay off with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Specifically, Zebra’s hard work earned him the honour of the coin toss at Richmond’s Round 14 game this year against Hawthorn at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of over 92,000 people, and at the legend Dusty Martin’s 300th game. Just choosing to study at Swinburne put this man in the throes of Tigerland — it’s the stuff of dreams.

Billy hopes to work in professional football in the future, and he credits Swinburne and the Richmond Institute for helping to arm him with the tools he needs to succeed in that field. He’s already ticking items off his bucket list — and now you can too.

There’s no reason to wait, with Swinburne taking mid-year applications right now. So apply now, or book a one-on-one appointment with the Swinburne team to learn more about how you can apply and start kicking the goals you’ve always dreamt of.