Sarah Kerrigan
BSc Sport & Exercise Management 2019
Sarah Kerrigan graduated from UCD in 2019 with a degree in Sport and Exercise Management. She started her studies in 2013, taking the scenic route to ultimate completion. Throughout her twenties she has been heavily involved in disability sport, primarily grassroots. She has led out on a number of local, regional and national campaigns and initiatives to promote inclusive physical activity and sport with a range of LSPs and NGBs. Earlier this year, she was featured on the prestigious Sport for Business PwC 30 Under 30 list - right in the nick of time as well as she is no longer under 30! The main body of work she’s involved with presently is the growth of Able Active, an app that maps and promotes accessible trails, amenities and facilities.
Sarah took some time out of her busy schedule to chat about her time studying at UCD and how it has influenced her life and career to date. Read on to find out more.
What led you to studying the BSc in Sport & Exercise Management?
My Dad and one of my secondary school teachers. Dad worked in Croke Park so I spent lots of time there at matches and concerts. I really loved the atmosphere and the community feeling of bringing people together through sport. My PE and Geography teacher in secondary school - Louise Ryan - really encouraged me to push myself. I struggled in school and she was a lifeline - giving me one-to-one time, encouraging me in athletics etc. She inspired me and never treated me differently because of my disability.
What was your favourite part of the SEM course?
Two parts stick out for me - the friends I made, and my experience at the end of second year. I have a lasting memory of a great day with my friends. Dad had bought me a car and I drove us all to Dundrum to look around the shops. Then we came back to campus and had a lecture outside in the sunshine. It was one of my last days with the gang before I went off to London, and it’s a treasured memory. I’m still very close with some of the friends I made during the course, even as our lives change and evolve. I was lucky enough to get the chance to go to London after second year. I took a year out to go and train with Channel 4, which was a brilliant experience. It was a wonderful opportunity that may not have come about if I wasn’t doing the course. The staff on my course were also really great and supportive.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying this course?
It’s quite a general degree and you can go down quite a range of paths afterwards, so take time to look into possible options. Lots of my friends and former classmates are with several organisations, it’s not just the ‘sport coach’ route. Talk to former students - opportunities are out there if you look for them.
What was your experience at UCD like? Any highlights?
It was quite mixed - the size of the campus was a little daunting at first, and I struggled without SNA support. However, the staff and students were very supportive. And the sports facilities are second to none. It was a big learning curve, but I was lucky to have lots of help.
Did you participate in any sports while at UCD?
I participated just casually - I wasn’t on a team or in a club. I swam a lot with friends, and I trained in the high performance gym with a really supportive trainer. I didn’t get involved with clubs or sports teams, but I enjoyed the casual involvement and the excellent facilities.
What is your current job?
I’m a project coordinator with Able Active. We’ve developed an app that maps and promotes accessible trails, amenities and facilities for those with disabilities. This role is my dream job! It’s a small team who all get on well, there’s flexibility, support and variety. I get to be out and about meeting people - there’s a lot of freedom. My boss is very supportive. It ticks all the boxes!
How do you feel the Sport & Exercise Management degree prepared you for this role?
As I mentioned, it’s quite a broad and general degree, and my role is quite varied, so it gave me a good springboard to jump from. I was able to get a taster for different areas of the industry, and also develop social skills and try various things.
Describe your typical workday.
There’s huge variety in what I’m doing day to day - interacting with service users, going to board meetings, travelling, exhibitioning, collaborating with different agencies, going to events. It’s quite flexible and I can be either working from home or out and about, depending on what’s going on (e.g. sports events, Ploughing Championships etc.) It’s never boring anyway!
You were recently nominated by your peers and colleagues to be one of the ‘PwC Sport for Business 30 under 30 2024’ – a prestigious club to be part of! What does it mean to you to be recognised in this way?
I’ve always felt like an outsider in every way, so to be included ‘in the fold’ was a huge nod to my work. It means a lot personally as well as professionally. Others on the list might be involved in big sponsorship organisations or on large teams - I’m not in that space so it can feel a bit different. But to be recognised like this is very validating.
Ensuring outdoor recreation, sports, and physical activity are accessible and inclusive is extremely important to you. How has your own experience shaped this passion?
I’ve had a mix of experiences, from positive to negative, and I know the impact each experience makes. I want to ensure, when I can, that people with disabilities have as positive a sporting experience as possible, and feel part of a community and that they belong. I’ve led on different initiatives and I’ve always been proactive - that’s why I’m so enthusiastic about the Able Active app. Technology can do way more than I can do as an individual.
What’s the proudest moment of your career to date?
Definitely the launch of Able Active!
In your career and/or personal life, who have been the most inspiring or helpful mentors/advisors that you’ve had?
Adrian from the DLRSP team (Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Sports Partnership). Louise Ryan, my secondary school teacher. And Sport Ireland - they believed in me and always showed me kindness.
What is life like outside work for you? Tell us a bit more about your current life, hobbies, or what you do to relax?
I’m happy to say that life is very busy! I travel a lot, and I’m very active - swimming, going to exercise classes etc. I’m on a lot of boards, which was and is a huge learning curve as you have to keep up to date with governance and codes of conduct etc. I love to have my cousins over for sleepovers, and I enjoy researching the latest infrastructure news and trends.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Whenever I got down and demoralised about work and my place in this world, my Dad always told me that every underdog has their day. I guess I always held on to hope because of that, that one day things would come good for me and my work would get recognised.
Content added: October 2024