written by 232Reilly on 11/12/2017
I spent 6 months living in Melbourne and playing for Powerhouse St Kilda hockey club. it was a great experience as initially the club were very welcoming and had made sure I settled into the club and area and always made transport to training and matches available. it was also very useful to play a different and high intense style of hockey which helped me to improve my game in other areas which I wouldn't have done just from playing hockey in England. There were also plenty of opportunities to help out at the clubbing coaching roles. this then meant I was known at the club for my game and helping out not just being the English guy. My only complaint would be as Powerhouse were premiere league club there was no opportunity to play in the first team as that would mean the club would have to pay for a permit to play but as a result of this it meant I could have a more senior role in the second team.
written by Regankn255 on 12/10/2017
I would hugely recommend the person I dealt with. Great guy that is always willing to help and got me seltled in Oz for my 8 months. The rugby league is amazing and most lads out there love having pins come out. Get stuck in with those lads and the ones on sports loved as it makes the trip amazing. Could have done with more socials though but overall great trip
written by TeresaR51 on 25/09/2017
My son was in the Winter Football Group 2017. He had a fantastic time and has returned far more independent, mature and ready to head off to University. Although at first glance the trip does appear expensive it is invaluable for parents to know that their child has 24/7 support on their trip on the other side of the world. The staff guide them through the things they need to do when they first arrive, make the contacts and arrangements with the sports club, introduce them to their fellow travellers,arrange interesting and varied social events and help them to find work if they want to supplement their spending money. My son also had special needs as he was in rehab following a knee operation and received help and advice on finding a physio and personal trainer (we did pay for these separately) The staff at Sport Lived could not have been more helpful from initial enquiry to end of trip. A couple of negative points to be aware of: the wifi at the Space hostel wasn't great which made skyping a little difficult. There was a bit of an issue over access to a gym at the times my son wanted to go (i.e. he didn't want to go very early in the morning)this was due to the gym be refurbished so should be sorted for future trips. But the real point is that my son has been home for just a week now and can't stop talking about all the things he saw and did. He had two coaching jobs which really opened his eyes to how a coach/teacher feels and the responsibilities they have. He chose to take part in the kids club presentation and made a speech in front of 75 parents and kids - something he wouldn't have dreamed of doing 6 months ago. And when he got home he sorted out and put on his own washing!!!
written by DJCUTTER on 23/09/2017
Sport Lived arranged for our son to play hockey in Melbourne for six months during his gap year. This included sourcing a club and providing accommodation. The organisation throughout was very good and there were no issues with any administrative matters and no pastoral or safety concerns. Frequent social events were organised which were varied and sounded good fun. The accommodation was a twin shared room, part of a larger flat of similar students. It's location was excellent, well situated in the suburbs of Melbourne, close to the hockey club and with good public transport. The only negative is that we would have benefited from advice beforehand as to how best to send his luggage and equipment etc to other side of the world.
written by Hutchinsonbi1982 on 20/08/2017
Amazing time with lots of new friends made , job I was found as part of my tennis coaching program was amazing found a club to play for as well which was easy enough to do , there are extra expenses with travel cards as its not free the whole time , the apartments I stayed in where really nice and next to the markets and convince for shopping , trips where excellent loads of different activitIes to suit everyone , I would recommend that if you were to do a sport lived programme pick a coaching one as they find good work and the club you coach for can also provide you with playing time as well
written by AmySJ on 13/08/2017
I have recently arrived home from Melbourne, My netball programme lasted for 4 weeks. Not only did I get to play for one team in Melbourne, I was lucky enough to play for a second team which was based in the countryside. I had the best of both worlds - city and country! Which meant I had the opportunity to play plenty of netball during my time there - at least 4 days out of the 7. Even had options to play social netball during my rest days. Both of the netball teams I had joined were friendly and very welcoming. I felt like I have been a part of their team for years. Not only were the netball teams friendly and welcoming but the whole sport lived group were the same. If I needed any help or if I just needed some reminding of where to go if I got lost, they were there to help. The hotel I stayed in was perfect - right in the heart of the city! Not only was the location perfect but the staff were always friendly and always happy to answer any questions that I had. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
written by Dean389 on 08/08/2017
I chose to do the full season in brisbane with sport lived, starting from February and ending in August. I can tell you now that sport lived made my time here a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable. The link between staff and club was great, which helped settle into my league club very smoothly. Accommodation wise, I chose the standard type. The SL staff hand picked probably the best hostel in Brisbane with great facilities and a awesome work team who helped us anyway they could. The only thing which could have made it better would have been a double bed and an oven in the kitchen, otherwise pan cooking is the only way to go. The hostel was ideally located in a suburb called west end. 2 minute walk from the high street with a variety of restaurants and bars which all had a great atmosphere and character. The social activities we went on were good. Before I arrived I was also under the impression from phone calls that we would have socials every week. Although that was not the case, our SL director made the socials as frequent and enjoyable as possible. He also made it very flexible with all of us. A lot of the guys and I were injured throughout the season which made us unable to participate in set activities. He asked us what we wanted to do instead, which made the socials so much more fun because no one was left out. I would say surfing on the gold Coast and going to watch the Broncos Vs Cowboys NRL game were my highlights of my time here. We also did our own socials, travelling up to the sunshine coast and byron bay. The person I dealt with was great to help us out with cars and the best company to go with. If you are going to participate in sport lived, I would recommend doing the full season. Three months is not enough time to explore and make memories. I have made some really close friends whilst living here for six months and I will definitely see them when I return home. I am extending my time in Australia to travel which again I can thank him for all the help.
written by Bellfn8 on 02/08/2017
I went on a football coaching/playing course in Brisbane with sport lived. At least that's what I thought was happening. I got there and there was nowhere for me to play, my co-ordinator said he would 'try and find me somewhere to play' after a week of me already being there. Also they decided not to let us know that there was a $500 joining fee to play for any club. There were also lots of false promises on their website about the kind of trips and activities you get to do, we were also sent an itinerary of these activities, hardly any of which we actually got to do. When we asked why we didn't get to do some of the activities, they then changed the online itinerary to take off some activities. I was also told there would be a FREE travel card for me to use around Brisbane. What They didn't say, however, is that it wasn't free and I would have to top it up every 2/3 days. There were a few other problems with the people organising the trip and aspects of the trip we were either not told about, or any issues that came. None of the people we were able to speak to were helpful. DON'T GET ME WRONG THOUGH I had an amazing time, my coaching was brilliant, my flatmates I was out with were great and we've stayed friends. Beautiful country and amazing people. If I were you I'd go to Australia and set everything up yourself, it would be much easier (and cheaper). And you'll have a much easier time.
written by Rugbylife on 12/06/2017
My son came to New Zealand on a rugby placement with Sport Lived at Otago Golds in Dunedin. He had a brilliant time and we were reassured by the placement and organisation. His rugby skills improved and he was part of a welcoming club. It was an amazing opportunity and led to him being "spotted" and offered clubs on his return to the UK. We have returned to New Zealand to watch the Lions and he has caught up with the many friends he made through Sports Lived. I know he recommends this opportunity and as parents we highly recommend it as a sports experience and a life opportunity.
written by Aracely79 on 16/02/2017
I recently just arrived from Melbourne, from my cricket programme. Sport lived has been a fantastic way of me to meet incredible people, live In a fantastic place within central Melbourne. The experience I gained by living in Melbourne and addopting it as home will something I can cherish forever. I would highly recommend sport lived as it was a way for me to meet great people and friendships and has been a ideal opportunity if I would like to live there in the future though the amazing time I had.
written by on 10/02/2017
I spent 11 weeks in Melbourne, primarily playing cricket for a local club, during my gap year. Sport lived were very helpful in aiding me to organise my trip, especially as I had specific dates that I had to be back home for that made things slightly more difficult. Sport lived set me up with a club and accommodation. I couldn't have asked for more from my club. They were incredibly welcoming to all of us on the sport lived programme and were very keen to get us involved in all the social activities at the club. We would often stay in the clubhouse hours after training just chilling out at the bar. I stayed in the standard accommodation which was a hostel located in the centre of the city. Having stayed in quite a few hostels around the world I'd have to say it was the best I've stayed in, more like a hotel in quality. I shared a room with 3 other people from sport lived who I have now become very good friends with and am certain to stay in touch with back home. The hostel also had a gym and a rooftop hot tub with an incredible view. Sport lived also organised several social events for everyone to take part in such as surfing and a trip to a wildlife park. It was a great opportunity to get to know everyone and try new things. It also often came with a free lunch which is always a good bonus when you're on a budget! As well as playing cricket I'm also a keen hockey player so I asked the sports coordinator in Melbourne if there were any additional hockey opportunities whilst I was there. As it was the Australian summer, and therefore not the hockey season, there was not a huge amount going on but he managed to set me up with two teams taking part in two social summer leagues. It may not have been the highest standard but it was really good fun and was another opportunity to meet some lovely people. I was looking to get some part time work whilst I was there, just to get some extra pocket money, and another sport lived staff member set me up with a casual job with an events company. The work was actually quite good fun and payed very well so I am very grateful for the help. All together I was playing sport 5 days a week and working some days so there was no chance of boredom, especially when there's so much going on in the city. It's an experience I will never forget and I highly recommend using sport lived set up the trip. It definitely gave me (and my parents!) peace of mind to know everything was ready for me upon arrival
Written on: 10/02/2017
Hi
Thanks so much for writing a review on your Sport Lived programme in Melbourne.
I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed your programme and were able to combine playing cricket and hockey during your time there.
It’s great that you enjoyed the social events that we arranged for the group and found our staff in Melbourne to be helpful.
Thanks so much for undertaking a Sport Lived programme.
Very best wishes for the future
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived
written by on 30/01/2017
My lad was 17yrs old when he took off to australia with sport lived to play rugby. Not surprisingly I was nervous, anxious worried and all that. Absolutely no need at all. Sport lived were amazing and he had the time of his life. An incredible experience which under the wings iof Sportllived has now given him the confidence, capability and streetwise to travel alone and me the reassurance he'll be ok. Sport lived were simply fantastic. So professional and well organised. I knew exactly what I had to do in terms of paperwork preparation for his trip and they sorted the rest. Every detail was covered in a timely fashion do there was no stress. Somehow too, they pre-emptied my worries, llike who was meeting him at the airport, where and who was his home stay. Nothing was left to chance and we had all the details without even thinking about it. We had a great Skype call with the family and they looked after my mad so well as if he was one of the family - running off to post offices for him, lovely home cooking and sorting out a substitute phone when his was soaked in the sea. They did so much more then I could ever have expected. The rugby was great and he was able to experience true Australian rugby in a university setting. Matches, training lots of friends and socialising. Just perfect for a 17 yr old. Sportslived too, have an outstanding co-ordinator in Brisbane. He takes care of everything and yet He's their best friend. It's seems to only have one aim and that's to send them home with an unforgettable experience. There's surfing out on boats everything that you would want to do in Australia and to top it all Spirtlived sent me some lovely photos whilst he was away so I knew he was fine. Sports lived are outstanding in every way.They know how to do it for young people and parents alike. So glad we got to know about them and decided to do it. So much so that my son is probably going back again and I''m encouraging him to go!
Written on: 10/02/2017
Hi
Thanks so much for your feedback on your son’s rugby programme in Brisbane.
It’s terrific to hear that your son enjoyed his rugby experience in Australia and he found our staff in Brisbane helpful & supportive.
I hope he has many fond memories from his time in Australia.
Thanks for choosing Sport Lived for his trip.
Very best wishes
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived
written by Fox215 on 24/01/2017
Our son had a totally fantastic time in Australia which helped transform him from a schoolboy into an independent adult ready to go onto the next stage in his life. From his point of view he has said " this was the best 6 months I have ever had". He made great friends with both local Australians and with other Sport Lived participants. He thoroughly enjoyed playing club cricket in Melbourne and learned a great deal from the coaches in cricket academy. The whole experience from finding new friends to meeting challenges in sport, living and exploring a new country was so memorable and rewarding for him. His only dissatisfaction was the particular accommodation in which he was based.
Written on: 24/01/2017
Hi
Thanks so much for writing a review on your son’s Sport Lived programme.
It’s really pleasing to hear that he enjoyed his time playing cricket in Melbourne and learnt a lot from the coaches at the cricket academy. It’s also great that he made so many friends with local Australians and other Sport Lived customers.
I apologise if your son was disappointed with his accommodation. We have acted on this feedback and recently changed our Standard Accommodation provider in Melbourne. We believe our new provider in Melbourne offers our customers a better experience.
I hope your son has many fond memories of his time in Australia and his cricket continues to flourish.
Thanks for choosing Sport Lived for his trip.
Very best wishes
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
written by 98McAllister on 07/01/2017
Sport lived provided me with the opportunity to live my dream and play netball in Melbourne. But it turned into so much more than just that. My program was just short of 4 months, I stayed for 8 months. I made contacts in Australia which resulted in jobs that I couldn't turn down. I made friends for life, from all around the world, I lived with people in the hostel who were like minded and we all supported each other. Sport Lived was very good and regularly kept in touch by phone call, details of my journey, flights and gifts (hoodie, iPod, etc) which was a nice touch and well received which gave me comfort that I was dealing with a professional organisation. My journey to Melbourne was good and as planned was picked up from a sport lived representative in the early hours of the morning and took to my accommodation, the greenhouse backpacker. Although the sport lived representative did was was required I did feel it was the minimal level of service rather than the maximum, I was basically dropped off and left to check in myself. Part of the sport lived programme is to ensure you are not left isolated and guaranteed to meet and make friends via introductions and social events. This did happen although it took two days before I met any other sport lived participants. Having said this once the social sport lived organiser arranged a girls day out at the beach so I could meet the other girls on the programme. Which I was so grateful for, I thoroughly enjoyed this day and was made very welcome my staff and friends from various sporting backgrounds. The netball programme, I throughly enjoyed, metro revellers netball club is a professional and well organised/we'll run club. It had 6 open aged teams of a varied ability from elite competitive to social. It was unfortunate for me that I had missed the trials and first three games of the season, because of being miss informed from the outset as I was led to believe I was only going to miss pre season. The consequence of this I could have arrived earlier, which would have allowed me to participate from the beginning of the season. My understanding from sport lived I would have been playing more netball week by week that was on offer. My desire to play more netball made make my own contacts which resulted in myself playing extra games, which I was pleased about. My regular (playing) week: Mon - Social/Competitive Tues - Competitive Wed - Mixed netball Thurs - Social/Competitive Friday - Training Sat - Supported the rest of the spot lived customers in their games Sun - Coaching or Hangover day.. This is not including my coaching - I was coaching and umpiring in numerous schools throughout the week My contract with sport lived was for a playing and coaching programme. Sport lived contract out to Melbourne Sports Institute who offered my paid work for coaching and umpiring at various schools, age groups and abilities. This was a very professional company who paid a fair rate of pay for the work I was sent to do which was always in my capability. My relationship with sport lived throughout my stay was very close and I welcomed their openness and willingness to listen to my views and ideas on how to further improve our experience in Australia. This led to the netball performance programme. I really enjoyed being part of this new formation which is now being established and offered as part of the programme to new sport lived customers. From a personal point of view having the opportunity to be involved in this programme was the highlight of my Australia experience. Meeting and being coached by with very high respected coaches and players within the ANZ championship (star stuck!!). I would like to thank sport lived for including me in this, what I learnt from these 8 weeks I will take with me into my coaching and playing in the uk.
Written on: 10/02/2017
Hi
Thanks a lot for writing a review on your Sport Lived programme.
I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed your netball experience in Melbourne and benefited from the performance programme that we arranged as a result of your feedback.
It was an absolute pleasure to have you on a Sport Lived trip. Thank you for making such a positive contribution to our programmes in Melbourne last year.
Very best wishes for the future
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
written by awGlover4 on 06/01/2017
I can honestly say, Sport lived provided me with an opportunity of a lifetime. My SL programme was just short of 4 months, I stayed for a total of 8 months. I made friends and contacts in the netball world of Victoria and was provided with playing and job/coaching opportunities I just couldn’t turn down. I made friends for life, from all around the world, like minded friends who made my travels unforgettable. communications between myself and sport lived was very good and regularly kept in touch by phone call, details of my journey, flights and gifts (hoodie, iPod, etc) which was a nice touch and well received which have me c I fort that I was dealing with a professional organisation. My journey to Melbourne was good and as planned was picked up from a sport lived representative in the early hours of the morning and took to my accommodation, the greenhouse backpacker. Although the sport lived representative did was required I did feel it was the minimal level of service rather than the maximum, I was basically dropped off and left to check in myself. Part of the sport lived programme is to ensure you are not left isolated and guaranteed to meet and make friends via introductions and social events. This did happen although it took two days before I met any other sport lived participants. Having said this once the social sport lived organiser arranged a girl’s day out at the beach so I could meet the other girls on the programme. I thoroughly enjoyed this day and was made very welcome my staff and friends from various sporting backgrounds. The netball programme, I thoroughly enjoyed, metro revellers netball club is a professional and well organised/we'll run club. It had 6 open aged teams of a varied ability from elite competitive to social. It was unfortunate for me that I had missed the trials and first three games of the season, because of being miss informed from the outset as I was led to believe I was only going to miss pre season. The consequence of this I could have arrived earlier, which would have allowed me to participate from the beginning of the season. My understanding from sport lived I would have been playing more netball week by week that was on offer. My desire to play more netball caused me to make my own contacts which resulted in myself playing extra games, which I was pleased about. My average playing week: Mon – Competitive/Social match Tue – Competitive match Wed – Mixed netball match Thurs – Competition/Social match Fri – Training Sat – Supported sport lived sport matches Sun – Coaching/hangover day I was also coaching or umpiring nearly everyday (thanks to Melbourne sports institute for providing me with the work opportunity) I was on a playing and coaching programme during my aussie trip. Sport lived contract out to Melbourne Sports Institute who offered my paid work for coaching and umpiring at various schools, age groups and abilities. This was a very professional company who paid a fair rate of pay for the work I was sent to do which was always in my capability. My relationship with sport lived throughout my stay was very close and I welcomed their openness and willingness to listen to my views and ideas on our experience in Australia. I was lucky enough to be a part of the netball performance programme. I really enjoyed being part of this new formation which is now being established and offered as part of the programme to new sport lived customers. From a personal point of view having the opportunity to be involved in this programme was the highlight of my Australia experience. Meeting and being coached by with very high respected coaches and players within the ANZ championship (star struck, these players and coaches have been idols for years!). I would like to thank sport lived for including me in this, what I learnt from these 8 weeks I will take with me into my coaching and playing in the uk.
written by Hansen289 on 02/12/2016
I enjoyed my time on the Sport Lived Brisbane rugby programme. There are a few things which should be addressed however. Firstly, when I arrived and was given my blue Go Card which had $100 on it, I thought this would be enough to last my the majority of my programme. However I used that up within the first 2-3 weeks of being in Aus, and then had to top up a further two times for the remaining part of my stay. Sport Lived would have communicated a rough idea of how long they money was going to last with the amount of travelling I was doing to and from the club. In the end I spent a further £85 on topping up my card which was unexpected, and I feel that it would have been better if more money had been put on the card from the start! I had no real complaints about the Quest accommodation that I spent the majority of my stay in, apart from it being quite unclean from the moment I arrived. I spent the final week and half of my programme in the backpackers, and whilst I do appreciate the need for two different cost options in terms of accommodation, I could not see how people could do an extended programme in the backpackers. Doing simple things like having breakfast or making a cup of tea required handing in a key card and so became quite tedious quickly! Having spoken to people who were living in the backpackers for 6 weeks who were on the same programe as me, they said 6 weeks was really the maximum amount of time they would want to spend there, and if they were doing a longer programme they would look elsewhere for accommodation as there was little storage space for belongings. Furthermore I did not see the point prior to departure, in filling out the rugby CV which was on our Sport Lived personal pages. This made it sound as if we were allocated a club out in Aus, based on what kind of level we had played at previously. However it turned out that we were all allocated the same club in Brisbane, regardless of what ability you were! Also one thing which was a a let down from Sport Lived was the whole finals system. Sport Lived should advertise on their rugby page about the opportunity of finals with the club as this would attract more potential players as they will undoubtedly want to be involved. Not only this, but it also informs those like myself that had no died about it going into my trip. Sport Lived did not communicate to me at all about this opportunity and I was only made aware of it 3 weeks into my programme when one of the coaches brought it up. Not only that, but it was only then that I was told that you had to have played a certain number of games for a team to play in the finals for them. Sport Lived should not only tell people about finals but also say whether the start date of their programme will allow them enough time to qualify for finals. Throughout my stay it seemed quite apparent that there was little communication between Sport Lived and their Australian counterparts, and the case of finals was just one example. Furthermore, it seemed quite ridiculous that the Australian boys doing the academy programme (same as me) were literally paying half of what we had to pay through Sport Lived, this just seemed like we were being ripped off. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed all the rugby and training I got whilst I was out there. The training and games showed me a whole new brand of rugby which I had never played back in England, and not only were the coaches very knowledgable, but also always more than willing to give up their own time in order to help players with position specific skills. I couldn't speak higher of both the rugby and gym coaches who were all very welcoming and accommodating and only wanted to help you get better. The attention to detail was great and the thought and prep which had gone into the training sessions made them both enjoyable and great to learn new things from. Overall, I loved the rugby and training aspect of my programme, but it was overpriced for what it was. Brisbane is a lovely city to go to and play rugby and the club chosen was also great.
Written on: 05/12/2016
Hi
Thanks a lot for writing a review on your Sport Lived experience. I’m pleased that you enjoyed your rugby programme in Brisbane.
Thanks for providing feedback on the amount of credit that was loaded on to the travel pass you received at the start of your programme. In response to this, all customers undertaking Sport Lived programmes from September 2016 receive an introductory travel pass that lasts 1 month.
I sincerely apologise if our staff in the UK did not make you would need to play 6 league games to be eligible to play in Finals & that this would not be possible because of the start date of your programme. This was a mistake on our part & I’m sorry for the inconvenience this caused.
Thanks for your comment on completing your Rugby CV. In Brisbane this year, we did send all of our rugby players to the same club. However, this has not always been the case as we have relationships with a number of rugby clubs in Brisbane. In addition, we need people undertaking Rugby Academy programmes to complete a Rugby CV so we can send this information to the Rugby Academy coaches.
Thanks so much for undertaking a Sport Lived trip. I hope your rugby continues to go well at university.
Very best wishes
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
written by BryantPayne on 16/10/2016
My decision to go on a Sport Lived programme to Melbourne is probably the best decision I have ever made. An overall fantastic experience that I enjoyed every minute of! The staff were extremely helpful in aiding any problems I encountered (very few) as well as helping me find my way with their extensive knowledge and expertise. The Cricket club I was placed out was perfect, great facilities at the right standard and extremely good location. Accommodation at Quest, Prahran was second to none, owner were extremely helpful with any problems in the apartment. The best part about the trip was the Sport Lived organised events with the other Sport Lived people, surfing, Boxing day test, Melbourne F1 and Australian Open tennis to name a few! Sport Lived also helped in the organisation of a family visit over Christmas which was extremely valuable and helpful. Overall the programme was great value for money, it was the experience of a lifetime and I couldn't recommend it enough!
Written on: 18/10/2016
Hi
Thanks so much for writing a review on your cricket programme in Melbourne.
I’m really pleased that you had a great time in Australia and enjoyed all the social events that we arranged during your programme!
I hope your family enjoyed their time in Australia too!
Very best wishes
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
written by Lparkin on 05/10/2016
Our son recently completed a six month athletics programme through Sports Lived.It was a fantastic way for him to experience life in a different country in a supportive setting. Sports Lived were a great company who supported our son every step of the way .He was given a superb mentor in Brisbane who met him at the airport, showed him and others around the city,helped him sort out mobile phones and bank accounts . A huge relief to know that he had a friendly supportive face over there. He soon settled into life at the hostel and commenced the athletics programme . He loved the experience of running with the club in Brisbane ,meeting new friends and the independent living. He was able to take part in some races and improved his running speed and really enjoyed the track running. He successfully be completed the programme in August this year and is now enjoying travelling and exploring the country . The programme has given him the confidence to go off and travel independently. This has been a life changing experience for out son thanks to sports Lived. It is reassuring as parents to know that there is the support and guidance from Sports Lived to ensure that your children is safe and gaining the maximum opportunities from the sports programme.
Written on: 06/10/2016
Hi
Thanks so much for your feedback on your son’s athletics programme in Brisbane.
I’m really pleased that he had a life changing experience and enjoyed the athletics training and competitions in Australia.
It’s also great to hear that he found our staff in Brisbane to be helpful and supportive.
I hope he is having a fantastic time traveling around Australia.
Very best wishes
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
written by Rayk489 on 01/10/2016
My gap year with Sports Lived was one of the best experiences of my life. The great service started from the UK the idea of a gap year in Australia was just getting itself into the pipe line. Staff members would give you heaps of help and the low down on all their programmes and destinations so you could make the right choice for yourself. I chose to have my gap year in Brisbane Australia. When arriving at Brisbane Airport I already felt welcome from sports lived staff members greeting me and waiting to take me to my accommodation. Choosing premium accommodation was certainly the correct choice, living in a luxury flat right in the heart of central Brisbane where everything is just a stone throws away. Starting at the sports club I was made to feel very welcome. I enjoyed a great season of Rugby playing for the top team. However one thing I would say before coming out many people were not made aware of the depth of teams they had at UQ Rugby Club and I think people were unlucky to miss out on playing a high level if that's what they came here to do. Saying this going to Brisbane gives the opportunity to train at the UQ Rugby Academy so even if you are not in a high team you'll still be training at a high level with some of UQ 1st team and even some Queensland Reds. Something I really liked was the amount of support given to you from staff members here in Brisbane. You were made to feel at ease which meant you did not feel uncomfortable asking for help or guidance. Overall Sports Lived allowed me to have a fantastic sporting gap year and thanks to them I have chosen to stay here past the ending of my programme and will be studying here in Brisbane. Thank you Sports lived for an incredible experience.
Written on: 03/10/2016
Hi
It’s great to hear that you enjoyed your Sport Lived Rugby Programme in Brisbane.
I’m really pleased that you found our staff in Australia helpful and enjoyed staying in Premium Accommodation.
I hope you have a terrific time studying in Australia and that your rugby continues to go well.
Thanks so much for undertaking a Sport Lived programme.
Very best wishes for the future
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
written by MDG123 on 24/09/2016
Our 18 year old son undertook a 6 month programme with Sport Lived, playing rugby in Brisbane, Australia. The whole programme from start to finish, was very professionally organised. In the run up to his departure, his Sport Lived account regularly prompted him to do all the things he needed to do, such as getting a visa, organising and communicating his travel plans, unlocking his mobile phone ready for use in Australia and even de-registering from the RFU and registering with the ARFU. In addition Sport Lived’s friendly UK based staff were always available to answer any queries and provide advice In Australia, Sport Lived provided a mentor who met my son when he arrived, ferried him to his accommodation and helped with things like setting up a bank account and getting a travel card to give access all forms of local public transport. The mentor was also on hand throughout my son’s stay to answer any queries and generally to provide support and assistance when needed. My son’s Sport Lived programme in Australia was first class. It included, not only attendance at the University of Queensland (UQ) Rugby Academy and playing for UQ at weekends, but also numerous social activities. These included national and international sporting events (not just rugby!!), surfing on the Gold Coast, the Story Bridge Climb and visits to attractions like Australia Zoo My wife and I were fortunate enough to be able to visit my son while he was on his programme and we saw first-hand what a great time he was having. Based on all aspects of our experience, I would not hesitate to recommend a Sporting Gap Year with Sport Lived.
Written on: 26/09/2016
Hi
Thanks a lot for writing a review.
I’m really pleased to hear that your son enjoyed his Sport Lived programme in Australia.
It’s also great that your wife & you were able to visit him in Australia where you could meet our staff & see what his programme was like on the ground in Brisbane.
I hope your son’s rugby continues to flourish over the next few years.
Very best wishes
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Sportlived's Comment
Written on: 03/08/2017
Hi
I am extremely sorry that you were disappointed with your football coaching programme in Brisbane from April – June 2016. I set up Sport Lived to help young people to have a fantastic time playing and coaching sport overseas and I apologise if this was not your experience in Brisbane.
I wanted to address a couple of points from your review:
i. Playing & Coaching Sport
We offer playing programmes on our website and we offer coaching programmes on our website. We offer them as separate programmes because it can be difficult for people to combine coaching sport and playing sport overseas. For example, you booked a football coaching programme in Brisbane which required you to coach on weekday afternoons and on a Saturdays when your team had matches. This would make it difficult for you to play football with a club who play their matches on a Saturday.
ii. Customer Invoice
When a person books a Sport Lived programme, we issue every customer with a Confirmation Invoice. The Confirmation Invoice details every item that is included in the price of the Sport Lived programme. We issue the Confirmation Invoice to provide customers with clarity on what is and is not included in the price of their Sport Lived programme. In your case it would have specified that we would arrange a paid football coaching placement, not membership to a football club.
I apologise if there was any miscommunication when you spoke to Sport Lived staff in the UK regarding coaching and playing football in Brisbane.
iii. Social Events
I am sorry that you were disappointed regarding the social events that we organised for you in Brisbane. We do offer a range of events throughout the season, but not all of them can appeal to every customer.
iv. Travel Pass
A number of customers who I spoke to last year raised this issue. We provide customers with an introductory travel pass. All customers who have undertaken Sport Lived programmes since September 2016 should have received a travel pass with sufficient credit to cover their travel costs for the first month of their programme.
v. Staff Support
It is disappointing to hear that you did not find our staff in Brisbane helpful. We use feedback forms at 4 weeks and at the end of the programme to get an insight into the programmes from the customer’s perspective. I know from receiving the feedback forms that we have received high feedback scores for staff support from customers who have undertaken programmes in Brisbane in 2016/17. I apologise if this was not your experience in Brisbane.
Thank you for undertaking a Sport Lived programme. I’m sorry if it did not live up to your expectations and I wish you all the best for the future.
Kind regards
Ian Dodd
Director
Sport Lived Limited