On the air…with Sports Journalism student, Will Oelrich

There’s no sign of radio silence for one University of Northampton (UON) student, who has launched a new weekly sports show with UON-affiliated radio station, NLive.

Will Oelrich, who is studying Sports Journalism at the University, spotted a gap in the broadcasting waves at NLive for a local sports show and, alongside a team of 12 students, went live with the show earlier this month.

As Production Manager, Will presents his weekly programme on Thursday evenings (6-8pm) dedicated to all things Cobblers, Saints and other local and community sports, as well as discussing national sports stories and producing in-depth documentaries on subjects including mental health in football.

Will said: “I really love what I do. Talking about football and local sports is second nature to me, and I’m working hard to pursue this as my future career.

“The show is entirely run by students, and it feature stories we’re interested in hearing about. Some of the shows are created from projects we’ve completed as part of our university studies, which gives everyone a valuable opportunity to get stuck in and be part of building the final, live show.

“I’m proud of everything we have achieved on this show so far, and it’s really encouraging to see fresh faces from my course already showing an interest in supporting the show and keeping it going beyond the next year.”

After placing top three in BBC Sounds Rising Star 16-18, Will has been fine tuning his experience in Sports Journalism ahead of launching full-time into the professional world after completing his third-year of study.

Having secured a series of work experience opportunities with regional broadcast media, including BBC Radio Northampton and ITV Anglia, Will has focused on expanding his experience in journalism. He continues to work freelance at BBC Radio Northampton alongside his studies, and has secured a fixed role working for Northampton Town Football Club (NTFC) thanks to support from the University of Northampton’s Student Futures team.

For those interested in pursuing a career in Sports Journalism, Will adds: “My advice to current and prospective students would be to grasp every opportunity you can to expand your experience, and build a wide network of connections.

“I’ve been lucky enough to gain experience across the board of journalism, from stepping in to produce daytime shows to presenting my own show with a team of 12, but this didn’t come without working hard to find these opportunities.

“Personally, I spent some time working in retail to support a voluntary position with a local sports team – which is now a job which now pays me a regular salary and is a huge step in the right direction towards achieving what I want to achieve.

“Having a clear vision and future goal is hugely important in spurring me on to work hard, make contacts, get as much experience as I can and get my foot in the door.”

Tune into ‘The Sports Show’ every Thursday, 6-8pm to catch-up on the latest local sports news.

Find out more about studying Multimedia Sports Journalism at the University of Northampton.