Raise Your Game: What is your job?

Keira Evans-Determan: I work for the Cardiff Devils as the Marketing Communications Executive. My job includes everything from hospitality to player event management, and pushing PR through other sports and media. You name it, we do it!

RYG: How did you first get involved in this type of work?

KED: I originally started by doing work experience during the 2008/09 season. I worked in the bars in the hospitality lounges on game nights and then I progressed. I was working towards my masters degree at the time and I'm currently halfway through my degree so it's worked out in my favour. I got the ball rolling!

RYG: Is ice hockey a passion of yours?

KED: I love ice hockey! It's my favourite sport! It's such a fast-paced, strategic game and the atmosphere is amazing. The fans make it real and I love everything about it. It's a lot of fun and it's great to watch.

RYG: As a female in a male dominated sport, can it be difficult to get into this type of work?

KED: When I first started I was the only female in the office, but I think as long as you work hard and prove yourself it'll be fine. You just have to make sure that you put the effort in, show them who you are and show them that you can communicate well.

I'd say it's a fifty-fifty sport now with men and women coming to the games. The atmosphere here is very open and we see females down at the ice rink boards shouting at the players and wanting to get right in there with the rest of them. It's been slow progress, but it has definitely opened up.

RYG: How important is the ability to communicate well in a role like this?

KED: It's absolutely vital. Communication is everything that we do. You have to be able to relate to people and communicate your thoughts and your strategies very well. From keeping sponsors on board to bringing in new people, you've got to get that marketing line right because if people aren't buying into it, then you've got to be able to change it. You've got to be able to communicate in the right way to get people's interest and to have that relationship balance as well.

RYG: Can you describe a typical working day?

KED: My days are varied. For example, we might have a game mid-week so my day could include anything from office based work to doing some direct marketing and working with the media and the players. We also arrange weekly player promotions so it's organising those and staying in touch with the players to make sure they're here on time and that we're here on time too. There's a lot of event management as well as organising hospitality on game nights. We also have to make sure that we plan and budget things very well.

RYG: What do you need to do in order to be successful in a job like this?

KED: At first I found the role quite overwhelming because the job is not a normal nine-to-five job. In the sports industry you've got to be willing to go that extra mile and work hard. You've really got to make sure you follow through with things because you don't want to disappoint people and you need to keep good relationships with everyone from the fans to the sponsors as well as your colleagues.

RYG: How important is it to be able to work well as part of a team?

KED: Things could fall apart at crucial moments if one of the team doesn't follow through with something or doesn't work well with others. A breakdown of communication could mean that something doesn't get published on time or the wrong date might get sent out to the press. It's quite demanding and can be a stressful job so we need to be able to rely on each other at all times to help each other out.

RYG: How do you deal with the pressure of the job?

KED: (laughs) I scream into my pillow at night! I'm just kidding! It's about learning to manage your lifestyle and learning how to manage your home life as well as your work life. As long as you're smart and tactful about it it'll be alright. My love for the game, the sport and the job wins every time.

RYG: What are the highlights of a job like this?

KED: There are a lot of highlights and you get to meet some awesome people too! You get to do interviews with Public Relations (PR) and press people and you can even get tickets to other sporting events. Personally, I love meeting the fans because they're what make this at the end of the day and their atmosphere and their buzz brings so much to us and our community.

RYG: Is it important for young people to be involved in sport?

KED: I think sport is really important. It's a fundamental aspect in keeping kids healthy, keeping kids motivated and learning how to communicate well within a team environment and with each other. Ice hockey is exhilarating, it's fast-paced and it's strategic and you can learn a lot from being able to identify different things within a group or a team. That can apply to other things in life as well as your job, school and your friends.

RYG: What would be your advice to anybody looking to follow in your footsteps?

KED: Work hard. You need to be a very self-motivated person. Work experience is very important, especially in the current climate. You need to be able to differentiate yourself and communication is absolutely vital. If someone likes you and you can get on with people, that's going to help you go a lot further at the end of the day. It's making sure that you can be personable and relate to people as well.