The Sea Eagles Sports Business Academy is officially up and running at the club’s Penn Centre of Excellence at Brookvale.
An exciting partnership with TAFE Queensland, the Sea Eagles Sports Business Academy will deliver a 12-month course providing students with a dual Diploma of Sport and Diploma of Leadership Management.
The first intake of 23 students were welcomed to the club this week by Sea Eagles CEO Tony Mestrov.
This is the start of special journey for this group of students and it’s also a historic day for the club
Tony Mestrov Sea Eagles CEO
“A lot of work has been done to make our Sports Business Academy a reality, and I want to thank TAFE Queensland for partnering with us to make it happen.
“It’s an exciting initiative and we welcome our first group of students with open arms.”
Students will complete 100 hours of work integrated learning across various club departments, including management, marketing, and media. Upon course completion, two students will be offered a full-time employment role at the Sea Eagles.
In addition, the program offers graduates a direct path into a range of university options for those who may wish to continue their studies.
While most students in the first intake are from Sydney, others have come from far and wide to form the Class of ’25.
“Most share a strong connection by virtue of being a Manly fan but they are all from very different walks of life,” explains Tim Gee, Sea Eagles Head of Education & Foundation.
“We have one student from Tasmania, another from Dubbo, a few from the Central Coast, and of course quite a few locals from the northern beaches.”
Sea Eagles ‘tragic’ Nathan jumped at the opportunity to further his education with the club that he has supported from an early age.
The 21-year-old from West Ryde says the very moment he became aware of Sea Eagles Sports Business Academy, he wanted to be a part of it.
“I got an email from the club about this opportunity, and I had to jump at it,” he said.
It’s a great idea to have young people come and study with the club, to get hands-on experience, with a view to entering the sports industry.
Nathan Sea Eagles SBA student
“The Sea Eagles are such a big passion of mine so this is going to be a great experience and wonderful opportunity for me.
Students will be ‘on campus’ overlooking 4 Pines Park on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with online learning on Fridays between now and their graduation in June 2026.
A further 30 prospective students have been interviewed and pre-approved for the next intake in January 2026.
