When Eleanor Dobson studied the LLM International Sports Law in Practice she had the chance to complete a placement at sports agency ProSport International in South Africa.

'It was an opportunity that I could not turn down. I was excited by the challenge of working in a country that I had never visited previously and working with a leading sports management company.

'On a day-to-day basis I was reviewing players’ service agreements. I also created a document so the agency can record what players are signed with them and keep a record of their current contracts and commissions.

'A project I assisted with was the development of a Rugby League training camp, which is a sports tour package managed by the agency. The Rugby League sports tour offers teams the opportunity to train in various locations across South Africa as well as giving them a fantastic cultural experience. 

'The highlight of my time on placement was attending the Greyville Racecourse for a horse racing event. I was honoured to be asked to represent the agency and to meet the event organisers, sport agents and chairmen/women of the racecourse. 

'The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park safari trip was the highlight of my leisure time in South Africa. It was amazing to see elephants, giraffes and rhinos in their natural environment.

'One of the biggest things I took away from my time on placement is the importance of building strong working relationships with people within the sporting field. It really is like a community and the more working relationships you have, and the more work you put in, the more opportunities seem to present themselves.'