Dom Seed

Dom Seed

Dom spent his placement working with Crystal Palace FC, whetting his appetite for a career within an elite sport environment.

Tell us about your placement.

What was your role?

My role at Crystal Palace was to support the analysis department within the academy. This involves recording and live coding matches from the U9s through to the U13s; assisting the three master’s students with analysis responsibilities for their assigned Youth Development Phase teams: U14, U15, U16; carrying out opposition analysis reports for U21; completing pre and post-match presentations for academy teams; recording training sessions and helping occasionally in drills when required. 

What does a typical day or week look like?

A typical weekday starts with breakfast in the canteen, my go to is scrambled eggs, avocado and beans on toast. We then head into the office and start work on whatever needs carrying out (normally an U21 opposition analysis report or post-match presentations and any remaining coding from weekend fixtures). Following this, we set up cameras for training around mid-morning and stay out to watch a bit of this. We then grab lunch in the canteen (normally the option of chicken or salmon) before continuing with more coding or creating Foundation Phase elite clip example videos based on their weekly syllabus before signing out and driving home.

What is it like working in a Premier League football environment?

It’s really interesting and inspiring working in a Premier League football club environment from both a professional and football fan point of view. It has been interesting to understand what goes on behind the scenes and the work that players and staff put in on a daily basis to ensure that, as a club, Crystal Palace can excel both on and off the pitch. It is also quite surreal to work with and be surrounded by some ex-professionals in the office as well as meeting current first team players. The state of the art facilities are also a massive plus!

Can you walk us through a specific task or project you’ve worked on?

So I have worked on multiple opposition reports for the U21s. This involves doing background research on individual players, including details such as their transfer history, as well as researching the last few matches to draw up team sheets and create visuals showing tactical formations and set ups in and out of possession and at different stages (such as AP1 – attacking phase 1) before collating all of this into a presentation for the U21 coaching staff and players. I particularly enjoyed doing this for Premier League International Cup matches, such as Valencia Mestalla, Juventus and Real Sociedad B.

What tools, data, or equipment do you use in your work?

We use different software and systems to record and analyse training and matches such as Hudl, Bepro, Veo. We use camera equipment such as tripods, go pros and Bepro/Veo cameras. Most of our work is done on the laptop though! 

How involved are you in training sessions, performance analysis, or matchday work?

We have been quite flexible this year, moving around teams. This has meant we have dipped in and out of different age group training sessions, helping feed balls where required. In terms of PA work, we have carried out work for all age group through the academy, some more than others. This has included opposition analysis for the U21s, coding for the U9-U13, pre and post-match presentations for the U13, preparing release clips for the U9 through to the U21s. 

What skills have you developed the most during your placement?

My technical abilities in video editing and match coding have improved massively. Alongside this, my communication skills have really developed, particularly in learning how to present complex tactical information visually. Working in such a dynamic environment has also forced me to step out of my comfort zone, helping me build good rapports with lots of different people, from academy prospects to senior coaching staff. Furthermore, balancing this demanding role with my university studies has perfected my time management and overall professional confidence.

What has been the most challenging part of the placement, and how have you adapted?

  • Like I previously mentioned, the hardest part for me has been balancing the workload from the placement with my final year studies. I have adapted by prioritising work of the highest importance and by keeping myself organised throughout the year.

    • How has this experience shaped your career goals after graduation?

    This experience has definitely whetted my appetite for a career within an elite sport environment!

    What would you say to a student considering an industry placement in sport and exercise science?

    I would say do it! Take any opportunity you can get. Nothing beats being able to apply what you have learned in a practical setting and can really help to broaden your understanding and knowledge within the specific field – knowledge is power! Also, the opportunity to network and make contacts within the industry is invaluable.