# @sportsgrad on YouTube

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://youtube.com/watch?v=8WAC1qOTRfQ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/67992516-sportsgrad-youtube
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/a746d7f35a.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-12T09:00:01.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** SportsGrad (@sportsgrad) — https://gondola.cc/sportsgrad

## Caption

Meet Neha Kumar, Brand and Design Lead at Queensland Rugby Union (Queensland Reds).

Neha's career started out in retail and moved into marketing before she landed her first full-time role as social media lead at GIVIT, a Brisbane-based not-for-profit, where she taught herself graphic design, photography and videography on the job and even got to create content for a royal visit from Queen Camilla.

Around the same time, she started WatchHerFooty, a passion project covering the NRLW that's now grown to 22,000+ followers and put her on TV, on radio, and on the Female Athlete Project stage. That page changed everything. It sharpened what she wanted, and when a role opened at the Reds, she backed herself despite never formally studying design and getting knocked back by the Brisbane Lions first. 

She's since gone from Design & Communications Coordinator to Brand and Design Lead, run game-day production at Suncorp, MC'd in front of 30,000 people, toured Fiji with the men's team, and been named #12 on Ministry for Sport's Young Guns Under 30. 

In this episode, Neha shares how she turned a passion project into a role at the Queensland Reds, why backing yourself beats waiting until your CV feels "ready," and the pinch-me Fiji moment she never thought she'd get.

We cover:

(03:01) - Interview begins

(05:13) - Quick Fire Questions

(08:59) - Neha's journey to working in sport and how WatchHerFooty came to life

(13:21) - How Neha balances time between her full-time role and WatchHerFooty 

(16:00) - Collaborations Neha has worked on through WatchHerFooty

(18:17) - What is WatchHerFooty's most viral video

(20:34) - Neha's experience with The Daily Aus x Nike Mentorship program

(24:02) - Neha's work with GIVIT 

(30:44) - Neha's transferable skills helped land her role with the Queensland Reds 

(32:49) - How Neha's role has evolved since starting at the Reds

(38:30) - Neha's experience MCing a game day

(40:34) - Neha's experience on the international trip with the Queensland Reds to Fiji

(43:57) - Experience at Suncorp Stadium during the British & Irish Lions Tour

(45:28) - Neha on making the 'Young Guns under 30' List

(46:48) - Challenges in entering the sports industry

(48:33) - How Neha decided what career path to take when she felt lost for direction

(50:03) - What helped Neha stand out when she landed her role at the Qld Reds

(51:38) - Impact of mentors on Neha's career

(53:26) - How to land a job in sport media in the next 30 days

(57:03) - Biggest Pinch Me moment working in sport

(58:08) - What life would look like if not for a career in sport

(59:45) - What is a brand and sports partnership you'd like to see in the future

(01:00:55) - Neha's question for next guest

If you liked this ep, give these a go next:

#286: Inside the GWS Giants Social Media strategy with Jacob Gaynor https://youtu.be/lc-3K3b165Q

#347: Sport Marketing & Communications - How to work in AFL, NBA and Seven Sport with Anthony Alsop https://youtu.be/J6B22l2fw2w

#354: How building Kanga TV led to a PR & Comms job in sport, with Marnie Cohen (TGI Sport) https://youtu.be/OMwhWbKBVzQ

Thanks for listening, much love!

## Stats

- **Views:** 32
- **Likes:** 0
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## Tags

354, 12, 347, 286

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