Kristy Havill Continues to Lead the Charge for Young Women in Sport

Sitting under an umbrella at a quaint restaurant beside the sea on the tiny Italian island of Procida and enjoying a rare day-off after working tirelessly for three weeks, Kristy Havill found some time to sit down and tell us a little bit about her internship experience with FISU at the Napoli 2019 World University Games.

Last June, Havill attended the Volunteer Leaders’ Academy in Kazan, Russia on behalf of UTSNZ. Student representatives were told that at the end of the conference, the top ten volunteers would be offered an internship opportunity with FISU. Thinking back on her time in Russia, Havill recalls “throughout the conference we were marked on a variety of things like attendance to lectures, participation, and other bits-and-bobs. We didn’t know how we were getting marked or who was doing it but at the closing ceremony of the conference it was announced who the top ten were, and that was quite a shock.” Havill had been ranked sixth, securing her place in the Sport Management Centre Office at the 2019 Summer Universiade. 

With a grin, Havill explained that her job at the World University Games is “basically waiting for things to go wrong. We’re waiting for the phone to ring or emails to come through that will describe any issues that are going on in the sports. So that could be about the venues, transportation, or it could be lost equipment, and then it’s our job to liaise with the appropriate parties to try find a solution to make sure everyone is informed about problem.”

Though not a job for everyone, Havill’s easy-going Kiwi attitude, boisterous laugh and ‘she’ll-be-right’ attitude stands in stark contrast to the often frantic work that sport events management presents. With the way she talks about her experiences, you can tell Havill does nothing without a healthy dose of passion. Growing up to become a world-class clay-target shooter, sport has been a constant in her life. “I’ve always wanted to work in the sport sector. Sport [has] always been my number one passion growing up. There’s no other option for me really! I love it and [I’m] really looking forward to seeing what other options are out there.”

At just 22, Havill is already blazing an impressive trail for women in the sport sector. Having graduated this past May with a degree in Sport and Recreation Management from Lincoln University, she has already found her place working with some of the top sport event organisers in the world. As we wrapped up our conversation looking out over the Gulf of Naples, we asked if Kristy had any advice for other women in the sport sector. “Keep believing in what you’re doing. The world is getting better and better every day at breaking down barriers. We just have to keep pushing and keep fighting for what we believe in.” And with her typical charm and positivity, she adds “And keep up the good work!”