Sabrina Oostburg's Inside Look at the 2024 Olympics

Sport administration major gains exclusive Olympics experience

As a junior sport administration major and Division I athlete on Belmont’s track and field team, Sabrina Oostburg has already gained impressive experience in the sports industry. This summer, Sabrina traveled to Paris, France to work at the 2024 Olympic Games through an international sport business program. 

Oostburg was selected out of over 1,000 applicants to participate in the program, which aimed to provide students interested in sports careers with hands-on experience. For two weeks in July and August, she got an insider's look at the behind-the-scenes operations of the Olympics. 

"It made me realize that there's so many aspects to sports, not just competing like I currently do. There’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes that I didn’t realize,” Oostburg said. "The Olympics is end-goal for someone like me. Getting to be part of it helped me feel like I can aim higher." 

At the Olympic High Performance Center where the athletes go to train, recover and eat, Oostburg assisted athletes and staff from a variety of Team USA teams, including track and field, rugby, artistic swimming, weightlifting, fencing and volleyball. Her tasks ranged from helping in the dining area, observing training sessions and providing general support to the athletes and staff. “Whatever the athletes or staff needed, I was there to assist.” 

Oostburg explained more about the layout of the Team USA House where the Olympians and their families gathered to watch the games. “It was an incredible experience watching the Olympics with the support of the U.S. in the heart of Paris. To see athletes compete on the screen then come by the house in the afternoon was surreal,” Sabrina recalled. “I was at the house the day after the opening ceremony and watched as Cook and Bacon won the first medals for Team USA. Both ladies came by the house into the arms of their big support group, all wearing white t-shirts with their faces on them, and were recognized on stage later in the day.” 

However, one of her most memorable experiences was watching some of the teams practice, especially the track and field throwers. As a Division I thrower herself, Oostburg was in awe watching Olympic medalists like Valarie Allman and Deanna Price – athletes she looks up to in her own sport. 

"It was a hot day, and they invited me with them under their tent to sit with them," she recalled. "I was able to chat with them both for a bit before they resumed their workouts and practice. Vallerie went on to win a gold medal in the discus throw about a week after our interaction. She is the first U.S. thrower to win back-to-back gold medals in a field event." 

Beyond her work at the Olympic venues, Oostburg also had the opportunity to explore Paris and attend Olympic events like men's water polo and women's rugby. She documented her entire experience through a video series called "Olympics with Sabrina" that she shared on her social media channels, including a special video in collaboration with Belmont’s account and video journals of some of her favorite days like Day 6 and Day 9. 

“Paris was an incredible experience that I will always remember,” she reminisced. “To meeting Olympians, to networking with incredible people, to exploring the city of Paris during the Olympics, I am grateful for this wonderful experience.” 

Oostburg’s Olympic adventure was a highlight of the many opportunities she’s had after transferring to Belmont and starting in the University’s robust sport administration program, which provides students with numerous experiential learning opportunities. 

"When I looked at Belmont, I saw they had seven different majors that could revolve around sports. I was so excited about the options to choose from. But I’m very interested in the business side of sports, so I landed on sport administration,” she explained. “So far the professors I’ve met through the program and the opportunities they’ve provided me have been a great experience.”  

For example, last summer, Associate Professor and Department Chair Ted Peetz shared a posting about a NASCAR volunteering opportunity, which led Oostburg to work with NASCAR and meet the NASCAR series host whom she later reconnected with in Paris.  

Because of the career fair the sport administration program put on, she landed her first internship at a company called Athlete Licensing Company which works in the name, image and likeness (NIL) space. With that experience, she founded her own company, NIL Roadmap, helping high school student athletes learn to navigate NIL opportunities.  

Furthermore, Belmont’s location in the heart of Nashville, with its many sports teams, was a big factor in her decision-making process. Oostburg noted, "Knowing I wanted to go into sports, I saw it as a great career move to be surrounded by it." 

Now back at Belmont, Oostburg plans to continue balancing her roles as a Division I student-athlete, sport business student and budding entrepreneur. Her Olympic experience has only reinforced her passion for the sports industry and the many diverse paths it can offer. “The Olympics experience informed both of my paths – I hope to continue with my business pursuits while also striving for more in my athletics journey.” 

For other students interested in similar opportunities, Oostburg advises making as many connections as possible, whether in person with professors, classmates or professionals, or via LinkedIn. “Networking is the foundation of sports,” she advised. “All of my opportunities have come through these connections. And now I can add the Olympics to my resume.”