The Hundred Rising is a programme of exciting opportunities to work on The Hundred, offering up-and-coming talent a platform to showcase their skills and gain valuable experience.

With recruitment now open for this summer’s must-see sport and entertainment event, we sat down with four of the Rising stars from last year’s programme to understand how the opportunity has catapulted their careers and capture hot tips for this year’s cohort:

• Cassie Coombes - Rising Content Creator for the Southern Brave women’s team. Cassie is currently working at digital agency LiveWire Sport, working across World Rugby and FIFPRO.
• Omah Howard - Rising Host at the Kia Oval for Oval Invincibles. Omah has gone on to present on ESPN, as well as provide football updates for Live Score.
• Elizabeth Conway - Rising Host at Edgbaston for Birmingham Phoenix. Since last year’s competition, Elizabeth has been a Content Creator for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. She is now working full-time as a journalist at BBC Sport.
• Aadam Patel - Rising Reporter for Northern Superchargers. Aadam now works full-time within the sports media industry with a focused ambition to serve underrepresented audiences within the sporting world.

What did you love most about working on The Hundred?

EC: It was particularly special for me, as a female presenter, to see how much attention and spotlight women’s cricket received as a result of The Hundred.

CC: I agree! I have a passion for women’s sport, so I completely agree about the attention and spotlight on the women’s game. The competition was just so new and exciting, I loved seeing how the players and fans took to it so quickly.

AP: I just loved the freedom of pitching ideas for stories. Having the responsibility of finding a story or narrative from a match and then turning that into a published written piece allowed me to express myself through my writing.

OH: Where do I start?! Working alongside experienced industry people and talent gave my presenting skills an acceleration of growth that I’m not sure I would have otherwise had.  

What was great about your Rising role specifically? Did you have a ‘pinch yourself’ moment?

CC: As a content creator embedded within the Southern Brave team, there were a lot of ‘pinch yourself’ moments. My highlight was getting to join in with training and bowl in the nets to the likes of Danni Wyatt and Smriti Mandhana. Being part of the team celebrations after games also provided some surreal moments.

AP: Getting to interview and chat to players, coaches, commentators and spectators across the country was so much fun. My favourite ‘pinch yourself’ moment was sharing a lift with Nasser Hussain and picking his brains about the new format.

EC: For me, it was meeting the spectators. I loved meeting all the young fans, getting them involved in fun dances, games and chants – you could tell they were all loving it and thriving from the energy around them!

OH: I remember roaming round the Kia Oval and speaking to a little girl, who was around seven years old. She sang on the big screen and around 15,000 fans gave her a standing ovation - memories like that shape you for life and is a firm reminder as to why I do (and love) what I do.

How has The Hundred Rising programme helped you in your career?

EC: Being part of The Hundred Rising has totally transformed my career! Presenting in front of thousands of people gave me so much confidence and the belief that I could actually achieve my dream of being a sports presenter. I felt so welcome, valued and a fully integrated member of the team. They were so supportive and really got the best out of me through their encouragement. After the competition, I created a showreel full of my best presenting moments, which I have since used in interviews.  

CC: The programme has definitely given me the tools and knowledge to work within the sports industry. In my current role, relationship building is key and it’s a skill that I developed as a Rising Content Creator at The Hundred – the ability to quickly build new relationships with players and staff in order to curate the best possible content.

OH: Agreed – networking through The Hundred Rising gave me the resources to be able to do the role that I do now, and love.

AP: It was an unreal experience that opened so many doors to the world of media. I always believed I could work in sports journalism, but having the responsibility and backing of The Hundred confirmed it. I got that raw, first-hand experience and a foundation to start from. Since being part of the programme, I have done cricket-related work for a range of established outlets like The Cricketer, ESPN Cricinfo, BBC Sport, The Daily Mail and The Sunday Times, covering various series and tournaments, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

What advice / help were you given at The Hundred?

CC: So much! There was always someone on hand to give me advice and support on how to capture content throughout the competition. Being part of such a big event, I was exposed to a wide variety of people, which allowed me to learn new things and understand the different roles required to deliver a major sporting event such as The Hundred.

EC: Progress Productions were very supportive and gave me lots of advice on how to stay calm, how to best use the in-ears and the microphone, what fan interactions worked well and how I could improve my presenting. As the competition went on, I got more confident and became a better presenter. We had lots of rehearsal time, as well as some training days in London where we met the other Rising Hosts. I also learnt a lot from my main host, Qasa Alom, who is already established in the industry. It was great to chat to him about his career and gain an insight as to where I could go next.

OH: I also found myself constantly absorbing information and advice from other hosts. Those invaluable conversations without a doubt confirmed that this is what I want to do.

AP: I was supported throughout by The Hundred’s comms team, as well as well as other industry professionals, who I'd met in the press box or around the venues.

Finally, what’s your advice for those considering applying for a position in The Hundred Rising this year?

AP: Go for it! You’ll have an unforgettable month making friends and connections for life. Give yourself that chance to make a name for yourself. That’s the absolute least you can do!

CC: Without a doubt, apply. Not only was it an amazing opportunity to kickstart my career in the sports industry, but the experience has helped my personal development. I would 100% recommend it to anyone.

OH: Going to work has never been so fun. Not only will you go to sleep with a smile on your face, but you'll put one on other peoples’. Just make sure you remain authentic, be yourself and be unique. But most of all, enjoy it!

EC: I agree with everyone - if you're thinking about signing up, just do it! You will have a brilliant summer meeting new people, networking, and seeing if this is a career route you want to pursue. It’s such a fun event to be part of and I've made some brilliant friends and contacts throughout the process. You will not regret it.

The Hundred Rising returns this year, with 32 paid positions available as a Rising Host, Rising Reporter or Rising Content Creator. Head to www.thehundred.com/rising to find out more about the programme and how to apply to be part of this year’s The Hundred Rising.