First-year Sport Analysis student looking to build experience — what would you do?
I'm a first-year student in Sport Analysis & Technology in Morocco, with a strong interest in football analysis.
I have around 3 years ahead of me before graduation, and my long-term goal is to be able to continue my studies or find work/internships in Europe.
I don't want to wait until graduation to start building my profile. I want to use my university years to develop real skills and, more importantly, get actual experience.
I currently have a 30-day period before university starts, and I'm willing to travel within Morocco if there's a worthwhile opportunity.
For people already working/studying in sport or football analysis:
What skills would you prioritize if you were starting again?
What kind of projects actually helped you get noticed?
How did you get your first real experience?
Is it worth approaching academies/clubs directly, even as a beginner?
What would make a student from Morocco more competitive when applying to European programs/internships?
What mistakes should I avoid during my first few years?
I'm particularly interested in football analytics, data analysis, scouting and performance analysis.
I'm not looking for a shortcut — I want to know what I should realistically start doing now.
Any advice from people who have actually gone through this would be greatly appreciated.