Micaela, who was the Loughborough University London’s Sport Student Ambassador for the 24/25 academic year has been an active member of Pantheon Volleyball Club, an amateur sports club that boasts both men’s and women’s teams. We caught up with Micaela, who was enjoying some time off after submitting her dissertation, and asked her about the experience!

When did you start playing volleyball? 

I started playing volleyball in 2011 when I was only 11 years old! I was always among the tallest girls in my school, and volleyball is a very big sport in Peru, where I’m from, so I decided to give it a try and immediately fell in love with it. 

I then went on to play competitively for a club in Lima throughout university, and I’ve been playing club volleyball in London for the past two seasons. I’d say the best thing about volleyball is playing in a team. I’ve met some of my closest friends through volleyball and can say that the impact of the people you share a court with extends far beyond that. 

What other sports apart from volleyball are you a fan of? 

I will watch almost any sport as long as I can understand how it works, and especially if it’s women’s sport. 

I’m generally a big fan of team sports, having grown up watching the NBA with my dad and brother, and every football World Cup. 

The Olympic Games have always been my favourite to watch because of the number of options available, and when they’re on, I watch a lot of diving, swimming, and athletics. Recently, I’ve been watching a lot of women’s football, following both the Lionesses and Arsenal! 

Tell us about your involvement with a volleyball team here in London? 

Pantheon Volleyball Club was founded in 2023 as a student-led club that provides coaching sessions, open-format games, world-class clinics, and tournaments. I’ve been working closely with them since early 2025, organising and delivering their summer tournaments. 

As the Pantheon community keeps growing, we wanted to create a competitive section of the club earlier this year and now have a women’s and men’s team registered in the London Volleyball League. We will be debuting this season and are looking forward to the next few months full of volleyball action! 

What were some of the challenges you faced setting up the summer tournaments and competitive teams?  

Thankfully, the set-up process has been running quite smoothly, so the biggest challenge during the initial stages was getting used to working with a new team behind the scenes, understanding their styles and processes, and adapting to make sure we were working together as best as possible. Maintaining clear communication between us has been one of the hardest things to manage, but as we continue working together throughout the season, we are getting better at it! 

What do you find most rewarding? 

The highlight of setting up the Pantheon competitive teams has been seeing the final product that we’ve been working towards for months. Seeing our idea grow into a real club, that is now competing and wearing our club colours, has been super rewarding, and being part of the team has been the cherry on top. 

Getting to reconnect with past teammates has also been amazing, even more so in this specific club, where we constantly strive to create a space where players feel welcome and that they belong. 

Tell us a bit about your time at Loughborough University London  

I studied MSc Sport Business and Innovation, and during my time here was the Sport Student Ambassador. I worked closely with the student experience team to deliver sport-related events for students around campus. We hosted a range of events, from sport quizzes, futsal and basketball tournaments to networking events.

My favourite event would have to be the International Women’s Day Insights and Networking Evening with ISB Alumni, where we got to hear about their experiences working in a male-dominated industry. The Sport Student Ambassador role was a highlight of my time here and I would recommend it to anyone interested in sport events! 

Micaela also wrote a blog about her experiences being the Sport Student Ambassador that you can find here.

What would be a dream career move after your studies?  

I would love to work in the sport events space, either in the organisation, planning and/or delivery of them. A personal goal would be to work in a mega-event like the Olympic Games or the football World Cup.

The industry exposure and networking opportunities that I have been able to access during my time at Loughborough University London have helped me a lot in getting started on my trajectory to achieving my professional goals.