Adelaide United’s Katie Bowler caught up with pfa.net.au to discuss her studies, her interests in environmental finance and how the extra financial support through the PFA Education Grants has been beneficial for her.
Learn more about PFA Education Grants here.
Q: Katie, tell us a little about your course?
KB: “I’m studying finance and currently doing an honours degree. I graduated with my undergrad last year and I’m now doing my honours where we write a thesis. It’s only one year, it’s not quite a PhD level, but my focus is environmental finance. I’m looking at the overlap between the two (environment and finance) and my research I am doing is specifically in the carbon markets and looking at valuation within those markets.”
Q: Tell us a little bit about environmental finance? What is it?
KB: “It’s something that’s been upcoming a lot more in recent years, a lot of ESD (environmentally sustainable design) focused in academia, but it’s essentially just looking at specific markets that can relate to sustainable projects. Carbon markets are a way that governments are trying to control the emissions within their region, then that’s a specific market that then ties to that.
“The area is quite broad, though. There’s like a lot of different things you can explore in environmental finance. I know there’s a lot to do with greenwashing, so it’s looking at corporations and how the reporting they do and showing they’re actually reflecting their emissions. There’s multiple ways you can look into the environmental and finance overlap.”
Q: Has finance and sustainability been something you’ve always been interested in?
KB: “I’ve always been huge into sustainability. That’s something I’ve always felt very strongly about. Initially I wasn’t interested in finance at all in high school. It wasn’t even something that popped up to me, but it was actually my best friend that suggested that I go into it.
“I studied an advanced economics degree, and the only subject I enjoyed were the finance subjects, so I thought ‘okay, maybe I’ll swap!’.
“I moved after six months to do a finance course and then I just found that I loved the course I was doing and then when there was a chance to combine finance with the kind of ethical considerations as well as sustainability, I was quite excited because I didn’t realise it was actually an option at the time to look at both.”
Q: Tell us about the importance of interests outside of football
KB: “For myself, it’s been huge. My entire mood isn’t dependent on training and performance.
“You’ve got something else that you’re focused on that you can get achievements from, like graduating, or a huge milestone that is not football-related.
“It’s really important for me at least to have those other things outside of football, so if football is not going as well, you’ve got other things to focus on and spend your attention. But it also just means that when I’m in football, I’m really just fully immersed in it and then I’ve got the time where I can step away and I’ve actually got something else to distract myself with and focus on instead.”
Q: How have you gone balancing football and studies?
KB: “Sometimes it can be difficult. There are challenges with it when you have exams coming up.
“There was one game where we played in Brisbane and I was meant to have an exam at 9am in Adelaide the next day. I played and I had to apply for multiple exemptions to be able to get it moved to 1pm and so we played [the game] and I reckon I had one hour sleep, because after games I can’t sleep.
“Then at 4am I had to wake up, leave the hotel, go straight to Brisbane from Adelaide. I just sat that exam on complete adrenaline…
“There have been times when it’s being challenging. But I think most footballers, especially once you played in high school, you get quite used to balancing other commitments as well. For me, it’s something I’m very used to, although there are still challenges that can arise from balancing both.”
Q: How has the PFA Education Grant helped you?
KB: “I used it while at Adelaide and I was doing my studies. It’s definitely been so helpful.
“My laptop gave in last year and just having the grant was like ‘perfect, I can get a necessity’ that I needed to support with my studies. Otherwise I would probably be a bit more hesitant to purchase it. It’s definitely come as a massive life saver a couple times throughout the past few years!”
Featured image: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo
About PFA Education Grants
The PFA recognises the importance of education and supports players’ endeavours in this area by providing financial assistance via PFA Education Grants. Players can apply annually by outlining how the study relates to their career plan.
To apply for an education grant contact, PFA members can reach out to their Player Development Manager.
About Our Greener Pitch
The PFA launched ‘Our Greener Pitch’ in April 2021, which aims to encourage players, clubs and the football community to take individual and collective action to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The cornerstone of the policy is a commitment to reducing and offsetting the organisation’s carbon emissions.
Find out more about Our Greener Pitch here.
