“So, I hear you are standing for club president then?”
To Aonghus, it was a question that had come completely out of the blue — honestly, he hadn’t even considered it. Although, someone, had clearly been whispering in the background, planting the idea that he could be a good fit for the role.
When Aonghus Sellar walked into his university football club’s AGM a few days later, he had no intention of leaving with committee roles under his belt. However, the initial conversation had set the ball rolling, opening his mind to the possibility of taking on some club responsibility. By the end of the AGM, Aonghus was juggling two roles on the club’s board.
That small, almost accidental moment was the spark.
From there, Aonghus has continued to take on leadership roles in sport. Working his way up with Scottish Student Sport, from Student Representative to Vice Chair, and now Chair of the Scottish Student Football Development Group.
His confidence has grown because of these responsibilities, and he now represents Scotland on the BUCS Sports Advisory Group for football, where he ensures the Scottish student game has a voice in UK-wide decision-making around competition standards and rules. Aonghus also sits as the Sports Chair representative on the Scottish Student Sport Competitions Committee and community fundraiser for Movember - a cause he feels deeply connected to.
For Aonghus, leadership hasn’t been plain sailing, but rather a journey shaped by saying “yes” to opportunities and hoping to inspire others along the way.
Building on foundations
Sport has been part of Aonghus’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in Aberdeenshire, he spent the weekends playing football, with a short detour for a few years into rugby — following in the footsteps of his father, a volunteer coach.
Volunteering time to sport was not unusual for the family, with Aonghus’s Mum also volunteering within the Ellon Meadows football club. Playing a pivotal role within the club and helping to ensure the survival of the club at that time.
Rugby might have been the path Aonghus stuck with, but a sledging accident during his school years left him with a dental injury that changed everything. Unable to wear a mouthguard and carrying a lingering fear of further knocks to the face during recovery, rugby fell away. Football, however, remained and Aonghus worked his way up to the Ellon Meadows under-19 squad.
His love of football continued to Heriot-Watt University, where he graduated in Brewing & Distilling before transitioning to International Marketing in 2022.
Aonghus said:
“At the start, sport was the only thing that really kept me at Uni. Joining the football club offered me the ability to meet people. When Monday came – I just looked forward to the weekend again to get back to football. I honestly ended up having the best experience at university - because of the football club and Sports Union.”
Trial by fire
The first two committee roles at Heriot-Watt were, in hindsight, a ‘trial by fire’ for Aonghus. One was a semi-paid coordinator role; the other, club recreation officer. Together, they pushed him straight into leadership situations that most students never face.
He reflects, “It was rough at times — I won’t lie. But I learned about leading, how to delegate but still support people and how to manage different projects at the same time.”
The positions were political, often requiring him to liaise with senior figures from outside the university and getting the student voice heard wasn’t always easy. Yet those experiences gave Aonghus an early education in process, protocol, and most importantly … patience.
“The key was learning to communicate clearly, especially when stakeholders had very different points of view. Not everyone has the access to the data, or the knowledge to be able to step back and see the bigger picture.”
Those lessons in diplomacy and foresight are ones he continues to draw on today.
“The experience at university and within student sport has been completely formulative and in getting me where I am now. After volunteering in sport as a student, I knew I was destined to work in sport for the long term.”
Looking forward…
Aonghus is now at the forefront of student sport in Scotland, with one eye firmly on what comes next. However, he is also clear-eyed about the challenges.
“I think there is a missed opportunity with student football. It doesn’t get the same coverage as you see with other areas of the sport. It’s a shame, because there are some really good players.”
Ironically, despite stepping back from rugby as a youngster, his professional role today sees him working for Scottish Rugby as Competitions & Compliance Coordinator – covering the West of Scotland. The irony isn’t lost on him, but it still fits with what he wants to do: using sport as a power for good.
“I think I can use my experience from the volunteer roles to be able to see difficult situations forming and hopefully prevent them early. It’s about confronting issues head-on before they get worse, always bearing in mind the collective good.”
The balance between pragmatism and care is central to Aonghus’ approach. Whether it’s supporting grassroots student football, shaping national competitions, or ensuring young rugby players get the right experiences, Aonghus is always aiming to get the best out of himself and support those around him.
