On Tuesday, 19 August, basketball club Astana held a training session focused on personal branding, reputation management, media relations, public speaking, and crisis communication. The workshop was attended by players from both the main team and Astana-Zhastar, along with members of the coaching staff.
Participants learned how to handle press conferences, respond professionally in crisis scenarios, and engage effectively with the media. A special segment was dedicated to building an athlete’s personal brand, led by speaker Gulmira Shutanova, who shared strategies for positioning oneself in the media and communicating with journalists.
The session was led by Gulmira Shutanova, who shared strategies on how professional athletes can build a personal brand, position themselves effectively in media spaces, and communicate with the press.
As part of the workshop, the players completed practical exercises — starting with a team-based activity where they shared associations about each other, and ending with a simulated post-crisis press conference, in which they were divided into teams and tasked with navigating fictional crisis scenarios professionally and appropriately.
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All participants received certificates of completion following the workshop.
Azamat Kabdylkarimov, Deputy General Director of Astana:
“We held this masterclass to improve our athletes' and staff's media communication and personal brand development. It was an engaging and useful experience — the players walked away with valuable insights and practical tools.
As athletes are public figures and role models for youth, it’s important that they know how to build a strong personal brand and communicate effectively with the media.”
Vadim Shcherbak, small forward for Astana:
“It was a great session. These kinds of workshops are really necessary — we don’t always know how to behave in certain situations. They explained how to talk to journalists, avoid damaging the club’s image, and respond to media questions in the right way.”
Gulmira Shutanova, speaker:
“It’s fantastic to see that the Astana management is seriously investing in the media skills of its athletes and taking a structured approach to personal brand development.
This approach boosts each player’s individual potential, builds audience loyalty, and increases the club’s marketing opportunities.
I believe the players now clearly understand that working with the media isn’t just about giving interviews — it’s a strategic tool to manage their careers, strengthen reputations, and enhance the club’s image as a whole.”
