Level 6 Sports Therapy students were given a soft tissue masterclass in myofascial “Rolfing” by Soft Tissue Therapist Dan Buchannon.  Dan, who has been a practising soft tissue therapist for 10 years having worked with an array of elite sports teams including Bracknell Bee’s Ice hockey, Reading FC, Ipswich Town FC, and most recently Derby County FC.

Dan provided students his experience and insight into the challenges facing new graduates trying to break into professional sport, before passing on his knowledge of an emerging soft tissue technique known as “Rolfing”.  The technique was completely new to the students and helped enhance the skill set for these soon to be graduates.  The session included some unique methods of exposing the students to the realities of the myofascial matrix through the manual dissection and manipulation of raw meat tissue, before focusing on the application of techniques applicable to restoring ankle and hamstring function as well addressing postural faults in the torso and back.

The students excelled in their willingness to learn the skills and gain an appreciation of the treatment modality.  The students reported “Its been great to have someone like Dan who is currently working in elite sport come in to show us new areas in which the industry is working.  Seeing some the immediate effects and responses of the rolfing has been great too, and is something I definitely want to learn more about after today.”

Having just set up his own private practice (Go-Perform) in addition to his work with Derby County FC Dan finished the session with a Q&A about the important employability qualities within new graduates and discussed the importance for grauates to find their own niche area of expertise within the industry.  The students further commented “hearing from Dan about the importance of networking, and the ways he has gone about building a reputation both in sport and private practice has been priceless, and has been a real eye opener for myself with just 2 months to go before we graduate”.

Dan commented himself “It’s been a privilege coming in and sharing what I can to the students both in terms of new techniques and helping them understand what takes for them to make their own ambitions a reality. They’ve all taken on board everything I asked of them, and if they can show that same working ethos as graduates they every chance of succeeding in this industry.”

You can find out more about more about our Sport Therapy Course via our website or following us on twitter @SUSTclinic.

After graduating in June 2015,  Sports Therapy graduates Natalie Jones, Sophie Minor and Kate Highy are now all reaping the benefit of the entrepreneurial, business and transferable skills at the heart of its programme design.  On completing their studies all three of these graduates took the first brave steps into the world of work by setting up their own sports therapy businesses.  In a competitive market, all three have successful developed their business drawing upon the skills and knowledge gained throughout their studies to ensure they have been able to survive the initial challenges that all new businesses face in its first year and have now begun to establish a strong reputation for their practice.

Reflecting back on their studies Sophie stated “The business proposal assessment we had to complete has helped me massively in setting up my “Sophie Minor Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Clinic” based in Blythe Bridge.  I’ve been able to use the materials acquired in the module and my 3-year plan in almost identical to that which I submitted for my assessment, allowing me to put my knowledge into practice”.

Adding further to this Natalie stated that “Having to complete the work placement module really helped to confirm to me which path of sports therapy I wanted to follow, and gave me a really insight into how to effectively use my time during appointment, and being able to develop communication skills with patients.  From this module it became an easy decision to base my “Natalie’s Sports Therapy and Massage”  business out of LS Health Club in Stafford.  I know love being in a working environment that I feel comfortable in and having a positive impact on people’s lives”.

All three of these graduates have utilised the increasing importance of online and social media marketing of their businesses and describe the importance the role of this in generating the initial client base.  Natalie said “A lot of behind the scenes work is needed to simply get clients through the door such as advertising, of which word of mouth is highly underrated. It’s also become abundantly clear to never stop studying or stop learning about lesser known conditions.” While Sophie added “The hardest thing was drawing people’s attention to my business to allow my reputation to build; therefore i put on a new offer each month to gain this attention. This has worked really well and I now notice that word of mouth is the best form of advertisement which has brought many people into my clinic.”

To illustrate the impact that Staffs students are now having further afield than Staffordshire, Kate Highy has successfully overseen the growth of her own Sports Therapy business in Windsor.  Similar to Natalie and Sophie, Kate has shown how the development of her understanding of the role that social media can play in driving new businesses by using her Kate Highy Sports Therapist Facebook page to promote her practice and drive new custom.  Kate said “It’s been great being able to set up my business and make an income to fit around my life.  The hardest part was having belief in myself and being brave enough to make the first steps, but the confidence I gained from being out on placement during my course, and gaining that understanding of the financial aspects of running a business helped give me that confidence.  Now each time my client leaves feeling improved from before their treatment just boosts my confidence further”.

  To find out more about our Sports Therapy course click here.

Staffordshire University BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy Graduates Eve Littler, Ryan Baddeley, Chiku Chilufya and Lauren Dicken have all recently landed roles working within the NHS. These four graduates offer further examples of the success stories coming from the Sports Therapy programme , with us having previously reported on our graduates breaking into football and running successful private practices, and illustrates the growing reputation and scope for employment of Sports Therapists within the UK.

Lauren, who graduated in 2014 is working as a Rehabilitation Assistant at the Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust; Eve, a 2015 graduate is working at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, while Ryan and Chiku, 2016 graduates, have landed roles as Physiotherapy Technical Instructor at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (Birmingham) and Band 3 Senior Therapist Assistant at the Wolverhampton New Cross Hospital respectively within 3-months of graduating in July.

Chiku stated “I’m really pleased to have got this job so soon after graduating and excited to be putting my sports therapy skills into practice. I’m hoping the role will give me the chance to apply my skills across a range of different client background to give me experience across different clinical settings and use this as a platform to gain a MSc Physiotherapy”.

 (Chiku Chilufya, 2016 graduate)

With the increased recognition of the importance of exercise and rehabilitative therapy to improving public health, it is highly encouraging to see the number of Sports Therapy graduates being employed to apply their skills and knowledge in this sector of the health industry, while further illustrating the value being a Staffordshire Graduate   can have in enhancing our graduates employability.

The Sports Therapy programme at Staffordshire University is one of the most highly ranked accredited Sports Therapy programmes in the UK scoring a National Student Survey score of 97% for Overall Satisfaction, within a Sport and Exercise department ranked 13th in the 2017 Guardian League Table. To find out more about our programme click here or follow us on Twitter @SUSTclinic.

Following the success of hosting 60 football coaches from China on a three-month study visit over the 2016 summer term, in November 2016, Dr Jacky Forsyth (Senior Lecturer, Sport and Exercise) and Mr Nigel Lee (International Office) visited various Universities and high schools throughout China as part of a two-week study and career roadshow, organised by the British Council. The objectives of the roadshow were to showcase our courses in sport and exercise and to promote Staffordshire University’s profile, for the purposes of recruiting both undergraduate and postgraduate students to our courses in the future.

The tour involved visits to six different cities (Beijing, Wuhan, Chongqing, Ningbo, Suzhou and Guangzhou, selected by the British Council), incorporating demo classes and meetings at four universities and four schools. This subject-focused roadshow was the first of its kind for the British Council, China, and it was a great opportunity for Staffordshire University to be a part of it.

In the demo classes and career talks, we highlighted what it was like to study and live at Staffordshire University, and students got a taste of how British lectures differ to the customary lecture format in China. We highlighted our current research on the differences between males and females regarding fat oxidation following high intensity interval exercise. The students were able to get involved using our Turning point clickers, engaged in discussion and debate, and learnt about our applied work at the University.

We also met with staff at Chengdu Sport University, Chongqing University and Chengdu Normal University, in order to discuss collaboration opportunities (such as partnerships, and opportunities for research collaborations, and student exchanges). These meetings were only possible because of the recent three-month study visit that we hosted (along with Stoke City FC Community Trust) for 58 Chinese football coaches on behalf of the Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC) and the China School Sports Federation (CSSF). As the coaches have now become Staffordshire University’s alumni, they were able to share their campus and learning experiences with their colleagues and students.

From our experiences of further and higher education in China, we learnt how courses in China in sport and exercise are evolving and growing rapidly, from a strong base on physical education and physiotherapy into sports science and management of sport. From the meetings we had with both the different universities as part of the British Council roadshow, and via our Chinese football coaching alumni, we are very much looking forward to future developments and collaborations.

For further information about the sports courses at Staffordshire University please visit our Sport Courses

Staffordshire University’s Sports and Exercise department are introducing a new accelerated degree in Soccer Coaching and Performance in September 2018*. This course is designed to accommodate a growing need within the sector for sport specific coaching degrees, with this being a specific football focused degree.

The BSc (Hons) Football Coaching and Performance degree is an ‘accelerated degree’, which is delivered over 2 years, instead of the typical 3 for an undergraduate course. The course aims to provide aspiring football coaches from both the U.K and abroad with the opportunity to acquire the appropriate skills, and develop the specific knowledge required to gain employment in the football industry, both in the U.K and internationally.

The course combines aspects of football coaching, performance analysis, professional development and football conditioning. The course is delivered by a highly motivated and well-qualified team of academics, as well as expert UEFA licenced football coaches. Support comes from local partners, which include the English Premier League (EPL) football team Stoke City F.C., Newcastle town F.C., and the Sir Stanley Mathews Coaching Foundation, amongst others. For this reason, there is a work placement opportunity which will provide students with the opportunity to gain a valuable insight in to the inner-workings of a professional football club, or the development of football in the U.K. at a community level.
The course is linked with Staffs F.A., who will provide the opportunity to further professional development by completing football coaching qualifications from The F.A.’s coach education pathway. Furthermore, students will gain insight and experience of using industry standard performance analysis software, for example Focus and Dartfish programmes which are commonly used within professional football clubs.

This accelerated degree will add to the suite of accelerated degree courses currently offered by Sport and Exercise, at present the other being the Strength and Conditioning degree. It is an exciting time for the staff involved and an excellent opportunity for those interested in coaching and specifically football coaching. If you require any further information, then please contact the course leader Ashley Gill (Ashley.Gill1@staffs.ac.uk).

Members of the Sport and Exercise team at Staffordshire University, held an event to promote positive female role models, develop a stronger social identity for women, and encourage networking between women who are working and studying in this area. The recently hosted careers event, gave opportunity for our female students, recent graduates and other guest speakers to share their thoughts and experiences regarding the opportunities and barriers that women face in sport. They spoke about: what attracted them to studying sport, and into the job they have currently, as well as the job opportunities/barriers for females who wish to study and work in sport and exercise. Finally, they offered advice to females intending to study and work in a wide variety of sport and exercise professions.

Feedback from the evening reflected how useful the event was and how inspiring personal stories from other women can be and included:

“The speakers were diverse and interesting to listen to.”

“It was good to hear women’s success stories in sport, which gave me confidence.”

“The case study stories of the presenters were very powerful and personal. This meant that the audience could identify with the authenticity of the speakers and relate it to their own situation.”

Everyone involved in the event were extremely grateful to all the speakers who gave up their time to come and share their stories. We hope that by promoting and encouraging our students (past, present and future), to attend these events, we can inspire them to achieve success in their career within sport and exercise.

If you would like to find out more about activities within sport and exercise, please contact:

Jacky Forsyth, j.j.forsyth@staffs.ac.uk
Relevant blog: https://blogs.staffs.ac.uk/drjackyforsyth/2016/07/27/females-working-and-studying-in-sport-and-exercise/

Lynne Duval, l.duval@staffs.ac.uk
Alison Bambridge, a.bambridge@staffs.ac.uk

The Sport and Performance Psychology Group at Staffordshire University are hosting their Second Performance Psychology Conference on Wednesday 18th October 2017.

Following the success of the Inaugural event in October 2016, this year’s conference will bring together world-leading expert practitioners who will share their insights of applying evidence-based approaches to sport, exercise, and performance psychology.

The format of the day includes interactive workshops, keynote speakers, and a panel discussion including international and Paralympic athletes to experienced performance psychologists.

The conference is suitable for practitioners at all levels, from students and trainees to experienced and expert psychologists, and it’s evidence-based focus means the conference will also be of interest to researchers.

Dr Matthew Slater
m.slater@staff.ac.uk

A group of Blackburn Rovers FC youngsters are being monitored as they progress from the Under-12 to Under-14 age groups, to ascertain the effects of the increased training load on the cardiac function of young players as a result of the introduction of the EPPP.

The players are being tested on a cycle ergometer exercise test three times from 2015 to 2017. During the test, measurements of the structure and function of the heart will be obtained using echocardiography, as well as the aerobic fitness levels of the boys.

The second stage of this project was completed this year and the results are in the process of being analysed. The project was co-ordinated by Professor Vish Unnithan from the School of Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University, who said: “The enthusiasm of the boys has been first class and the help of all the staff at Blackburn Rovers Academy, particularly Dr. Russ Wrigley, in helping to organise a complex project is very much appreciated by all the researchers. We are looking forward to coming back to the club in 2017 to complete the project.”

Find out more about Professor Vish Unnithan and his his research interests

My interest in Sport Psychology came from studying both P.E and psychology at A-level in my local sixth form college.  It was from then that I decided to look for universities offering a degree in Sport Psychology as this was the combination of the two subjects I enjoyed the most.

After looking at a number of universities, Staffordshire University became my first choice as the University offered a BPS (British Psychological Society) accredited course and the department seemed well organised and friendly.

Throughout the three years of the degree I developed a real passion for the subject and it was clear towards the end of the third year I wanted to study further.  Staffordshire University offered a two year part-time MSc in Sport Psychology by distance learning – although I was only living a couple of mile ways from the University!  Therefore, having enjoyed my time as an undergraduate and with the department being so supportive, it was an easy decision to make. This worked out great for me as I was able to work a part-time job alongside my studying. During this time, as I was living locally, I was also able to get involved in a number of research projects around the University further developing my research knowledge and skills.

After finishing my Masters an opportunity came up to read for a PhD focused on a similar area to my MSc project and I was lucky enough to be offered the position.  My PhD is funded by the University from monies allocated form the last REF (Research Excellence Framework)  – This is a Government initiative that every six years evaluates and funds UK Universities research.

I find myself very fortunate to be working in such a fantastic department and excited for the PhD Journey!