Learning the trade at West Ham United
Students and graduates of sport-related degrees at Loughborough University are making an impact in elite football across Europe.
From placements with premier league clubs, to graduate careers working with the brightest stars in the game, our degrees provide students with the skills and experience sought after by elite clubs in the UK and abroad.
Here Sport and Exercise Science student Callum, explains how a Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning placement at West Ham United has confirmed his ambition to work in professional sport.
I was delighted to have secured the placement and was determined to get the utmost from the experience. The club has a relatively small medical department, giving me the chance to get an in-depth understanding of what each person does.
The highlight of my placement has been supporting players pre, during and post-match throughout the season. This has given me vital experience of how to adapt to differing environments and contexts, but also a sense of achievement for working in a highly pressurised environment.
A coach’s perspective
Students on placement at West Ham start out by completing basic but essential tasks, such as setting up training activities and personalised nutrition items for the players, as well as taking key measures – weight, body fat, and saliva testing. As they progress, they take on more responsibility.
Josh Ewens, First Team Fitness Coach at West Ham United Football Club and a Loughborough University graduate himself, believes that placements not only help students to develop their experience but also his club, who benefit from having people around the club who are keen to learn and quick to develop.
I can safely say Callum is the best student I’ve worked with from any university over the last 10 years. He has been invaluable to the club and has progressed so far in the months he has been with us. His tireless work ethic, ability to learn quickly, and his social approach to communicating with premier league football players have been outstanding.
His attitude and commitment have meant that he has been able to get the most out of the placement. Under the guidance of myself and our nutritionist, Callum has taken responsibility for providing players with everything they need for their personalised pre-, during and post-match hydration and nutrition strategies, as well delivering individual gym sessions.
The perfect preparation
Callum puts his success down to the teaching on his course and believes that his placement opportunity has provided the perfect preparation for his future career.
The teaching from my course provided a good foundation to work from during the placement. By having a strong knowledge of Nutrition and S&C theory, you can establish respect from players and effectively answer questions they have.
My placement enabled me to put the theory I have learnt into practice, while understanding that despite the strength of any research evidence, the practical application of this theory must be adapted to get the best out of each individual athlete. The experience has helped to shape my career aspirations, while the knowledge and experience gained will be used, and hopefully developed further, to apply to my future work.
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