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I graduated with a BSc in Sports Science from the University of Western Australia. Then I spent a year earning professional certifications in Football Coaching and Strength & Conditioning in Singapore, while figuring out which avenue I felt more passionate about.

I then spent close to seven years as a strength & conditioning specialist in the National Youth Sports Institute, before enrolling in MSc Strength, Conditioning & Rehabilitation at the ºÚÁϳԹÏ.

A course designed for my profession

I decided on ºÚÁϳԹÏbased on a combination of syllabus, placement links and the cost of the programme.

I learn best through experiential processes and discussions. I felt Portsmouth’s mode of delivery and assessment, where students are graded via assignments rather than examinations, would suit my learning style.

The part about the course that wowed me most was the Rehabilitation module. I enjoyed the whole process of the graded assignments and putting the module together. Having come from the industry, I could see its real-world value and application.

Excellent placement opportunities

I knew I wanted to continue being involved in high-performance sport, so I chose to complete a placement with the University Sports Scholars during the academic calendar, despite offers from two football clubs.

This allowed me to continue working with athletes who were competing for the University, nationally, and for Great Britain in their respective sports.

I was also privileged to be selected for an overseas placement at the Sports Institute of Trinidad & Tobago, where I was able to learn from – and share my experience with – the strength & conditioning and sports psychologists there.

Putting my MSc to work

Today, I am a strength & conditioning consultant at a private practice in London, where the clientele has access to a multidisciplinary team of physiotherapy, strength & conditioning, nutrition, and osteopathy services as required.

On a daily basis, I plan and deliver strength & conditioning ‘return to play’ programmes across training ages and competition levels. The MSc helped to introduce an important rehabilitation framework that I use to guide my work process on a daily basis.

For the foreseeable future, I would love to be involved in sport as it is a very challenging and thrilling environment to be in. That being said, I have also learnt that it can be very satisfying on a different level to work in rehabilitation, especially for the middle-aged to older folks, so that is an avenue I might veer towards as well.

My advice is to be courageous and open-minded in learning always. Ask questions and be a genuine person. Step out of your comfort zone and invest in some networking time and skill. Networking will almost always be daunting but it will be worth it.