Sports Coaching and Development Expo

Last week we welcomed our new 1st years and 3rd year top-ups as well as welcoming back our returning 2nd and 3rd years for the 2016/17 academic year. Tuesday saw the launch of the Sports Coaching and Development Expo where students were able to learn about their course, register their module choices, meet the teaching team and start to settle into life as a UCLan student. They also played some table tennis, badminton and basketball as they met fellow students, building new friendships as they embark on an exciting new chapter here at UCLan. The day was a great success - here's to an exciting year ahead!

MA Sports Coaching

Are you thinking of studying a Masters in Sports Coaching at UCLan? There are still places available for students looking to start this September.

For more information, check out this video featuring one of our former students Chris Brammall. Chris currently works for the Football Association (FA) as Regional PE and Coaching in Education Co-ordinator. 

For all enquiries, please contact Craig Wright at CMWright1@uclan.ac.uk

Or for more information: http://www.uclan.ac.uk/courses/ma_pgdip_sports_coaching.php

Coaching Opportunities with Tarleton Rugby Club

Tarleton Rugby Club are looking to recruit volunteer Coaches and Team Managers. This would be an ideal opportunity for those of you looking to complete some coaching hours for your modules this year or for those of you who just want to gain some more coaching experience.


See below for more details on how to get involved or alternatively follow the Facebook link: www.facebook.com/tarletonrugby/?fref=nf

Lancashire Science Festival - Introduction to Sports Analysis Workshop

On Saturday 2nd July, the people of Lancashire were given the opportunity to analyse sports performance in the Division's state of the art performance analysis suite located in Greenbank building. The session was run as part of the Lancashire Science Festival which ran for three days and attracted over 13,000 visitors. Led by the Division's Module Demonstrator and former Blackburn Rovers Performance Analyst Craig Lawlor, participants analysed a range of different sports including football, rugby and basketball. Craig was assisted by 3rd year Sports Coaching students Fintan O'Leary, currently a coach with Preston North End's Academy and Iain Hunter who has worked as Head Analyst at AFC Fylde for the past two and a half years.

By the end of the session participants were able to analyse video, collect statistics and present their findings to the rest of the group, giving them a taste of what it is like to be an analyst working in an elite environment. Three 45 minute sessions were run throughout the day, each session was very well attended and enjoyed by all. Here is some of the feedback from the budding analysts:

"Amazing and fantastic!!"

"Good session delivered by friendly coaches"

"It was a good experience and it was very interesting!"

The analysis suite has 10 iMacs which run the latest versions of Sportscode Elite, Gamebreaker and Studiocode, software which is used by elite sports teams all over the world. The suite is used on a regular basis in the delivery of content on the performance analysis modules which are available to students on the Sports Coaching and Sports Science programmes at the university. The suite is also available to students within the Division for use throughout the academic year. The festival was a great success and we look forward to welcoming even more visitors to next year's event!

Leona Trimble's Fundraising Event - The Activity-a-Thon

On the 12th of February 2016 Leona Trimble took part in a twelve hour activity-a-thon at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre which was inspired by the untimely passing of her family member who was only 22. Leona's second cousin passed away due to cancer thus inspiring her to take part in the activity-a-thon for the charity Teenage Cancer Trust. Leona was able to take the day as a Time to Shine day due to her fundraising efforts.

The activity-a-thon fitted around the classes at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre and consisted of:

8am morning blast
12.30 tai chi
4pm boxercise
7pm Zumba

The activity-a-thon was alsosupported by the sports clubs and societies who held sessions in the sports halls/studios such as netball, 5-a-side, handball, ultimate Frisbee, women’s basketball, badminton and table tennis. There was also a spinning bike challenge to keep two spinning bikes going continuously throughout the 12 hours. All activities were of course supported by staff who helped in person by doing some of the activities with Leona and gave generous donations. The Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre offered free staff passes to staff who wanted to support but are not members of the sports centre.

The event was organised in 7 days by the sport foundation year students taking the TLC115 (planning and evaluating a sports event) module.  Fundraising was supported by Teenage Cancer Trust regional fundraising team and we were delighted to welcome Michelle White the regional fundraising officer into the university to celebrate us raising an excellent £1130 for Teenage Cancer Trust.