Student blog - Phil Hallsworth, BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences, year 1

Hi, I’m Phil and I’m in the first year of the BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences degree. I chose the course because of my love of sport and the theory behind it. After looking into lots of degrees at different universities, I decided that Sport and Exercise Sciences at Hartpury was the one for me.

The degree is providing me with essential skills, such as blood sampling or using force platforms, and is preparing me for my future career. My dream is to help elite athletes reach their athletic best.

My lectures are giving me key skills to build on
I love that we get to study such a wide variety of subjects. My favorite modules are Anatomy and Biomechanics, and Physiology. The content is challenging and engaging, preparing me for the coming years of my degree by giving me the key skills required as a foundation to build on.

Another great thing about studying at Hartpury is my lecturers. They’re always willing to help in their free time and are all so easy to talk to. This really helps me to develop my knowledge of the subject.

A day in the life of a sport student
My week can be hectic, depending on what’s happening and which day it is!

On Mondays and Fridays, I get up at 5am and support the football team with their 7am training session. I’m their Football Sports Science Assistant, a voluntary placement I’m doing alongside my course to gain extra experience. I monitor their strength and conditioning session, and maintain the power gym. Next up, we head out onto the pitch where I monitor the training session using a high-tech GPS player tracking system – a pod the players wear to measure their performance. Once the session is over, I process the data for the coaches to analyse for future training and team selection.

After a busy morning, I’m usually in lectures for the rest of the day. If not, I often spend my free time relaxing with mates in Red & Black café, or in the library, preparing for my next lecture.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are more normal days, where I’m in lectures from 11am until 6.30pm. These are my busiest days, so I don’t have lots of free time to do much else.

Wednesdays afternoons are reserved for competitive sport and there’s often matches on campus. I spend match days with the football team, ensuring everything runs smoothly. I help to prepare the training rooms and make sure the GPS pods are ready for the players. Then I do my usual GPS data collection. I love making a difference to the team and enjoy this role much more than I thought I would. It’s certainly a potential career option for the future.

Working with the football team is such a rewarding experience. It’s a really welcoming environment and I do enjoy being around, and a part of, the team. Placements are a great way to open up your options later in your degree, so I highly recommend getting one!

The support provided has really helped me   
There is plenty of support available at Hartpury. Through the Achievement and Success Centre (ASC) – the main learning support hub – I have weekly study skills sessions with my designated tutor. So far, they’ve helped me with things like reading journal articles and referencing, and breaking down an assignment brief. It’s been really beneficial for my studies and I’m so glad I asked for help.

The Innovation, Careers and Enterprise (ICE) team are your careers advisors, so use them regularly for any career questions! They’ve really helped me to log my placement hours in my role as Football Sports Science Assistant. You can create your own career plan and map how to achieve your goals.

I’ve had so many extra opportunities
There are so many opportunities to volunteer at Hartpury and build on your experience. I recently signed up to help at one of the Sport Offer-holder Days – a chance for new students to explore Hartpury and take part in taster sessions before they start. I found it interesting to see how I could apply and explain everything I’ve already learned to new students, and in turn gain extra hands-on experience for myself. This is just one example of the many opportunities on offer here – and that’s one of the main things I love about this place.

I’d love to work with elite athletes
At the moment, I don’t have particular career in mind. I just know that I want to work with elite athletes in some way. This degree, and my work placement, is giving me the specific experience I need to be able to work with elite athletes in the future. I can’t wait to see where it takes me!

If you’re thinking of studying at Hartpury, my advice it to go for it. The university has such high- quality facilities, and both practical and theory based-learning, which gives you all the key skills required for a career in sport. At Hartpury, there are so many amazing options open to you.

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