“I chose the University of Greenwich to study Sports Science and Coaching, as it was the only university to provide the coaching element with the Sports Science degree, and because it offered a foundation degree.” Marlan told us. “Attending the course was also more appealing as logistically I was able to attend classes and work.”
Marlan explained that the course met his expectations - learning how to coach and appraise the demand of sport from a scientific point of view. “I was encouraged to use my past experiences in sport and coaching to better understand how to apply underpinning knowledge learnt, to make the necessary improvement from the same or different situations.” He told us.
Currently a personal trainer and running a karate club, studying at Greenwich helped Marlan learn how to apply theoretical knowledge to existing practical skills. Using his past experiences as an athlete and as a personal trainer, he was also able to increase his knowledge in areas that he had not experienced before. “The degree helped me fully understand the underpinning theory which is necessary to be a successful athlete and coach.” Marlan explained “The modules covered how to perform a needs analysis of prerequisites required in the physiological, psychological and mechanical attributes, which are essential in obtaining peak performance in any chosen sport.”
The knowledge gained through the undergraduate degree encouraged Marlan to pursue a career in athlete development and as such, led to him enrolling in the MSc in Strength and Conditioning at Greenwich.
Marlan was very positive about his lecturers, explaining that they were diverse in their different fields and the topics and modules that they taught. “They used past and present experiences to teach the different ways that science should be applied in sport and gave practical examples.” Marlan said. “The lecturers are approachable and always encouraging students to book meetings if they needed any assistance or further explanation with assignments or understanding content taught.” Marlan went onto say “The diversity of the sports and fields in which the lecturers are involved allowed for a varied opinion and application, therefore you would always have someone who would be specialised in your sport.”
When it came to making friends and peers, Marlan can confidently say that he left the university with a diverse network of friends, which he says he relies and depends on especially in a working capacity. “The students within my course were from a variety of sporting backgrounds and we have developed a network that allows us to call on each other when needed.
Finally, we asked Marlan if he would recommend the courses that he has studied. Marlan told us “I would highly recommend my course to anyone wanting to improve their coaching abilities with applied science. I enjoyed most of the modules in the course as they directly correlated with my sport and classes were very informative, encouraging students to be interactive within classes.”
We thank Marlan for sharing his story with us and wish him all the best for the future!
