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SPORT AND EXERCISE NEWS, STORIES AND EVENTSAUTUMN 2015 EDITION

The start of a new academic year is always a vibrant time in the University calendar. For Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University, 2015-16 is especially so due to a recent set of fantastic National Student Survey results (100% overall satisfaction in BSc Sports Therapy and in Physical Education and Youth Sport Coaching), high good degree rates, strong recruitment and significant investment in sports facilities on campus. As our new students arrive and enjoy a fun packed and challenging welcome week of induction activities, 2nd and 3rd year returning students prepare to develop their subject

and transferable skills further through a combination of placement and taught module experiences. Our alumni are key to our continuing success and this edition offers a taste of our graduates achievements and next progressions as they continue their journeys into employment or further study as well as updating you on the activities taking place within our department. If you wish to find out more about, or join, our alumni, then you can visit www.staffs.ac.uk/alumni

James CapperSchool of Psychology, Sport and Exercise

WELCOME

Sports Therapy Graduate illustrates value of being a Staffordshire Graduate2014 BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy graduate Rebecca Warnett is making great progress in her professional career. One year on from graduating from Staffordshire University, Rebecca is evidence of the importance of strong levels of employability within her degree and the value of being a Staffordshire Graduate.

Within her first year post graduating Rebecca has shown her entrepreneurial skills by successfully setting up her own private practice Warnett Sports Therapy providing Sports Injury and Sports Massage assessments and treatments to patients across Staffordshire; is forging a career within women’s football having

been appointed 1st Team Sports Therapist for Burton Albion FC, and now recruits therapist from the course for additional positons and placements both within the football club and private practice.

Further to these opportunities, Rebecca has maintain strong working relationships with the Sports Therapy teaching team at Staffs, and during the 2014-15 academic year was employed back at the University as Clinic Supervisor to the SUST Clinic and as teaching assistant, passing on her knowledge, skill, experiences and importance of networking and hard work to the next levels of Sports Therapy graduates. Most recently Becky contributed the medical support team provided by Staffs Sports Therapy for the Tower to Tower row from the Tower of London to the Eiffel Tower Paris helping to raise well over £250,000 for the Donna Louise Trust. Having demonstrated her ability to turn from successful student to successful graduate, Rebecca has recently been appointed in a lecturing role within the Sports Therapy team for the September 15 academic year.

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PSE hosts a Natural Environment and Health Conference

The Sport and Exercise team at Staffordshire University pass on their congratulations to our graduating students who completed their studies in 2015!

The “Staffs Awards” Graduation ceremonies were held in the grounds of the Trentham Estate, a country park estate and hall located to the south of the University in Stoke-on-Trent. The students, their friends and families, and staff from the Sport and Exercise Department had a fantastic day celebrating the students’ achievements in the beautiful gardens of the Trentham Estate. This year saw more than 150 students graduate, with 56% of UG students graduating attaining a 2:1 or above classification. This year also saw over 50 PG students graduate from our Masters level programmes in addition to the two PhD completions from within our biomechanics team. Congratulations to Dr Aoife Healy and Dr Helen Branthwaite. Aoife and Helen are one of the first members of staff across the University to complete a PhD by publication. Special award winners within the school the year included Overall Academic Achievement award to PE and Youth Sport student Jordan Wood, Dissertation of the Year to Sport and Exercise Science student Lucy Goodfellow, and the Contribution Award was jointly awarded to Sports Therapy student Chris Loughran and Sport Development and Coaching student Christie Scanlon.

In April 2015, the PHENOTYPE project team, led by Dr Christopher Gidlow, hosted a conference as the final project dissemination event. ‘Health from the Outside In: Urban Design, Green Space and Human Health’ included a range of international leading

academics in natural environment-health research, and a number of local and national stakeholders. This bringing together of research and practice to consider for some lively debate around how we make best use of nature to benefit human health.

The day ended on a high with an evening guest lecture by Dr William Bird, MBE, who presented ‘Making the Natural Health Service Work’. Dr Bird is a GP with a special interest in the promotion of physical activity, who developed Walking for Health and the Green Gym, both national programmes that have got over 1 million people more active. Chaired by Professor Jon Fairburn, this was a thought-provoking and engaging session that set out the clinical basis for nature benefiting health, with some real-life example interventions. We hope to run a similar event in the coming years.

PHENOTYPE team: Dr Christopher GidlowProfessor Marc JonesGraham Smith Dr Gemma Hurst Dr Daniel Masterson Dr Naomi Ellis Christine Dover

Biomechanics department continue world leading researchThe biomechanics team have had yet another busy and successful summer attending international conferences to disseminate our research findings. All our scientific papers were very well received both at the Footwear Biomechanics Symposium in Liverpool and at the International Society of Biomechanics Congress held in Glasgow. Attending these conferences has led to various international groups approaching us for collaborative work. Conversations initiated by Professor Nachiappan Chockalingam has led to researchers from the University of Ghent, Belgium and Cleveland Clinic, USA (one of the top organisations in the world for Functional Electrical Stimulation and assistive technology) using the techniques that we have reported in the departmetns latest paper in the Journal of Biomechanics. These techniques will be incorporated into the Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree programmes, allowing students to undertake advanced biomechanical data analysis of human movement.

In addition to the 44 research outputs for this year, Professor Chockalingam gave lectures at Sri Ramachandra University (SRU), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and AR Hospitals this summer during his visit to India. Associate Professor, Dr Roozbeh Naemi also delivered lectures during his visits to AR Hospital and VIT.

Professor Chockalingam has been invited to deliver this year’s OETT lecture at the ISPO congress to be held at St Hugh’s College, Oxford on 26 September 2015. We will shortly be proposing an MSc in Biomechanics with SRU along with a few other collaborative research projects.

We have recently been awarded a grant of US$68200 by the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) to complete a systematic review of prosthetic and orthotic services around the world. This is a prestigious opportunity and we will have a direct impact in creating the international guidelines by the ISPO. Aoife will lead the review and we have put together an impressive international group of advisors. This review will highlight our work in the field of rehabilitation medicine and will bring a huge opportunity for international collaboration.

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2015!

Award winners Lucy Goodfellow, Chris Loughran, Jordan Wood and Christe Scanlon

SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY, SPORT AND EXERCISE

Stoke-on-Trent named 2016 European City of SportStoke-on-Trent has been named the European City of Sport for the United Kingdom for 2016. The prestigious honour was bestowed upon the city after a “unanimous” decision by the judging panel, who were hugely impressed with the passion and commitment shown to putting sport and health at the heart of plans to regenerate the city. It is the first time a city in Great Britain has been awarded the title in three years.

During a three-day visit, four representatives from ACES Europe (European capitals and cities of sport federation) examined Stoke-on-Trent’s sport facilities, the opportunities available to communities and the promotion of sport in the city. And they had no hesitation in awarding the title to the city, which puts Stoke-on-Trent on a par with European destinations including Bilbao in Spain, Bordeaux in France, Parma in Italy.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council led the bid to become a European City of Sport and was supported by 12 of its partner organisations, including Staffordshire University, Stoke City and Port Vale football clubs, the City of Stoke-on-Trent Swimming Club (COSACSS), Staffordshire Football Association, YMCA

North Staffordshire and the county sports partnership Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (SASSOT).

Nick Bitel, chairman of Sport England, said: “The European City of Sport judges praised Stoke-on-Trent’s record of empowering local clubs and helping people to live more active lifestyles, so today’s announcement is very well deserved.

“Being a City of Sport, Stoke-on-Trent can proudly show off its sporting heritage, and will undoubtedly set a great example to other UK cities. I am confident this will make a real difference to sport in the area.”

Applicant cities are judged on their sporting facilities, the level of participation among residents, the success of local teams and sporting events organised or promoted by the council.

John Swanson, vice-president of ACES Europe, said: “The delegation was unanimous in their decision to award the title to Stoke-on-Trent. We witnessed a great deal of passion and commitment to regenerate the city over the coming years and the fact that this regeneration is getting planned with

sport and health at the heart of it was a key factor.

“We also witnessed the pride of the community in the two football clubs and the work that goes on with the clubs to bring the communities together should be commended. We are sure that Stoke-on-Trent will be a great European City of Sport and we look forward to their celebrations.”

Dr Peter Jones, Head of the School of Psychology Sport and Exercise added “this has come at a time of renaissance for Stoke with a lot of investment being made which will make a big difference to the City and the student experience. A £4.5m grant has been awarded to improve facilities in Hanley Park, the University is investing £40m in the Stoke campus and work has begun on the £1.25 m refurbishment of the Sir Stanley Mathews Sports Centre. 2016 is going to be a big year for us.”

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2015!

From left to right: Dr Gemma Hurst, Associate Professor Dr Roozbeh Naemi, Dr Aoife Healy, David Dunning, Professor Nachiappan Chockalingam, Phil Walker, Dr Helen Branthwaite

Join the conversation

OPEN DAY DATES

HAVE A STORY?

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Open Days are a great way to find out more about the courses you are interested in and to see what university life will be like.

Come and see us at one of our next open days.

Saturday 14 November 2015Saturday 05 December 2015

We are always looking to share news from the School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise from students and staff. If you have a story you would like to share please email: psemarketing@staffs.ac.uk

We have a number of Twitter accounts within Sport and Exercise that you can follow to join in the conversation.

Sports Science Clinic @peakcondition Sports Therapy @SUSTClinicSport and Exercise @StaffsUniSportSport & Exercise Psychology @SEPsychStaffs

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Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre gains million pound investment

In the centenary year of one of the worlds most iconic footballers it would seem a fitting tribute that the Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre at Staffordshire University is to undergo a major refurbishment in readiness for the new academic year 2015. The £1.25million investment will see the sports facility tripling its current gym space, the addition of a split multi-functional training space and class studio and the upgrading of the current sports hall to include sprung floor, electronic drop down hoops and new audio and visual system throughout. The centre will provide a performance home for Staffordshire Universities Elite Athlete Program and our Team Staffs BUCS teams, whilst at the same time have committed programming for our successful Active Universities recreational sport program. Our partnership with Matrix Fitness will see the gym equipped with top of the range Matrix equipment including the new Matrix ic7.

The work will also include a dedicated space for our Sports Therapy students to deliver an onsite clinic.

A centre named after an iconic sportsman that changed the way the world thought about preparation, training and performance will deliver high quality training and playing space to our students and the local community. Membership offers include:

ANNUAL

Student and Staff: £120 per year (up until 31 October)

Public: £180 per year

MONTHLY

Students/Staff: £15 per month

Team Staffs member: £12 per month (available until 18 October)