Over the Christmas break, the University hosted the England Men’s Senior Volleyball Team for a rigorous training camp ahead of the championship held in January.
The team’s preparation was supported by Sport Performance & Development Manager Sam Stevenson, who assisted in coaching the team.
“Assisting in coaching the England men’s team and contributing to their victory was truly an honour. We faced tough competition from Ireland, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and every set highlighted our athletes' passion and drive. Earning my first international coaching caps made the experience even more special,” Sam commented.
“I'm grateful for the lessons learned, the connections made, and excited for the future of the Men’s Senior programme, with our University playing a key role as one of the country’s four training bases.”
Sam leads University of Staffordshire’s High Performance Academy which offers personalised schemes for talented athletes, coaches and officials who are studying at the University.
Benefits include free gym membership and nutritional advice, sports therapy and sports psychology sessions, plus strength and conditioning training.
Business Management student Mark Christie is a High Performance Athlete and also competed in the Five Nations Championship, representing his home nation of Northern Ireland.
Mark said: “The High Performance Academy has supported me in many different ways. Having access to excellent coaches in the gym and on the court have excelled my performance massively, and has pushed my volleyball career to a new level.
“Competing in tournaments such as the Five Nations gives a sense of accomplishment which is hard to beat. Although Northern Ireland didn’t get the result we would’ve hoped for, it shows us that the hard work and consistency must continue, leading up to our next competition.”
Next month, the University is inviting prospective students interested in playing volleyball while they study to a ‘Volleyball Scholarship Experience Day’ where they can learn more about the support on offer.
Sam added: “At University of Staffordshire, I’m eager to help build a programme that challenges the best in the country. If you’re a student looking to advance your studies and volleyball career, I invite you to join us at our Volleyball Scholarship Experience Day.”
A Women's Volleyball Scholarship Experience Day takes place on Monday 17 February followed by a Men’s Volleyball Scholarship Experience Day on Tuesday 18 February. Please contact Sam.Stevenson@staffs.ac.uk for more information or to book a place.