BSc (Hons) Sports Science with Professional Football Coaching

Junior

"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very

disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more

 important than that."

(Bill Shankly) 

Saturday 11th May 1996 is probably the most significant day of my life. It wasn’t my birthday or my first day at school, nor was it the day I first fell in love with a girl. It was a day far more significant and important than all of them moments combined. It was the day that my life changed forever and the day I knew life would never be the same. It’s the day that guarantees every man in the country is busy at 3.00pm. It was FA Cup Final Day! Liverpool vs. Manchester United!!! I was 6 years old but remember watching the games with my uncle like it was yesterday. My eyes were glued to the television before a ball was even kicked. I remember really wanting a cream suit with a red tie after seeing the Liverpool players sporting the outfit before the game. During the build-up coverage before kick-off, then was a tribute to God himself ‘Robbie Fowler’.

Showcasing all the wonderful goals he had scored in his career at the time.  He had black hair with blonde highlights and made scoring goals look like the easiest thing in the world. He was so cool and I wanted to be just like him. Michael Jackson was no longer my idol…. It was all about Robbie Fowler! I am not really sure if I liked football before that day, but by the final whistle I had become a Liverpool fan, a Robbie Fowler wannabe and a lover of football. (Liverpool lost 1-0)

I spent the next 12 years of my life playing and watching football. It started off recreational and eventually became my main focus in life. Education often took a back seat to football as I couldn’t imagine going to college, let alone university. I was going to become a professional football, I HAD TO BE! Until I was called into the office for that dreaded meeting with the youth team coach at MK Dons, who told me I wouldn’t be offered a youth team contract (YTS). My life was over… at least I thought it was. After an unsuccessful trial at Leyton Orient a month after being kicked to the curb by MK Dons I started to dislike the beautiful games. ‘Why does the game I love so much, not love me back?’ I’d often ask myself. I was 17 with a bruised ego, battered confidence and most importantly… No football team! College was my only option. I signed up for a Sports Science course at Southgate College which also had a football academy which I joined. Although I was still playing football every day, my past experience helped me to realize I needed a plan B. I took college really seriously and started to excel on the course. I was fascinated with science and astonished by how little I knew about the human body and the science of football. I was thirsty for more knowledge and wanted to know more. ‘University maybe…?’ If my dream of becoming an elite professional athlete was no longer an option I still wanted to work in the industry as a coach, physiotherapist or a sport psychologist.

I applied for Sports Science with Professional Football Coaching at the University of Greenwich and it is the best decision I have ever made. I took my attitude from playing football into my studies.

· Hard work
· Mental Strength
· Preparation
· Consistency

All attributes to become an elite athlete and an elite student. I needed what I had learnt from playing football to succeed academically. Sports science is a tough subject, with far less sport than you might think.
Sports Science. Keyword: SCIENCE!!!

Don’t be under an impression that you’ll be playing football, rugby, netball or tennis 5 days a week. Sports Science is a science degree. The course is heavily theoretical and practical sessions are few and far between unless you’re willing to be a guinea pig in a vigorous laboratory test. With the entry requirements among the highest of any course at the university, its gives a clear indication to the how tough the course is, but the course is thoroughly enjoyable, interesting and captivating.

The course consists of the following subjects;
1. Anatomy
2. Physiology
3. Biomechanics
4. Nutrition
5. Sport Psychology
6. Movement Sport Injury
7. Coaching
8. Science of Football

There are three types of sport science course;
1. Sports Science
2. Sports Science with Coaching
3. Sports Science with Professional Football Coaching

The courses are the same and most classes will include all three groups in a lecture/seminar together. The two courses that include coaching will have their coaching related lectures in the chosen groups away from the non-coaching group.

Sports science is the ideal course to study if you’re sure you want to work in sports but not too sure what actually it is you want to do in sport. Unlike other degrees, sports science doesn’t ‘pigeon hole’ you to one professional or career path. You can even go into teaching secondary biology, P.E or teaching primary school children after the 3 years if you have a change of heart.

I may have never became the ‘New Robbie Fowler’ but I have graduated from my Sports Science with an excellent FA Coaching qualification and experience to work in any professional football club in Europe. I hope to become a football scout and discover the ‘Next Robbie Fowler’.

Saturday 5th May 2012, I met Robbie Fowler….. at the FA Cup Final.(Liverpool lost, again!)