Dominic soon discovered that despite the superficial differences, there were more similarities between the roles than initially met the eye, and he was able to use the skills developed on his degree to help both groups.

“At university you learn about physiology and movement, and I’ve realised how applicable that is to the general population,” he said.

“It doesn’t have to be an athlete – it can help anyone. Seeing the mental and physical benefits really hit home. It was so rewarding and I just fell in love with it.”

“Working in a care environment is a really big contrast to working in basketball. So just being able to have that sort of contrast is great. Every day is a different challenge.”

Dominic’s role involves delivering both group and one-to-one exercise sessions tailored to individual needs. Some residents are active and enjoy movement-based sessions, while others have limited mobility. With every client, the focus is on improving quality of life through exercise and helping people become as fit, strong and healthy as possible in their daily lives.

“It’s about building rapport and making a difference in their day-to-day,” he says. “Even though I have a structured day, what I encounter is always different because people don’t feel the same every day. It keeps me fresh and means I’m constantly learning.”

Alongside his care work, Dominic is still working with Birmingham Rockets, supporting the men’s and women’s teams, and the youth side based at BMET College.

Supporting a wide range of different people has emphasised the importance of the varied and transferrable skillset he developed through his time studying at University College Birmingham, and he feels his studies were key in preparing him for this variety.

“Being a smaller university makes it so much easier to talk to lecturers and build more personal relationships,” he says.

“You’re not one of 200 people in a lecture theatre. You can ask questions straight away, tweak ideas, and really understand how to apply what you’re learning.”