Everyone's a winner at first ever UCB sports conference

With a packed day of lively lectures, discussion and debate from leaders in the field of sports science, UCB’s first ever Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Student Conference got off to a flying start.

Attended by an audience of 120, the conference was designed by organiser Joseph Matthews to give current and ex-UCB sports students an overview of some of the most pressing issues currently affecting sports performance and rehabilitation.

Leigh Breen, a Professor in musculoskeletal physiology at the University of Birmingham, and Craig Twist, a respected Applied Sport and Exercise Scientist working with the Rugby Football League, topped a bill of esteemed speakers covering a broad range of topics, from elite sport to muscle atrophy.

Appearing alongside industry leaders from across the country were UCB’s own expert sports lecturers, Mark Godwin, Andrew Frampton, James Bateman and Gareth Bate. In a neighbouring room, six graduate Sports Therapy students presenting research posters from their dissertation projects tied the conference topics seamlessly to students’ current work.

“Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive, from the facilities provided to the quality of the speakers,” said Joseph Matthews, who lectures on UCB’s Sports Therapy and Sport and Fitness degree courses.

“The highlight for me was the atmosphere – there was a real buzz among UCB staff and students in the lecture theatre. We’re hoping this will be the first conference of many.”