I am a 20-year-old second year student at Leeds Beckett. I work for a gym, teaching swimming alongside university. I have always been into sport; I was taught to ski when I was younger. I would love to someday work abroad at a ski resort as a sport therapist or do some ski instructing and travel. I used to compete in swimming, I stopped to teach swimming and still do four years on. I now teach adults privately in Leeds.

• Course: BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Therapy

Tell us a bit about yourself and what drew you to Sports and Exercise Therapy

I have always loved sport; studying the theory behind it, swimming competitively, teaching swimming, skiing and athletics, and have known Leeds Beckett for being ‘The home of sport’, so how could I not go here? I looked at other universities, but Beckett stood out to me; the Open Day only confirmed my choice. When I compared the course against others at different universities, I found it to have greater contact time with modules from all aspects of the sporting field, creating more opportunities following graduation. The course is also credited by two sporting bodies making it appeal even more.

At A level I studied biology and BTEC sport science. I loved learning the science of the body from both a biological and sporting aspect. I wanted to study these further and in a way that would allow me to work hands-on and to look at sporting performance from different angles – injury, prevention, rehabilitation, performance enhancement – including the impact I could have on these. This course combines all these factors in a brilliant setting with the most amazing equipment, allowing us to explore different avenues, which was made clear on my practical opening day, sealing the deal for me.

What made you choose Leeds Beckett?

Doing some research about the university when I was applying for this course it was obvious that Beckett is renowned for being the best university for sporting courses. They have great links, for example, Leeds Rhinos, Bradford City, which I knew meant they must be doing something right. The university has a great ethos, friendly and very knowledgeable staff, which made me feel welcome and at home (as cheesy as that sounds) already when I went to visit. It gave such a grown-up, independent feeling with a great support network easily accessible to us all adding to the welcoming feel.

What has been your favourite thing about your time studying at Leeds Beckett?

Despite Covid-19, my university experience so far has been amazing, my first year was in a non-Covid world, where I was always going into campus to study. My favourite part of the course has been the practical aspect, the lecturers are so great at what they do, the equipment available to us makes the studying side of things that more exciting and interesting. I love how passionate and knowledgeable my lecturers are about their subject. During Covid I had been so unmotivated to do work but the lecturers have been so helpful and positive throughout. Being able to have a good rapport and to just chat to my tutors without feeling like the ‘childish young student’ is so warming, they have made my university experience less daunting and easy to cope with.

Another great thing about Beckett is the sport. I haven’t had the chance to go and see a varsity game yet but the atmosphere in town and campus during game season is electric, exciting and just makes you want to get involved and support the Beckett sports teams. The university offers so many different sport societies that you can join, this just adds to the all-round experience.

What advice would you give someone thinking about studying this course?

Everyone says there is no such thing as a silly question; I realised this really is true, if you have a question, ask it. It is okay to ask for help to make sure you are making the right choices and are helping yourself. If you are unsure about applying or have questions, query them, ask to talk to a current or past student. At the end of the day it’s your education and your money, you may as well make sure you choose the right course and university that is going to shape your future.