How Leeds Beckett helped me build a career in elite sport nutrition

After completing my undergraduate degree, my ambition to become a sports nutritionist led me to pursue a postgraduate degree. Upon researching various postgraduate courses, Leeds Beckett stood out for its SENR accreditation and the opportunity for practical experience alongside the Masters degree. The university's highly rated reputation for sports, coupled with state-of-the-art facilities showcased during the open day, convinced me that Leeds Beckett was the ideal choice.

As I approached the conclusion of my master’s degree, I was fortunate to come across an opportunity to undertake an applied PhD at Leeds Beckett. This provided the perfect avenue to continue my academic journey while gaining invaluable experience in high-profile sporting environments in rugby and netball.

The facilities at Headingley are fantastic, from the laboratories to the kitchen. Being able to see professional athletes train on campus was inspiring, and I took advantage of spending as much time as possible on campus. The staff are all fantastic, they are always available to address any queries or questions and are there to support you through assessments. With the staff being really supportive and friendly, it made lectures and seminars interesting and really enjoyable. I’ve always been a more practical learner and throughout the course there was plenty of times for practical’s whether that was cooking, taking blood samples or setting up experiments in the laboratory, which all developed my skills and knowledge.

Everything that’s taught on the course I use in my applied and research work. The course equipped me with the knowledge necessary for my current role and instilled practical skills such as time management, critical thinking, multitasking, and effective communication. During the course, I got to have actual practical experience of working in a sporting environment through the applied practice programme, where I got to deliver nutrition workshops to a variety of different sporting teams and also work individually with a few athletes and was mentored throughout which I couldn’t have asked for better experience and support.

In my current role, I get to work with the Academy and Scholarship players at Leeds Rhinos Rugby Club and also work with Leeds Rhinos Netball first team as their sports nutritionist. That means I’m responsible for the well-being, growth and development of the rugby lads as well as making sure the netballers are optimally fuelled and recovered, as well supporting their overall health and well-being. My research is exploring body composition.

Embrace every moment and every opportunity. Don’t stay in your comfort zone, push yourself to try new things, don’t be afraid to ask questions and explore any available opportunities that are available to you, whether that’s applying for the applied practice programme or getting involved in research projects. It goes by quickly so make the most of it. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for making connections and making the most out of the options that were provided to me at Leeds Beckett.