Why did you decide to study at UC?
I was born and raised in Canterbury. UC offered the opportunity to stay close to my family and friends, and build on the networks and connections I already had. I have also loved playing sports ever since I was young, so UC’s Bachelor of Sport Coaching captured my interest, and from there, I continued with the Master’s programme to expand my knowledge and skillset.
How was your UC experience?
In my experience, university is what you make it, and this was particularly the case in the Master’s programme. I’m an innately competitive person; I want to continually get better and perform at a high level, and university was no different. I got stuck in and tried to make the most of my time and the opportunities.
What is the education like at UC?
The Master of Sport Science programme is taught-based alongside the research project or dissertation. The lectures were highly interactive and applied. It’s a great blend of science and practice, which is extremely pertinent for scaling a knowledge of concepts and principles to everyday situations. And the research dissertation put me in a great position to apply for a PhD, which I’m currently pursuing.
What are UC’s academic staff like?
I’ll limit this one to my research committee, Sibi Walter and Mark Drury. Completing the dissertation was a bit of a journey, to say the least. There were highs and lows, but I was fortunate to have amazing supervisors in my corner throughout the process. They kept me on the straight and narrow, but also gave me the breathing room to work through problems I encountered. Essentially, they made the research process richer and more fun. Additionally, we recently published two studies that stemmed from my master’s work, which is a testament to their contributions and commitment.
Did you find any UC services particularly helpful?
I spent much time with the librarians, getting support for research and academic skills. They gave me specialist help with search engines, EndNote, and note-taking. Needless to say, they saved me countless hours in the long run.
Tell us about the internships you took part in.
As an undergraduate student, I got my start in the personal training sector and high school setting, interning as a strength and conditioning coach. From there, as a postgraduate student, I got a strength and conditioning internship working with the Canterbury Rams and Mainland Pouākai basketball teams. But, being a young coach, I knew I had to seek the guidance of someone more experienced. This person was Adam Petway, a performance coach and biomechanist with experience in the NBA. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from Adam at the University of Louisville during a stint with their Division I men’s basketball team.
And now you work for the Canterbury Rams! What does your job entail?
As a Performance Coach, the purpose I serve is to help athletes reach their goals healthily and safely. This requires that I understand the vision for each player from an organisation and player perspective. Understanding what I’m doing in the grand scheme of things is essential to making decisions that put the player in the best position possible. It’s not about gathering metrics and improving them for the sake of improving them; we’re in a continual process of facilitating the grand purpose.
Do you think your degree prepared you well for your current career and aspirations?
No question. High performance sport environments are fast-paced and pressure-packed. You’re presented with many unique challenges. This is particularly the case as a young coach because you don’t have a developed heuristic system for quick decision-making when a complex problem is presented. I’ll openly admit to making countless mistakes, but the scientific attitude of mind that I developed while completing the master’s helped me to hone my intuition, instincts, and beliefs to the facts, and not the other way around.
Why is Christchurch a good place to study from a career development perspective?
You’re afforded many opportunities here. The UC academic staff have connections to places you’re trying to reach in your career and will put you in touch with the right people. In my experience, if you’re working hard alongside that, you tend to be the first person that comes to mind for them when an opportunity pops up. I’ve enjoyed a rapid ascent from a career standpoint, and the above are KPIs in that regard.
Would you recommend UC to other students?
Yes, absolutely. You’ll get everything you need as an undergraduate. It will set you up with a diverse knowledge, skillset, and network to enter the workforce or pursue entry into a Master’s programme. But again, university is what you make it.
