Sports students coached by former England footballers 15/07/11

Sports students from the University of Chichester have taken part in coaching

sessions run by former England football stars Nicky Butt and Jamie Carragher.

19 students who are studying for various sport-related degrees acted as participants in sessions led by coaches who are looking to obtain their UEFA A coaching licence, allowing them to coach at professional football clubs.

Ex-Manchester United and Newcastle player Butt and current Liverpool defender Carragher were among the coaches, as was Shaun Goater, best known for his time at Manchester City where he scored over 100 goals between 1998 and 2003, finishing as the club’s top scorer for four consecutive seasons.

It was the first time the University had been contacted to supply students for the sessions, and it is hoped there will be further opportunities in the future.

Perry Northeast from the Sports Activity and Research Centre at the University of Chichester said: “As well as the opportunity to play alongside the current and ex-professionals, each student has taken valuable experience away with them of what the professional side of football is all about. The FA was very accommodating, and every England coach was willing to give their time in offering advice to the students.”

International cricket call-up for University student 15/07/11

University of Chichester student Sarah Fogwill has been chosen for the England Women’s team for the 2011 Indoor Cricket World Cup.

The tournament will be held in South Africa between 9-15 October, with Australia the defending champions, and Sarah will be one of eight in the England squad who will take part in the competition.

Sarah, who is studying to be a PE teacher, only started playing indoor cricket last year after being asked to play in a league game by a friend because they were short of players. Sarah plays outdoor cricket for Hampshire, and found that her strengths could be easily transferred to the indoor game, which she now enjoys playing at club level for Portsmouth.

Indoor cricket is a shorter version of the game, eight players on each side and matches consisting of two innings of 16 overs each. All players are required to bowl as well as bat, meaning both sets of skills need to be of high quality. Rather than the obvious difference that the game is played indoors, other differences are that it is played on specifically designed courts covered in an artificial surface and enclosed by tight string netting, and bonus runs are scored by hitting the ball in certain areas of the netting.

Describing how these differences affect the play of the game, Sarah said: “As the playing area is tiny compared to an outside pitch, players need to be fearless in the field and whilst batting. Although there are many comparisons, indoor cricket requires quicker reactions, team work and more risks than outdoor cricket. The only protective gear used is gloves for batting, and although the ball is light, it is still lethal!”

Sarah is now focused on preparing herself for the tournament, combining it with her studies. She said:

“The tutors have been excellent; they are always there if I need them and are keen to help me get to the World Cup even though it is during term time. When on teaching placement, I was placed near home where I could train and still play my cricket.”

Major European sporting organisations spend the summer at University of Chichester 06/07/11

Two major sporting organisations have chosen to work with the University of Chichester this summer, taking full advantage of the facilities and expertise on offer at the West Sussex institution.

Spanish football club Real Madrid is currently holding a Soccer Language School at the Bishop Otter Campus in Chichester, providing participants with a chance to improve their football skills with coaching from Real Madrid coaches, along with language classes to enhance and broaden their linguistic skills.

Meanwhile, PE teachers and students from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (TF) at Semmelweis University in Hungary are currently taking part in an exchange programme which sees University of Chichester students working in Budapest at the same time.

The Faculty is the largest, most comprehensive and oldest centre for education and training in sport in Hungary, while the University of Chichester has a strong, established reputation for sports research, as well as extensive experience of working alongside elite Olympic athletes.

Links between the two have been established through a senior lecturer from the University of Chichester, Dr Laszlo Nemeth, who previously worked at Semmelweis.

The two groups of students are simultaneously experiencing new sports that are not offered in their respective institutions. Hungarian students are taking part in sports including netball, Ultimate Frisbee, hockey, cricket, golf and rugby, while Chichester students are trying out handball, fencing, track and field events, water polo and wrestling among their activities.

This is a pilot exchange programme, which was open to all PE and sports coaching students. Early feedback has been positive, and it is hoped to repeat it in future years. As part of their trip, the Hungarian teachers and students taught Year 7 pupils from Felpham Community College about water polo, opening up future possibilities of linking with local schools. They have also taken part in Adventure Education taster sessions in climbing and kayaking.

Jane Lomax, programme co-ordinator for sports coaching and PE courses at the University of Chichester, said: “Both our students and the Hungarian teachers and students appear to be learning a lot about new sports in a short period of time. There is also a cultural aspect to the trip – Chichester students have visited the Hungarian Parliament, while the Hungarians have taken the opportunity to visit London as well as the historic cities of Chichester and Arundel, and taken part in sports-related language classes.

“We hope this will be the first of many exchange trips, with the possible expansion to include our teaching staff as well. The Hungarian University of Physical Education has a high international reputation in its field, and there are numerous potential research opportunities that the two institutions could work on for the benefit of both sets of students.”