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Edge Hill University (EHU) Sports Therapy students got to showcase their skills last month supporting cyclists during the Doddie Cup 555. The charity event pulled together people from across the UK, including a host of sports stars led by rugby legend Rob Wainwright and Sir Chris Hoy MBE, to cycle an astounding 555 miles from Cardiff to Edinburgh in just 48 hours. The journey which took the riders from Cardiff’s Principality Stadium to the Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, aimed to raise funds and awareness of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation; the charity was founded by Scottish Rugby player Doddie Weir OBE, who was diagnosed with MND back in 2017 and sadly passed away from the disease in November last year. EHU Sports Therapy students were brought in to help at the first ‘pit stop’ in England, at Orrell Rugby Football Club in Wigan, following the first leg of the journey through Wales. Twenty EHU students took part, volunteering their skills and time to support the cyclists by providing soft tissue massage. Senior Lecturer Lynsey Wilson took charge of recruiting students and helped coordinate efforts on the day. She said: ‘We had thought a small number of students would volunteer but in fact a third of the cohort took part which was fantastic. ‘It was such a great opportunity for them not only to apply their skills and gain valuable experience but also to work on their communication skills and ability to undertake work-based learning. ’The logistics on the day were arranged by Altius Healthcare with one of their staff members setting up the room, getting the plinths etc and helping the students with their techniques. It was all a great team effort.’   When the cyclists finally arrived at Murrayfield Stadium, home of Scotland rugby, their efforts were recognised when they presented the match ball to The MND Association’s Royal Patron HRH Princess Anne and the Scottish and Welsh rugby teams, before their Six Nations match at Murrayfield. It was a great event for the students to take part in and here’s what just some of the EHU Sports Therapy students thought about it: ‘I thought it would be good for me to get some more experience treating patients of different demographics, in a different environment (which was very friendly and relaxed on the day). Right from the start I could tell how efficient and well run the event was and how we (as therapists) would easily slot into the system they had going. Treating and massaging different people of different ages and backgrounds helped me develop a further understanding about how treatment needs to be tailored to each individual. It also made me realise how quickly I (as a therapist) am able to build relationships with patients and just how important these relationships could be within my future practice.” Joseph Bartley   ” This incredible experience gave me the chance to gain experience in a real-world sport setting. With the support of my colleagues, I was given a platform to thrive and learn whilst adding fuel to my passion for helping others. Seeing the impact my brief interaction with each rider had on their success in the event has made my confidence soar whilst also providing me with excellent examples I can use to show the extent of my skills in future career aspirations.” Abby Coleman   “It was a great opportunity to be a part of (this event) especially for such a good cause. Taking part not only allowed for Edge Hill Sports Therapy to be represented but allowed me to practise and develop massage and soft tissue techniques while being able to make connections that could be beneficial in the future.” Julie Bryce “Assisting with the Doddie Weir 555 was an amazing opportunity for me to gain valuable experience working alongside professional athletes and putting the skills that I have learned into practice. As a follower of rugby, I was aware of the event prior to the invitation to assist, and it was a great privilege to support the athletes on their journey to Edinburgh. Being part of this amazing charity event made me feel a valued member of the sporting community and proud of the sports therapy profession. This event gave me an alternative experience than working one to one in a clinic, it was fast-paced, exciting and also highlighted the importance of the role of a sports therapist. If this opportunity should arise for future sports therapy students, I would highly recommend for them to take part.” Nicole Smith Members looking to support the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s cause can still do so at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/DoddieCup555 until 31st March.

A job ad recently shared by The Society of Sports Therapists (The SST ) stated ‘Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor Ministry of Defence (MOD) …. Open to Graduate Sports Therapists…. Brand new opportunity for SST Members’ It’s a new and exciting pathway for utilising your Sports Therapy skills and knowledge, The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), based at Stanford Hall, near Loughborough, replaced the world- famous Headley Court Rehabilitation Centre, in Surrey. This state of the art facility provides support for Armed Forces personnel suffering from a range of injuries and neurological conditions. Following lengthy discussions, the Ministry of Defence (MOD)  has now recognised that Graduate Sports Therapists who are Members of The SST have the knowledge and skills to support rehabilitating injured personnel back to fitness. If you are looking for a change of direction or, as a student, you are thinking about where your Sports Therapy degree might take you, the DMRC is running a series of open days to give you an insight into a career with the military. Dates for your Diary:  Insight Days at The DMRC  28th March 2023 6th June 2023 12th September 2023 What to Expect The day will consist of a series of talks and presentations, a tour of the facilities, discussions and a Q and A session. It is a full day and will give you a great insight into the world of rehabilitating injured personnel. Interested and Serious? There will be limited places on each day so if you are interested and serious about working in this arena, email Admin@thesst.org with your contact details and what you are doing work or study wise. Read more about the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre here: The Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (thednrc.org.uk)

Saying ‘Yes’ to opportunities for learning and development is a motto that many of our Members follow throughout their working life. It provides an opportunity to ‘test the waters’ and allows us to establish which environments/areas of practice we can succeed in, and hopefully enjoy. A Graduate Sports Therapist’s (GST) knowledge and skills are applicable to a wide range of employment roles across a variety of different settings. Meaning it is possible to find yourself working at two opposing ends of the workplace spectrum. SST Member Donavella Alvacite Cardenas certainly has experience with this! Currently working for the NHS within a Rehabilitation unit, Donavella gave us an overview of her typical daily tasks: ‘My daily role involves some clinical work, independently teaching evidence based exercise/rehabilitation programmes to patients, on a one2one and group basis. I also prescribe home exercise programmes to patients. My Non clinical work involves providing access visits to patient homes (for discharge planning) and sending discharge summaries to GPs. ‘Within the unit, I am working closely with a multi disciplinary team to run the unit with adequate training and deliver a higher level of service. I work with various AHP’s including Doctors, Dietitians, Speech & Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Nurses. Our Trust aims to put quality at the heart of everything we do, placing value on our relationships with others and delivering services we are proud of, to make a positive difference in our community.’ Evidently a heavily patient focussed, healthcare environment in which her GST skills in rehabilitation contribute to the trust’s outcomes on patient care. Yet, before this role, Donavella had taken a placement opportunity with the English National Ballet (ENB) which, you may agree, is a very different workplace…  ‘For the role I was involved in with the ENB, I worked closely with the professional dancers, providing assessment and treatment before and after training sessions, as well as before and after their performances. I also supported the medical team (Physiotherapist, Athletic Trainer and Chiropractor) with the dancers’ baseline screening. It was a really good experience which I plan to revisit when time allows’ Working with high level sporting athletes and performers draws upon a similar rehabilitation skillset, but to an opposing extent, in comparison to working with NHS patients. GST’s are fortunate to have a well rounded foundation knowledge in which the principles of injury rehabilitation are applicable and adaptable for implementation in each of the respective settings. But where else may you find your skills useful? Donavella intends to seek out more opportunities: ‘After finishing my MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine, I want to experience working in Women’s football!’ Yet another different environment with a very different type of athlete. We asked Donavella to provide some top tips for her fellow SST Members who may be seeking out their niche as a GST, she said: ‘Be armed with your knowledge of anatomy, physiology, injury assessment and evidence based rehabilitation strategies. Invest in adding more tools to your toolbox. Be on time! Know your stuff, be friendly and proactive.’ We wish Donavella all the best with her continued development and look forward to hearing about her next workplace adventure.

Society Member Lisa Edwards is on the hunt for Member research articles and case reports, for potential publication in the Football Medical and Performance Association (FMPA) official magazine. The articles can be of interest or relevance to FMPA members working in professional football, both in the men’s and women’s game. Lisa, a Graduate of University College Birmingham, joined the FMPA’s multi-disciplinary panel of article reviewers last year to help give a voice to Sports Therapy and Society Members. Lisa said: ‘I saw the role advertised and thought it would be interesting to meet other therapists and medics from different professions and also saw it as a good opportunity to try and showcase some of the great work being done by our Graduate Sports Therapists’. Lisa is no stranger to football having worked with a number of Welsh football Clubs including Rhyl, Conwy Borough FC, Flint FC, and finishing in 2021 with Colwyn Bay. Her passion for football has not abated and she now works with the Football Association of Wales Trust, with her talents now being directed towards the U15 and U16 national girls’ squads. Lisa manages to pack a huge amount into her daily life running her own clinic, LE Sports Therapy in Rhyl, and providing education sessions on Anatomy, Fitness and Nutrition at the Oldham Athletic Development Centre. NEXT STEPS Please see Deadline dates below – yes, this edition is a tight one and read the FMPA Magazine Editorial Guidelines. Then, if you have some work ready to go, you feel you can meet the deadlines below and would like your work to be considered; please email admin@thesst.org and we will put you in touch with Lisa. Deadlines for Edition 42: 29thJanuary- drafts due and articles allocated to reviewers 26thFebruary – reviewers to agree final edits with authors Early April –edition released Deadline for Edition 43 30th April – drafts due and articles allocated to reviewers Early July –edition released Please Note: You do not have to be a member of the FMPA to submit material but remember it does have to be relevant to elite football. An example of the types of articles featured:

Upon her return from the European Championships in Italy, Society Member Rachael Harris tells us about her experience working as a Graduate Sports Therapist within high level youth sport on an international stage.  You supported the U19 England Lions Rugby League team at the European Championships 2022 in Italy. Can you tell us how you first became involved with the team? What was it like to be working at an international tournament? ‘I first became involved in the Lions programme via a friend that I studied at University with. She is also part of the programme and recommended to the coaches that I got involved with the team. I got offered the opportunity to join the U19 team in Italy at the European Championship with little notice and thought it was an opportunity that was too good to miss! I currently work at a private Sports Therapy practice full time, so I was very thankful that my boss understood this amazing opportunity I was presented with and allowed me to take some time off last minute. For me, this was a new team of players and new members of staff that I had never met or worked with before. This meant that I had to adapt to working with a new team in an unfamiliar environment. I will admit that I did feel the pressure (as I think we all did!) to work to a high standard to provide players with a high level of care to ensure they were kept in an injury-free state to complete the tournament. This was proven difficult at times as we usually had to work with whatever space we had. Luckily, our team had a spare bedroom which we ended up using as our treatment room – this is where we would carry out injury assessment, taping prior to training, and any treatment. Working at an International tournament was beyond amazing! I was fortunate enough to talk to Sports Therapists/ Physiotherapists from other countries and discuss how they had found the tournament and what challenges they had faced. Towards the end of the competition, all the coaches, staff, and medical teams from each country got together over a few drinks. I managed to build some great connections with them and we are still in contact.’ We know the team had a very successful championship, beating France in the final! Huge congratulations to you and the team. But can you tell us about some of the challenges you faced as the team Sports Therapist whilst you were away, and how you overcame them?  ‘Thank you! It really was a tough 12 days for all the staff involved as well as the players – everyone did such an amazing job working together to achieve a common end goal of winning the competition (which we did!). The competition really was to a high standard from all teams – Ireland, Wales, Italy, France, Ukraine, and Serbia. For team England to pull through and beat France 14-12 in the final was something special! Prior to Italy, the team and I had no idea what to expect from the competition and what rehab facilities would be available to assist our job. Upon arriving we found we had access to a swimming pool, gym, and one medical room – in which all these facilities would be shared with all 7 teams! This proved to be a challenge, therefore we had to adapt and overcome these struggles the best way we could by making use of what we had. The day after matches/training would be the players recovery day where myself and the Sport Rehabilitator I was working with would include injury assessment and hydrotherapy recovery in the swimming pool. However, we very rarely had access to the swimming pool, so we adapted and used the sea, as our accommodation was luckily right next to the beach. Although this isn’t what we had originally planned (and most of us didn’t like the sea, including me!).It ended up being a successful session, achieving the same goals as we would have in the swimming pool. Another challenge we faced was taping times. This was something that we could control/manage. We would ask players the night before training or match days who needed tape and what area. Once we got these details, we created a list and roughly worked out how long each player would take to tape up. We then created a schedule  of who needed to see us and at what times, to send to the players. The reason we did this was to prevent any delay/cross over in their warm-up schedule.’ You mentioned that you worked alongside a Sports Rehabilitator within the team, but did you work with any other MDT professionals during the tournament? If so, can you share some examples of times whereby your areas of expertise came together for the benefit of the player/team?  ‘There were roughly 10 members of staff that travelled with the players to the tournament in Italy. I did work alongside a Sports Rehabilitator. Our roles and responsibilities included: Making sure all 21 players were assessed for any injuries that they were carrying Creating suitable prehab plans to prevent injuries from occurring Taping prior to training and matches Leading the team through dynamic warm-ups Leading the team through hydrotherapy recovery sessions Pitchside cover during matches and training Feeding back to the relevant members of staff about any concerns we had regarding the players Other members of team England that I worked alongside included coaches, welfare officers, and support kit/equipment staff. The day after a match, we would ensure that any players that needed assessing got assessed by both myself and the Sports Rehabilitator I was working with. This allowed us to bounce ideas off one another about a plan of action and what the next steps would be. Our team meetings would usually occur at the dinner table as this was the one time of the day that everyone would be together. This is where we would feedback to the coaches if there were any injured players and what our plan of action was with them. We would also give feedback to the welfare officers about any concerns we had over the players – whether this was because they felt not part of the team due to carrying an injury or because they were struggling with being away from home/family. ‘ As a Graduate Sports Therapist and SST Member, what advice would you give to your fellow Members who are considering working in high level youth/academy sport? Perhaps in terms of preparation/skills required in contact sport and when travelling to international events? ‘Don’t be afraid to say yes! Even if it is unpaid work (if you’re able to), you are guaranteed to build connections and possibly be offered other opportunities and jobs. As a result of me saying yes to travelling to Italy with the team, I then got asked to work with the U17 Regional East team. From this, one of the coaches from the team was looking for a Sport Therapist for the Bradford Bulls Scholarship programme, which I have recently started. Saying yes only opens doors for further experience and work. Another piece of advice I would give to anyone thinking about working in high level sport is be prepared to work unsociable and long hours. You will probably find yourself researching and creating rehab plans outside of work hours to implement when you next see the team in order to provide the optimum care. Whilst away with the team in Italy, work was very different to how it would be at a regular club. We ensured that we were available for the players whenever they required. Whether this was to talk about any concerns they had about their injuries, advice or assessment. As a Sport Therapist with the team, we found we would be working roughly between 7am and 10pm.  Working pitch side can feel very daunting at first. Whilst you are still a student, try and seek as much experience pitch side at matches and training in a variety of sports to place yourself in a confident position upon graduating. And remember, be prepared and ready for the unexpected – you never know what you might come across! If you decide to work with a sports team, it may be a requirement/expectation that you hold the relevant sports trauma qualification – E.G. Advanced Trauma Medical Management in Football (ATMMiF), for the FA medical pathway, or the Immediate Medical Management On the Field of Play Course (IMMOFP) which is Rugby specific. As much as we can try to be organised and plan how a training session may run regarding assessing players and leading them through rehab, sometimes this isn’t always possible. It can sometimes be a challenge and a difficult conversation to have with coaches about injured players and how they may need time out of training/matches. Just remember – you are a qualified Sport Therapist with the relevant degree and knowledge, so don’t be afraid to put your foot down!’

A post-pandemic comeback! SST Directors, Members and special guests gathered once again at the London Heathrow Marriott Hotel for the annual University Forum. But in an exciting addition, for the first time, the event was combined with the AGM and the inaugural President’s Dinner. A mix of both new and returning faces attended the event, all welcomed proudly by Society Chair Kevin Campbell-Karn, who kicked off an afternoon of informative and thought-provoking presentations. First up to the stage was CEO Sally Steadman, who started by sharing her gratitude for the support received in her first 5 months in post with The Society. She then followed with an outline of some of the key areas for development in which the Board of Directors will be focussing in the new year and beyond. SST Director Lynsey Northeast then stepped onto stage to introduce her colleague from Solent University, Dr Emma Mosely. Emma, a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, spoke about ‘Assessing the Impact of a Sports Psychology Education Package for Sports Therapy Students’. She shared the results of a small scale study which was recently implemented with Sports Therapy students at Solent University. She concluded that students clearly value sports psychology education, seeing improvements in attitudes towards the role of psychology and the practice of psychological skills via role play scenarios. So why don’t we consider implementing similar training across our education establishments? This certainly provided those in attendance with something to consider. But the list of ‘things to consider’ didn’t stop there. SST Director Kristian Weaver then introduced Professor Matt Greig from Edge Hill University, who generated discussion on the opportunities for growth and development in research. He posed a number of questions openly to the room, including ‘Do we need to generate a PhD supervisory pool of Graduate Sports Therapists?’ Opinions and suggestions from various members of the audience given in response, prompted much discussion during the break. The room then re-convened for SST Chair Kevin Campbell-Karn to introduce Andrew Cuff from Connect Health. Andrew took the audience through a journey of development for Connect Health and explained the progress made on the employment of SST Members within the NHS. He proudly stated that all relevant, skilled MSK professionals (whether that be a Graduate Sports Therapist, Sports Rehabilitator or Osteopath etc) will be given the title ‘MSK Clinician’ and assessed on skillset to meet the competencies, as opposed to their original training pathway title. This removal of bias has enabled the best candidates for the role to be employed, improving MSK care for patients. An exciting development for SST Members, opening doors within healthcare. In addition to this development, SST Director Keith Waldon then introduced Major Stephen Chappell and Warrant Officer 1 Russell Hughes from the Ministry Of Defence (MOD), who had some very exciting news to share. Following a lengthy piece of work and collaboration with The SST, Graduate Sports Therapists are now eligible to apply for roles within the MOD as Exercise Rehabilitation Instructors. They will form part of the care pathway, performing clinical assessments and designing/implementing progressive exercise programmes for servicemen and women. President Graham N Smith followed this presentation with a statement on the value of this development and the future of SST Members working within the Defence pathway. The programme on Day 2 kicked off with Dr David Rhodes from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) asking the question: ‘Sports Therapy in High Performance Sport: A Profession Struggling to Find its Place in MDT?’ Designed to be provocative and to open up discussion, Dr Rhodes took a look at the current landscape, considering the professional bodies competing for the same jobs and asking if the competencies are preparing graduates for employment. He questioned whether Sports Therapy is still hindered by the differing levels of qualifications and whether there needs to be a mandatory MSc pathway to work in elite sport. Very specifically, he asked should our Graduate Sports Therapists be focusing on rehabilitation as part of the MDT? Dr Rhodes’ talk led seamlessly into the Hot Topics session which focused on work soon to be carried out on reviewing the current SST competencies. The review process will engage a number of different stakeholders and the purpose of this session was to get some qualitative feedback from lecturers teaching on the programme. Led by SST Vice Chair Kristian Weaver (now Chair of The SST) and Director Dr Lynsey Northeast, the session tackled a number of questions looking at the value of the current content of the competencies, providing both Directors with valuable feedback. The final session of the Forum fell to Tyrone Cassius, Chair of The Network for Engagement in Equity, Diversity & Social-Structural Strategy (NEEDSs). Introduced by Director Tom Cresswell, who works closely with the group, Tyrone’s session entitled ‘Sports Therapy: A Change In Course’ looked at equity, diversity and inclusion in the profession both from a teaching and member perspective. Tyrone raised many searching questions and urged the audience to have those difficult conversations, to identify barriers in order to find solutions. It was a fitting note on which to end 2 days of inspired talks, news and discussions. Our thanks to all speakers who took part and to the great number of lecturers who gave up their time to attend, in what we know is an extremely busy time of year academically. See you all next year.

The 2022 AGM election has seen a reshuffle on The Society of Sports Therapists’ (The SST) Board of Directors, with the new appointment of Dr Christopher Holland, the re-appointment of Keith Waldon and the stepping down of former Chair, Dr Kevin Campbell-Karn. Each year two Directors must retire by rotation and this year was the turn of Dr Campbell-Karn and Keith Waldon.  After 14 months in the role as Chair and five years on the Board of Directors, Dr Campbell-Karn decided to relinquish both positions, due to family and work commitments. Keith Waldon, who has been on the Board since its creation in 2002, (and prior to that the SST Council) chose to stand again. Four candidates stood for election and voting took place on the night. Votes were combined with proxy votes received from Members unable to attend the meeting. Keith Waldon and Dr Christopher Holland were elected. Keith Waldon has a rich history of supporting the Society, from its very early days working with Professor Graham Smith, to the establishment of the first degree and many degree programmes thereafter, to working towards Statutory Regulation, a goal he continues to pursue today. Dr Holland, a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the MSci and BSc programmes at the University of Worcester, has been working in Higher Education for over 17 years and is a current Member of The SST’s Network for Engagement in Equity, Diversity & Social-Structural Strategy (NEEDSs). Passionate about the Society and its Members, Christopher spoke of his desire to work in particular with the National Governing Bodies that still remain blinkered to the skills and knowledge of SST Graduate Sports Therapists. The AGM, which was chaired by Society President Professor Graham Smith, saw the agenda completed, save for the approval of a new set of Articles of Association. This item was withdrawn and will be re-presented to the membership for consultation early in the New Year. Even a World Cup Clash Couldn’t Spoil Dinner The inaugural President’s Dinner swiftly followed the AGM and, despite it clashing with the England v Wales World Cup match, there was a full house in attendance. (Well, the fact that the game was screened in the room may have helped just a little!) The Dinner formed part of an extraordinary day which saw University Course Leaders and Lecturers come together for the first instalment of the University Forum, prior to the AGM. The President’s Dinner saw Members and Lecturers come together to enjoy a social evening, meeting friends old and new. This was the first time such a combination of events had taken place. We were delighted that two of the University Forum guest speakers from the military, Major Steve Chappell and Warrant Officer 1 Russell Hughes from the MOD were also able to join the event. Earlier in the day they made the exciting announcement that Graduate Members of The SST are now eligible to apply for Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor roles within the MOD. This is a major development for the Society and represents yet another career pathway opportunity for our Members. So, if you were an England fan you left happy, a Wales fan (and there were a few) not so, but overall it was a very enjoyable evening, appreciated by all.    

Well there we have it! Another Therapy Expo wrapped up… and what an experience it was for our SST Members, both those invited to speak on behalf of The Society and all of those in attendance across the two days. Over recent years, Therapy Expo has become the annual ‘go to’ event for practitioners and businesses within the therapy industry, creating a prime networking opportunity and centre stage for showcasing the very best of current research and practice.  Day 1: Kicking off the event in style, SST Members Dr Kate Williams, Dr Jennifer Wilson and Thomas Hames each took to their respective stages across the three main theatres of the event. Audiences quickly became absorbed in the superbly delivered content, with Kate leading the room through accelerated hamstring rehabilitation, Jen raising the bar with strength & conditioning principles and Tom promoting all the reasons why Transplant Athletes need our therapy support!            Keeping us engaged throughout the afternoon, SST Members Dr Sally Waterworth and Dr Dale Forsdyke demonstrated their breadth of practice as Graduate Sports Therapists. Delving into the role of nutrition, Sally explained how ‘overuse injuries’ may in fact just be ‘poor recovery’, particularly in endurance sport. Whilst Dale got the audience thinking about the term ‘readiness’ and a multifaceted approach for return to sport criteria.       Closing the day with a theme of ‘opportunity’, SST Member Kate Cady shared a fun filled tale of positivity, highlighting the importance of believing in one’s skillset and saying ‘yes’ to opportunities that arise. Whilst SST Director Michael Cole explained how we as Therapists can help to increase awareness of structural dynamics within society, improving opportunity for others.       Day 2: Breaking the ice on day 2, SST Members Kirsty Hopgood & Saffron Allen teamed up to offer a thought-provoking Therapist vs Player perspective on what ‘excellent care’ is when working in the minority sport of Ice Hockey. Running into the afternoon, SST Member Maria Westwell illustrated a biomechanical assessment of running gait and highlighted the corrections/alterations required to reduce injury in different types of elite runners, from track to ultra.             Closing the show, SST Member Kim Hutt presented an overview of the challenges faced when working as a Graduate Sports Therapist within an elite dance school, including the biomechanics of ‘turnout’ and the management of dance injuries. Overall, Therapy Expo 22 was a successful representation of the competencies and expertise of Graduate Sports Therapists. It was also an exciting opportunity for SST Members to network with other professionals and industry partners… plus catch up with old friends! SST President Professor Graham N Smith, who proudly chaired the keynote theatre on both days said: “The Therapy Expo conference, undoubtedly, gives the Society a major platform for members to share their knowledge and expertise, and highlight the breadth of skills they and their colleagues have. It is an event that I am proud to be involved in, especially as it gives me the opportunity to lead the sessions that members are presenting in, which is something that I do with extreme pride” We very much look forward to seeing you at Therapy Expo 2023

Following the recent success of the England Lionesses in the UEFA Women’s Euro 22 tournament, we have witnessed a significant increase in the popularity of women’s football, and women’s sport as a whole. While opportunities for player progression continue to advance within the sport, as do the requirements for medical provision. Therapy roles within women’s football are starting to gain more traction than ever before. Society Member and previous winner of the SST Travelling Scholarship Laura Clint can attest to this! Following her appointment this season as the Lead Sports Therapist for London City Lionesses FC, we spoke to Laura to find out more about her role: Tell us a bit about your journey since graduating – How did you first get involved in women’s football? ‘My first role in the women’s game after graduating was with Arsenal Women’s Academy. I started working with their college team at the end of 2019 and over the next two seasons worked with every age from U8s up to U21s. This summer I stepped into a full-time role in senior football at London City Lionesses who play in the Women’s Championship.  Alongside working in Women’s football, I have also spent the last 3 years working at London Broncos rugby league academy’  Following the recent success of the England Women’s team in the Euros 22, what has the atmosphere been like at your club? ‘There has been a real buzz around the place off the back of the Euros and you can see there is increased excitement across the game in general. There has obviously been a massive increase in game attendance, and it’s been great to see some WSL games attracting big crowds. The increased promotion of the game and greater acknowledgment in the local community will reap further benefits, I’m sure, and it’s wonderful to witness more people backing women’s football.’ In terms of medical services in the sport (including staffing/facilities/equipment/funding), have you witnessed much progression there? What do your club, and others within the same or similar league(s) have available now? ‘The development of medical services in the women’s game has been great! As the game has developed on the pitch, I think this is starting to be matched off the pitch too. Quality of care and provision has drastically improved over the last 5 years, with increased numbers of experienced, qualified staff and better access to facilities/equipment. For example, here at London City Lionesses FC, we are lucky enough to have access to a well-equipped gym and pool at a local David Lloyd Leisure Club, allowing us to provide high quality rehab and recovery for all the players.’ For your fellow SST Members who may be looking for opportunities to work within women’s football, can you offer any top tips or advice on how to get involved? ‘My top tip would be to get in touch with as many clubs as you can. As the game is growing there are always plenty of opportunities to get involved. Whilst the sport is still growing and medical setups are still relatively small in comparison to the men’s side, this can offer a great chance to get some hands-on experience…maybe even working with up and coming stars of the game!’

Many congratulations to Society of Sports Therapists’ Member Patrick Gaffey on winning The SST Transplant Sport Travelling Scholarship. Alongside the Great Britain Therapy Team, Paddy will be jetting off to Perth, Australia for the World Transplant Games in April 2023. The SST received a large number of applications for the scholarship, many of which were of an extremely high calibre. We applaud all of those who submitted an application. However, there could only be one winner! Following an outstanding interview and demonstration of personality, knowledge and enthusiasm to embrace learning opportunities, Patrick was notified of his success by Society CEO, Sally Steadman. Sally said: ‘The standard of our six finalists was indeed very high and selecting just one Member was not an easy decision. All judges however agreed that Patrick would be an excellent fit for the Transplant Sport Therapy team and be an outstanding ambassador for both The SST and Transplant Sport UK. SST Honorary Member Sheila Leddington Wright, who together with SST Member Thomas Hames will lead the Therapy team in Perth and who were both on the interview panel said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Patrick to the Therapy team for the World Transplant Games; he thoroughly deserves his place after a terrific interview. ‘This innovative sponsorship by The Society of Sports Therapists, enabling Patrick to travel to Perth with the team, comes after a difficult period for Transplant Sport UK following the Covid Pandemic. We are extremely grateful for their support.’ Hayley Clarke, Chair of the Society’s Communications Group, took the opportunity to get to know a little more about Paddy and find out what he is hoping to gain from the experience of a lifetime. You can view the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ILKcZBItqo&t=3s