Training champions

A team of potential world-class athletes came to Edge Hill University to learn more about the science behind their sport.

The Equestrian Sport England Foundation Squad were visiting the Ormskirk campus for an introduction to the subject of Sport Science and its relevance to their training and future success.

They had the chance to try the Batak Wall Challenge, a practical team building exercise which measures reaction response through hand and eye contact.

The squad then split into groups where they had the chance to learn more about sport psychology, the effect of lifestyle on their activities and about core stability – vital for equestrian riders.

Five Regional Foundation Squads have been created across England with the aim of producing a pool of up-and-coming talented riders.

The teams, which have been set up through funding from Sport England and are being co-ordinated by the British Equestrian Federation (BEF), include the four Olympic disciplines and one Paralympic discipline of dressage, eventing, show jumping and para-equestrian dressage.  It is hoped that the squads will identify talented riders who are not currently on the BEF’s World Class Programme and improve the country’s performance in future equestrian events.

Angela Hepworth, Senior Lecturer in Sport and PE, said: “We were very pleased to welcome the equestrian squad to the campus.

“It gave us the opportunity to showcase the exceptional Sport Science work which takes place at Edge Hill, as well as give our students the opportunity to work with these excellent athletes. We are looking forward to building on this opportunity in the future.”

The event was organised by Jennie Killalea who works extensively with the equestrian teams at both world class and foundation level. Emma Duxbury contributed to the sports psychology workshops by taking the athletes through imagery, Steve Foster, from the sports therapy department, took the athletes through core stability and Angela Hepworth delivered workshops on lifestyle, nutrition and the importance of time management.