Cheltenham Town footballers put through their paces at assessment day at UoG

Cheltenham Town footballers have been undergoing a range of testing at University of Gloucestershire in support of their preparations for the new season.

Players from the Robins’ under-18s squad were monitored and assessed by their coaches and academic staff and students from the University’s Sport and Exercise Sciences, Sports Therapy and Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation programmes.

The players were tested for their power, strength, movement and asymmetry using the range of advanced facilities and equipment at the University’s Oxstalls Campus, which include sports and exercise laboratories and a strength and conditioning suite.

The resulting data will provide important insights around potential injury risks to the players and support their coaches to design suitable training programmes aimed at increasing performance and reducing injury.

Dr Simon Fryer, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, said: “This is a fantastic collaboration between the University and Cheltenham Town that supports young footballers to fulfil their potential and enables students to gain vital industry experience.

“Carrying out these tests during pre-season helps to set up the training programme for the rest of the campaign, reducing long-term injury risk and minimising a player’s time out of action.

“We’re proud that staff from the football club who were involved in carrying out the testing are graduates from our Sport and Exercise Science and Sports Therapy programmes, which is a real testament to our teaching and graduate employability.

“As well as being delighted to welcome back our graduates, we’re pleased that the assessment day provided them with an excellent opportunity to pass on their knowledge to current students looking to follow in their footsteps.”

Josh Carter, Academy Lead Sports Scientist, said “It’s always a pleasure to be back at the University and to catch up with our former lecturers who were so important in our professional journey.

“The testing day gave our players access to world-class facilities, while also providing students with valuable insight into the importance and application of physical testing within an academy football environment.”

Jesse Humphries, Academy Senior Physiotherapist at Cheltenham Town, said: “The data collected plays a key role in helping us reduce injury risk and maximise each player’s physical development. A huge thank you to Simon and the entire team for making the day such a success. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.”