Hi, I’m Dan, and as someone who is about to finish my Master’s in Performance Analysis, I feel well placed to discuss what to look out for in a year here on the course at Loughborough.

Whether you’re coming out of an undergraduate degree, already experienced within sport, have spent time away from education, or are working in another sector altogether, it is a fantastic opportunity to study an applied, emerging subject such as performance analysis in sport.

Far from easy, but highly rewarding and perfectly placed to set up a career in sports analysis, the course at Loughborough is likely to be a full-on year. It is set to challenge you in numerous ways, in how you can balance academic work and a part time placement, how to network and connect with people in new environments, and in how you make the most out of the many opportunities afforded to you.

I will present some (hopefully) useful insight into what to expect for the year and some of the opportunities or experiences to look forward to. Furthermore, I will discuss some tips to maximise the value and experience of the year that helped myself and the others who have thoroughly enjoyed their time on the course as well. Whilst it is true that everyone has a unique perspective and opportunities throughout the year, due to the flexibility of where to live, placement opportunities, and more, I will walk through some key aspects to explore the beginning, middle, and end of the year.

The Beginning – Starting Strong

The transition into beginning the course is a key time, where it is imperative to make strong first impressions and start positive routines that you wish to maintain when things get more hectic.

Starting your placement, it is important to get stuck in and involved, to learn quickly and embed yourself within the environment that you will spend the year on. I would not underestimate the importance of casual conversations and attending work socials to make connections with those in your environment early on, which will then make the year a lot smoother when it gets more congested with deadlines and university work. Get things in order quickly but make the right choices when it comes to living and travelling arrangements. And vitally, do not overcommit to the placement, as you will have to balance this part time alongside a significant amount of helpful but time-consuming academic work. If you set expectations to work every day of the week at the beginning, this will not be sustainable in the long term and may then result in difficult conversations with the placement provider!

As for the university side of things, it is important to stay on top of any admin or preparation to begin the academic year in September. There is not tons to keep on top of, but maintaining good organisation will ensure a seamless transition into term time. This will mean you can focus on getting involved, maximizing the in-person teaching sessions, and getting to know others on the course. A master’s presents the opportunity to surround yourself with many like minded people, all with similar interests and relatability.

The Middle – Smashing it Out

After starting, you will be in the routine of coming in for weekly lectures and sessions to expand your knowledge on analysis in sport, as well as wider areas of working in elite sport and highly applied, tailored sessions to the work that you undertake on placement. Here, a key tip is to review content as you go so that it stays fresh in the mind, and so that you can apply it within your placement environment. Also, with coursework now something to contend with, start early and factor in time to work on this within your weekly workflow. Otherwise, having to cram in coursework last minute alongside a placement can make either your grade quality or work quality suffer – either way, this is definitely something to avoid!

As for being a student, it is important to make the most of what Loughborough has to offer. In this time period, get the most out of the best University campus and sporting pedigree, such as with social sport on campus, enjoying the nightlife, or taking advantage of the plethora of volunteering opportunities using the CVA (Coach Volunteering Academy). Keeping an eye out for opportunities and enjoying yourself as you go is key throughout the year, so that you don’t leave it too late to make the most of your time.

The End – Looking to the Future

In the back-end of the Master’s course, it is important not to lose sight of the outcome of the course, which is to earn yourself a highly prestigious Master’s qualification. This means that, despite a lot to think about and consider when finishing your placement, you must plan well and ensure that you are on top of coursework, and especially starting early with your large research project, which is worth around 30% of your entire grade. Communicate early with your supervisor and placement providers to ensure that you know what to focus the project on, and that you can tick away at it over time so that it is a less daunting prospect to complete the whole thing over the summer.

Furthermore, as you finish the year of teaching with others, it is important to finish well. Loughborough is incredibly good for connections with employers and providing opportunities to develop your CV, cover letter writing, and interview skills to aid your employability, so make the most of those support networks on campus. And therefore, with the other people on the course, you could be looking at many potential connections in future within the sporting industry, highlighting the importance to making those connections and positive final impressions.

Overall, this should ensure you maximise the incredible opportunities available by studying at Loughborough on the Applied Sports Performance Analysis course. Through preparing thoroughly, balancing your time, socialising, and keeping in mind both the end-goal of obtaining a Master’s degree and developing your own employability, this represents an abundant, exciting, and highly useful stepping stone within your career and general life – if you wish to take on the challenge.