How I became a Sports Scientist at Sheffield Wednesday FC

Passion to profession

Chris had always had a passion for sport, whether it was playing, watching or coaching, so it was no surprise that his career goal was to work in the sector.
Having not gained the A-level results he had hoped for, Chris embarked on his dream by studying towards his degree at CU Coventry which then led to an offer of a place on the Sports and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) course at Coventry University.
Chris’ hard work and dedication to the course saw him go on to complete a Strength and Conditioning MSc at Coventry, marking the beginning of his journey to Sheffield Wednesday FC.
We caught up with Chris to find out more.

The internship

“As part of the MSc, we had to complete a set time in industry, it was this that led me to be an intern at Sheffield Wednesday FC with the first team. Initially, it was once a week and then when my home life and university schedule allowed, it became more regular. This invaluable experience allowed me to stay on after completing my MSc, working more in-depth and picking up more responsibility before leading to a full-time role as a Sports Scientist.”

Inside the world of a Sports Scientist

“In the fast-paced realm of professional football, behind-the-scenes efforts play a crucial role in ensuring players perform at their peak. We had multidisciplinary meetings daily, with the doctor, physios and other therapists. There we discussed the previous day, either training or a match day, covering any ongoing injuries or any new issues that arose. We would discuss training that day and player involvement in the sessions, managing certain player’s load when needed.”

Impact

“That’s where sports science can have an impact, by tracking players' training loads over the week and monitoring fatigue by gym-based testing. From this, we can speak to coaches about potentially adjusting players' session loads where needed, to maintain or increase capacities or even reduce training.”

Support

“Come match day, my role takes a supportive turn. While the spotlight shines on coaches and players, I work behind the scenes, ensuring all necessary supplements are at the ready and pre-activation equipment is meticulously arranged. My main involvement unfolds during the pre-game warm-up, setting the stage before players dive into technical work with coaches.”

Keep learning

“Something I’ve taken from my time at Coventry University is the desire to always keep learning and pushing myself. There are always new ideas and new research to compare practices with. Anyone looking to work in sports science will have to continue learning in their career to stay up to date.
It’s the best job - so much so it doesn’t feel like a job! It can be tough at times being away from home on away trips, long days travelling, working all weekends and minimal time off during the season. But ultimately it was what I was always working towards and building towards, and all the sacrifices are worth it, especially for the moments like the playoffs and the final at Wembley Stadium, winning promotion to The Championship.”