A TRIO of students from the University of Worcester got an insight into sports therapy at elite level after enjoying a placement with a premier Spanish basketball club.
Sports therapy students Charlotte Byde, Rebecca Gwilliam and Katie Cousins recently spent time abroad working with players at Liga ACB and Euroleague side Valencia Basket Club.
Their experience on placement with the reigning Spanish champions ranged from rehabilitation classes to training preparation, as well as a day in clinic, a game day and a tour of the facilities.
Being made possible through the university’s partnership agreement, which owns Worcester Wolves, with Valencia Basket Club, the students also learnt about some of the Valencia physiotherapy team’s techniques for taping and mobilisations, as well as new treatments.
In the previous academic year, Pablo Martínez, head physiotherapist at Valencia, gave an inspiring talk to students on the sports therapy course about his role at the club, which motivated the third year students to want to visit.
Charlotte said: “It was amazing to see how differently things were done at Valencia Basket, for example, taping at the ankle utilised tape we’d not seen before, applied in such an organised path that it was hard to recreate at first.
“The therapists were very patient with us, explaining everything fully to ensure we understood each point and allowed us to practice on each other and film their techniques.
“The game day was incredible. With courtside seats we were able to watch the players we had helped treat in action. I wish to continue studying abroad in the future and would recommend it to anyone wanting to build upon their knowledge and broaden their experience within the sports therapy field.”
Dr Darren Cooper, course leader for sports therapy at the university, said: “It’s great that through this partnership we’re able to offer our students the chance to do such unique work experience abroad at such a high profile club.
“Our students had a rare opportunity to see how professional teams operate behind the scenes and it’s this kind of real-life experience that will help prepare them to enter the sports therapy industry.”