College students are coaching the athletes of the future thanks to state-of-the-art video equipment. Students studying for sports degrees at Burnley College have been learning to use the analysing system, made by Coventry-based sports biomechanics firm Quintic.
The technology can record and then slow down athletes’ movements to a sixteenth of a second so coaches can show them exactly where they are going right and wrong and advise them on how to improve their movement.
The equipment is similar to that used by professional coaches use in national sporting teams, and Burnley College believes it is the first East Lancashire facility with a licence for it.
The college has obtained the software through its partner the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), which allows people to get a degree at Burnley, without having to attend the main Preston campus.
Colum Cronin, programme leader for vocational sport at Burnley College, said: “Being trained to use this equipment makes the students much more employable, because it’s what is used in industry, including by coaches for England’s football and cricket teams.”
“UCLan have the Quintic equipment already which sport degree students use, so we just had to get a licence for it, which made it more straight forward and less expensive.
“We can also offer more access to our students as we have about 15 to 20 studying for sports degrees as opposed to the several hundred at UCLan.”
Two students are already putting it into practice by using it to coach young gymnasts at Burnley Gymnastics Club.
Kim Pearson and former international gymnast Koey Wahid co-run the club at St Peter’s Centre alongside their studying for a foundation degree in sports coaching and performance at Burnley College.
Colum said: “The gymnasts are the first club we’re working with because Kim and Koey run it and are students here, but the equipment can be used across a range of sports including running, long jump and cricket.
“Holding a licence is something of a coup for the college and we are looking at working in partnership with other sports centres and clubs to help up-and-coming sports stars and maybe play a part in developing an Olympic star of the future.
“It also means we have young coaches as good role models to encourage youngsters to get involved in sport.”
The students are also using the equipment to analyse the performances of gymnasts at The City of Manchester Gymnastics Centre.
By Deborah Lewis
www.thisislancashire.co.uk