Driving Force of Sporting Achievement

Team netball have achieved a huge amount this year and I would like to recognise their achievements both on and off the court. Our BUCS teams have performed extremely well this year, with our first team winning the BUCS Championship for the first time in several years and Loughborough University sitting top of the overall netball BUCS points table.

Under the leadership of Vic Burgess (Director of Netball) and Jo Emmett (Franchise Director/Head of Performance Programmes) the quality and quantity of netball at Loughborough is increasing year on year.

George Bates

George is a developing high-performance coach and following a successful 2022 for Lightning Wheelchair Basketball, followed it up by retaining their title as Women's Premier League Champions. This is in no small part to George's knowledge, enthusiasm and drive to lead an interdisciplinary team (IDT) still growing as a unit and advancing its knowledge in wheelchair basketball.

I believe George has shown great leadership, with a clear direction and focus and has never wavered in his support of both the staff or players and has created an environment that has enabled the team to be successful once again.

Powerbase Development Team

SDC would like to nominate Jo Simpson, Rich Ellis and Mark Davies for VC Awards recognition for contribution to Sports Advancement on the extension of Powerbase Gym. The result is one of the largest, most heavily instrumented strength and conditioning facilities in the world. A facility that supports the multi-sport nature of our operation, whilst providing students an opportunity to develop practical skills in an authentic working environment.

Critical to the University strategy, and to our values set, was that the facility was designed and realised through an inclusive lens, working closely with expert insight groups and our partners to bring a truly accessible facility to life.