It also gave me confidence, made me more reflective and better prepared for professional practice. The practical workshops were particularly beneficial, allowing me to practise important, applied skills in a supportive environment – something that has served me well as a trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologist.

Meanwhile, the coursework gave me the freedom to explore topics that are important to me, particularly relating to ethnic minority athletes competing in predominantly White sports.

With my dissertation, I had the opportunity to take a deeper dive into this area. It had a huge impact on my learning, making me realise the importance of giving athletes from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to share their experiences.

My supervisor was really encouraging. They gave me the freedom to investigate a subject that I’m genuinely passionate about, making the research process far more meaningful and enjoyable.

Along the way, I acquired a wide range of research skills across interview techniques, qualitative data analysis, critical literature reviews and effective academic writing. These skills are essential to my doctoral research.

I also developed important applied practice skills including empathy, active listening, rapport building with clients and adapting psychological support to meet individual needs. These skills have made me a more confident, thoughtful and person-centred practitioner.

In addition, Loughborough provided me with valuable connections through staff members, fellow students and the wider sporting community.