I was also very grateful to be accepted onto the Psychology with a Foundation Year for Elite Athletes programme with other ambitious student athletes. In my first year I had the Under 19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa, and since I was going to be heavily overloaded with sport, I needed the extra support and facilitation that the Elite Athlete Foundation Year provided. 

The World Cup was in January so it clashed with my exams, but the support provided by the Foundation Year team made it possible for me to sit the exams while being supervised over in South Africa. This meant that I didn't have to repeat them in August, which was a huge relief for me. Because I had good relationships with my lecturers, I was able to inform them when I would miss lectures due to training or matches. This eased a lot of stress throughout the year and ultimately helped me perform on the pitch and with exams. 

One thing that surprised me (but probably shouldn't have) was the sheer number of eager and talented students that are in Loughborough from a sporting standpoint. When you’re a fresher, you start from the bottom and earn your way up through squads; for most of us there were no special privileges for being on the Elite Athlete Pathway. For me, this created a nervous energy as some people didn't get into competitive clubs despite being very good at their respective sports. However, it’s a great system to be in as it makes everyone lift their standards – that’s what makes Loughborough so successful.