Sports therapy students take their skills to the Continent

Trainee sports therapists from City College Norwich will practise their skills even further afield in 2012, thanks to the acquisition of new 7.5 tonne truck which will transport the College’s Extreme Sports Therapy Unit to events as far away as Spain.

The impressive new Renault truck, which is fully liveried in the Extreme Sports Therapy Unit’s colours, will enable the Level 3 Diploma in the Prevention and Management of Sports Injuries students to take their equipment to new events at home and abroad.

The Extreme Sports Therapy Unit already has a well-established presence at mountain biking events in the region, offering pre- and post-race sports massage to hundreds of local athletes. 

The Unit was set up in 2007 to give students the opportunity to develop their skills and gain valuable work experience by attending a variety of sporting events.  Since it was first established, the Unit has developed considerably and has outgrown its original two trailers. 
   
With the new truck able to transport all of the Unit’s marquees, camping gear and sports therapy equipment, the team will now be attending high profile cycling and other sporting events outside England in 2012. 

Events the students will be attending this year include the Slate Man triathlon in Wales, the Snowdonia Sportive and the Quebrantuhuesos Sportive, Sabiñánigo, in northern Spain, as well as a number of national events for Chain Reaction Cycles and local competitions organised by Thetford MTB Racing.

Providing sports massage at these events to a range of athletes, from professionals to amateurs, will help to develop the students’ practical ability, communication skills and confidence, which are all fundamental qualities for working in the sports industry.

The truck’s attractive livery was designed by City College Norwich Multimedia Developer Tracey Tutt, and was wrapped by former student Paul Dyball at Unique Signs and Graphics.

Brett Stanforth, 18, from Cromer, a student on the Level 3 Diploma in the Prevention and Management of Sport Injuries, said:

“I went to the Thetford Dusk ‘til Dawn event in October, which was a really enjoyable experience, but it was a bit of a struggle with our old trailer.  Having the truck will make things a lot easier for us.  It will also give the Extreme Sports Therapy Unit a really professional image and make us stand out to competitors and other businesses at the events we go to.”

Dick Palmer, Principal, City College Norwich, said:

“The Extreme Sports Therapy Unit enables our students to develop their skills as part of a real enterprise that attends sporting events year-round.  The arrival of this fantastic new vehicle further extends the opportunities for the students to gain experience within the industry in which they want to work.”       

To find out more about the Extreme Sports Therapy Unit, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Phil Sayers on phil.sayers@ccn.ac.uk or visit www.ccnxsports.co.uk.