Runshaw College opens sports high performance centre (From Chorley Citizen)

Runshaw College opens sports high performance centre

3:48pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010

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Runshaw College has opened a brand new, state-of-the-art sports laboratory.

Stuart Wilkinson, coach for Widnes Vikings RLFC, and Matt Daniels, strength and conditioning coach for St Helens RLFC, officially opened the centre with the cutting of a ribbon.

Stuart said: "Congratulations to Runshaw College for providing this unique and innovative facility.

"It validates their higher education programmes, allowing students to apply theory to practice and ensuring they become the sought after talent of the future."

Matt added: "It’s all about students using what they learn in the field.

"The new portable lab equipment allows students to test our players at the club, providing invaluable support by substantially reducing normal testing times.

"Through the practical application of theory to the use of this cutting edge equipment, students are able to hit the ground running in this competitive industry."

The centre will be used by Runshaw HE students to rigorously test the physical fitness of athletes. Students will be able to evaluate the health and fitness of athletes and find out more about their areas of strength and areas that they need to improve.   Runshaw HE students studying on the Foundation Degree in Sport and Exercise Science, and those on the Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching will be able to get their hands on £80,000 of hi-tech equipment now that the centre has been officially opened.

Runshaw is the only college in the area to have this full collection and combination of equipment.

The new centre has been supported by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) through capital funding associated with higher education programmes.    The centre will primarily be used for educational purposes, providing students with the skills and knowledge to assess physical and health related fitness in a sport science laboratory setting. However it will also be used to assess athletes from sporting clubs who are affiliated with Runshaw, such as St Helens RLFC, and also Runshaw’s very own academy athletes.

In the future it is hoped that the laboratory will be given official approval to enable the college to conduct and publish its own research. 

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