Anna Street
Performance Nutrition Placement
Anna has spent 2 years as a Performance Nutrition Placement student, where she has led the nutrition support for Men’s Hockey, Badminton, Wheelchair Basketball and Women’s Basketball. Her enthusiasm and dedication to Nutrition has contributed to some incredible successes with the programmes she has supported.
Tell us a bit about yourself (what you do now, current job, career pathway, interests, background etc.)
I have a great interest in sport, having been a competitive gymnast for 11 years as well as competing in hockey, netball and tennis. I studied Psychology with Sports Science at undergraduate, where I developed an interest in physiology and nutrition and how it applies to real life sporting contexts. I am an avid fan of women’s sport, in particular football.
How did you first get involved in volunteering within sport at Loughborough?
Before starting my MSc, I was keen to look for opportunities to get applied experience alongside my degree. That’s when I came across the advertisement for the Performance Nutrition Placement, which I saw as the perfect opportunity to get experience in applied nutrition within sport, to figure out if it was the career for me and to increase my employability upon finishing my studies.
During your time at Loughborough, what volunteering roles did you get involved with?
I have spent 2 years as a Performance Nutrition Placement student, where I have led the nutrition support for four Performance Programmes within Loughborough Sport. I have worked in Men’s Hockey, Badminton, Wheelchair Basketball and Women’s Basketball.
What has your experience volunteering been like whilst at Loughborough?
I have learnt so much about the world of applied sport science and nutrition during my time at Loughborough Sport. I’ve been able to work with a wide range of practitioners and learn about other disciplines, whilst learning in depth about a variety of sports that I previously knew very little about. Working alongside incredible athletes day in and day out to support them to improve their nutrition habits, fuel for training, recovery from injury and learn about the role food plays in health, wellbeing and performance has been incredibly rewarding, as well as having its challenges at times. Some highlights throughout my placement have been winning the Wheelchair Basketball Women’s Premier League twice, as well as going to the BUCs final with Men’s Hockey.
How has being involved with Loughborough Sport helped you develop and progress (personally and professionally)?
I have developed not only my nutrition knowledge and practice, but also my interpersonal and ‘soft’ skills during my time at Loughborough Sport. This is due to the support that has been provided through the CVA, and from the individual mentorship that I have engaged with throughout the 2 years. I have attended multiple CPD sessions with other placements and volunteers covering topics such as working in an interdisciplinary way, building relationships, and listening and questioning skills. I have been able to apply my learnings from these sessions into my day-to-day work with athletes, coaches and support staff to improve my work and deliver better support to the programmes.
Throughout the duration of my placement, I have had bi-weekly 1-to-1 meetings with my mentor, which has allowed me space to reflect on the challenges and successes of my placement, and seek support where needed. I have been regularly challenged to work on my weaknesses which has allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and develop as an individual.
As I reflect on my journey at Loughborough Sport, I feel I have hugely grown as both a practitioner and a person throughout my placement. I have made connections that I know will continue into life after Loughborough and gained practical experience as a student that has set me up well to move on from Loughborough.
What’s the best advice you could give to a Loughborough student looking to get involved in volunteering & gain the most out of their university experiences?
If you have the opportunity to get involved in a variety of sports I would recommend doing so! It’s great to be able to see how different sports do things differently as well as taking learnings from each environment.
Finally, what did you enjoy most about volunteering?
I love working closely with the incredible athletes at Loughborough, attending training sessions and competition is so much fun! I have also enjoyed forming genuine friendships with people I’ve met along the way – I met some of my best friends through Loughborough Sport!
Feeling Inspired?
Feeling inspired by Anna's experience? Check out the CVA Portal regularly for opportunities like her's.