Dan Jefferson

My time at Abertay was really important in helping me get to where I am now.  It’s where I learned the theory side of things. I learned a lot in terms of strength and conditioning and sport science as a whole.

When I was younger, I went to do an apprenticeship in plumbing. I did that line of work for a few years, but got to a point where I just wasn’t enjoying it. I’d always had a background in sport – specifically boxing - and I loved the coaching side of things. From there I was ready to go down the route of working in sports and I had to figure out how I was going to get there. I realised that if I were to get to the point I wanted – which is where I am now – I needed to get a degree. I went back to college and got an HNC in Sport. That gave me an entry route to second year at Abertay.

During that time I worked at Stirling University as a Strength and Conditioning coach. I did a lot of voluntary work with different sports teams and was travelling across Scotland to get as much experience as possible. I ended up with an internship at sportscotland, getting my foot in the door. Just before I graduated I applied for a job there and got it!

As a Senior Physical Preparation Coach, I plan and devise physical preparation programmes for various athletes in different sports. You have to change your approach depending on what sport you’re dealing with. People come from different backgrounds and some athletes move better than others. From that point of view, you almost have to strip things back at times. Some athletes can be on a very basic programme, while those who’re at an Olympic level are on more complex and rigorous programmes. You have to adapt every day.

View the BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise course