Friday, 12 September 2014

Volleyball academy students excel at UK School Games


NuLC’s Volleyball Academy pair Rich James and Rosie Barley both returned with gold medals from the Sainsbury’s UK School Games in Manchester at the weekend. Both starred in England teams that remained unbeaten throughout the tournament against opponents from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

The UK School Games is an annual sporting competition for elite school-age  athletes and features teams from all 4 home nations. The event is based on the Olympic Games model, with multiple sport events held across an intensive three-day period, with competitors staying in an athletes village.

Rich, one of the countries leading libero’s was the steady influence for a strong attacking England Junior Boys, whilst Rosie was a standout consistent performer in the tall talented England Cadet Girls team. Both enjoyed 2-0 victories over Scotland West in the final. The Academies Flossie Owen also featured at the games, developing her officiating skills in her role as courtside assistant.

 

Rich and Rosie will now focus on preparation for the NEVZA Tournament in early November, where they will compete against North European opposition including Sweden and Norway.

 

Friday, 5 September 2014

Newcastle-under-Lyme College hosts 2015 Corporate Games

Thousands of amateur sportsmen and women from the UK's biggest companies will be competing in the region next year - some of them at Newcastle-under-Lyme College. Corp games logo
Between 4,000 and 6,000 competitors are expected for the 2015 UK Corporate Games being held in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent for three days in June.
Venues include Newcastle College, Keele and Staffordshire Universities, Fenton Manor and Trentham Gardens.
Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said the games presented an opportunity to showcase the region's economic opportunities.
He said: "Very senior figures will be here from some of the country's biggest and brightest companies and there will be a business enterprise day to showcase Staffordshire and its inward investment opportunities.

Analysis of the 2010 games in Liverpool calculated 4,460 participants spent approximately £2,490,911 on accommodation, food and drink; £390,663 on shopping and visiting attractions; and £136,578 on travel and other expenses.
Mohammed Pervez, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said the games represent the opportunity to stimulate job opportunities and to showcase the area to major employers, to help generate income now and in the future.

He said: "Stoke-on-Trent is a vibrant and rapidly regenerating city and thousands of people from across the country will be staying, eating and drinking here and across the county, spending money and seeing for themselves what we have to offer for future visits."
Companies taking part in previous years include IBM, Coca-Cola, KPMG, PWC, GSK and Phones4U.

The joint Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent approach was selected by the games organisers ahead of several other bids.

Competitors will play a range of sports, including hockey, cricket, rugby sevens, netball, football, squash, volleyball, tennis, basketball, running and Dragon boat racing.
Philip Atkins said: "Not only will the games be a great deal of fun, showcase the county and provide investment opportunities, a healthy workforce benefits everyone and ties in with our aim of an active
Staffordshire."

Games Director Ben Sedgemore said: "From the first moment that we set foot in the area, our Venue Inspection Committee started to believe that it is the perfect destination for the UK Corporate Games in 2015.

"We have no doubt that the thousands of visiting participants will be blown away by what the region has to offer. I even think some local entrants will be unfamiliar with some of these terrific facilities.
"We have been fortunate enough to stage Games all around the world in great cities like Moscow, Zagreb and Bilbao and right across the UK, but if you consider the tremendous grass facilities at Keele, the massive indoor capacity at Fenton Manor, the impressive facilities at Newcastle College and the beauty of Trentham Gardens, in addition to the central location, we genuinely have confidence that this is a match for any destination.

"We are really excited to start work on developing the Games and two of our biggest teams have already committed to enter, with CSC bringing 300 participants and Ernst and Young, in their 20th consecutive Games signed up for 200 and we have not even launched yet! That said, we will be welcoming all local businesses big or small to participate and everyone is treated equally in the Games. The Games is the ultimate mix of sport, business and tourism and we really can't wait."

New Year.....new students......hopefully continued success!

The new term has started and the Academy of Sport is welcoming new and returning students to training this week as preparations begin for the new season.

Newcastle-under-lyme College will be hoping for more of the same as all academy squads seem to have been strengthened by the influx of new talent.

The college will be running the following squads this year:

Men's Football- 6 squads
Ladies Football
Men's Basketball- for the first time 2 sides
Ladies Basketball
Netball- again for the first time 2 squads
Rugby Union
Volleyball men's and ladies

All of the squads will be hoping to excel in both National and West Midlands leagues, cups and regional tournaments.

You can keep up to date with how the squads get on every week through this blog, Facebook and twitter.




Newcastle-under-Lyme College appoint former Stoke City captain Andy Griffin


ANDY Griffin has tasted early success after taking up a coaching role at Newcastle under Lyme College.

The former Stoke City captain, who still lives with his family in nearby Barlaston, is relishing the challenge of swapping his shin pads for a whistle and clipboard after opting to retire from playing earlier in the summer.

The 35-year-old former Stoke, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Derby, Reading and Doncaster full-back said: "The college approached me at the end of last season to see whether I was interested in a part-time coaching role.
 
"I'm a kind of right-hand man to a couple of teams in the 16s to 18s age group, and they range from lads who just want a kick-about to those taking it more seriously after maybe coming from a football club academy.

"The facilities are fantastic and they are really trying hard to be professional and make it a selling point for the college."

Retirement appears to have crept up on Griffin, below, after he finished last season at non-league Chester and then withdrew to see what the summer brought.

He explained: "I don't think I've actually thought to myself that I've retired, I certainly haven't picked up the phone to tell anybody, it just seems to have happened.

"Nothing really came up on the playing side for me this summer, although I didn't pursue anything, so I now see myself going over to what I've always called the 'dark side' of coaching.

"I've never really coached before, and certainly never managed before, and it is a lot harder than I thought.

"You want to mingle with the lads and have a bit of banter to form bonds because it only feels like yesterday that I was 15 or 16, but they also need a bit of authority to get the best out of them and to try to be disciplined and professional.
 
 

Newcastle-under-Lyme College hosts prestigious international Football Tournament

Newcastle-under-Lyme College hosts prestigious international football tournament
Football teams from around the globe will be in Newcastle and Keele competing for the Warrior Keele International Cup which starts tomorrow (26th July) and runs until 10th August.
 
Hosts Newcastle-under-Lyme College and Keele University, will welcome more than 300 teams from 20 countries, including several African, European, North American and Caribbean nations.
Said Louise Ziemann, Manager of Newcastle-under-Lyme College's Gordon Banks Sports Centre: "This will be the College's fourth year supporting this fabulous sports event - the largest international football festival in Great Britain. It's a great opportunity to show off the outstanding facilities available here at Newcastle College's magnificent Gordon Banks Sports Centre."
 
The College, which is British Colleges Sport West Midlands College of the Year, has entered teams in the under 18 youth and girls under 16 categories. More than 60 professional clubs have entered teams and the College's under 18 youth team will play Manchester United Foundation Development squad in the tournament.
 
Sherry McCue
The tournament kicks off with a Women's Open Age competition on 26 and 27 July. The Youth Tournament runs from 29 July until 2 August. This is followed a week later with a tournament for the Men's Open Age teams being played at Keele University.

The tournament, which is run by Wilmslow-based Euroworld Sports Ltd, is sponsored by leading sports brand Warrior International, Stoke City FC's official kit supplier for this coming season.

Entry to all the tournament games is free and students considering enrolling at the College are welcome to spectate and see the College's sports facilities in full use.

The tournament dates are:
26-27 July Women's Open Age
29 July - 1 August Youth Professional Select Competitions
30 July - 2 August Youth Open Boys' Competitions
31 July - 2 August Girls' Youth Open Competitions
9-10 August Open Age and Veterans Tournament
To find out more about Newcastle-under-Lyme College's sports courses, please visit www.nulc.ac.uk/courses/sport-exercise
or about the tournament: http://sportstravel.co.uk/tournaments/uk-tournaments.

Monday, 23 June 2014

STARS FITNESS SESSION 1

MONDAY JUNE 9TH 2014

STARS Squad members took part in their first fitness testing session at the Gordon Banks Sports Centre.  Matt Berrisford, Sports Scientist for the Academy of Sport, took the group through a series of physical tests to identify strengths and weaknesses within each athlete.

The tests were: Agility T test, Balance test, Ball throw co-ordination, Hand grip strength, Back strength dynamometer, Sit and Reach flexibility test.


The Squad members were very competitive, as to be expected with elite performers.  It was interesting to observe the differences in performance depending on the sport that the Squad member takes part in and the test being performed.  Liam was the only Year 10 squad member, as shown by the results.
 

Top Performances were:
Handgrip  Liam Zwetschnikow  43
Agility T test  Liam Zwetschnikow  9.88 secs
Sit and Reach  Seamus Derbyshire  41 cm
Ball throw  Liam Zwetschnikow  36
Balance test  Lauren Finney   23.75 secs
Back strength  Liam Zwetschnikow  180
 
The squad also had a tour of the Fitness Suite which will be available to all STARS squad members for free when they reach 16 years of age.

The next session is Monday July 7th at 4.30 pm - 5.00 pm to undergo some testing in the Sports Science Lab.

Monday, 9 June 2014

Ian Woosnam answers future golfer’s questions at college Open Event


Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) will be opening its doors on Wednesday 13 June, 6pm – 8pm to aspiring young golfers where the former Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam will be in the hot set answering course-related questions.

 

The College’s multi-award-winning Academy of Sport has entered into an exciting partnership with world famous golfer Woosnam. A new golf academy is to be created where students will study a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sports Performance and Excellence whilst receiving expert guidance in the golf industry disciplines.

 

Trevor Humphreys, Academy of Sport Manager said: “We urge anyone who is leaving school this summer and has a passion for golf to come to the College where they can receive more information and even apply for the course on the evening.” 

 

The Ian Woosnam Golf Academy is recruiting now for September and will be based at Newcastle-under-Lyme College and Malkins Bank Golf Club. Its ultimate aim is to find the next generation of top golf professionals.

 

Students will study a Diploma in Sports Performance and Excellence qualification (which can attract UCAS points where a student wants to progress to university), and enjoy access to competitive tours, employment opportunities, scholarships, psychology, nutrition, physiotherapy and conditioning training, along side expert guidance in the golf industry disciplines.