BU graduate Jan Hutchings received her first coaching call up to support Swim England in their preparations for international competition in Sweden in March.
Jan, a coach at Poole Swimming Club, studied from Foundation degree in 2005 through to a PhD at Bournemouth University in sports coaching and development, completing her Doctorate in 2015.
Jan helped to coach the Swim England Team through their preparations toward competition in March and the British Swimming Championships in April, with specific responsibility for guiding and mentoring a group of youth swimmers between the ages of 16 and 18.
This summer, Jan will head to Sheffield to support over 20 swimmers competing in the British and English National competitions. On her call-up to coach for Swim England, Jan said, “It was a dream come true and something I’d always aspired to achieve throughout my coaching career. If I’m honest, I didn’t think I would ever be selected to go abroad as a coach with an England team to Sweden, so it was a thrill for me when the invitation letter came through.”
Barry Alldrick, Youth and Senior Coach at Poole Swimming Club, said, “Jan's appointment as an international coach represents a major personal achievement in her career. The coaching team at Poole Swimming Club is overjoyed and immensely proud of her accomplishment. Jan's selection is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and expertise in the swimming community.”
Speaking about her time at BU, Jan said, “I enjoyed everything about Bournemouth University. The campus has a lovely feel to it, and it’s set in a nice part of Bournemouth. Also, I had some very good lecturers and supervisors who had such a depth of knowledge. I would say that my favourite memories were the lectures on physiology and sport psychology.”
As a graduate of Bournemouth University, Jan also had some advice for current students looking to achieve their own dreams, saying, “Work hard at your chosen subject and believe in yourself. Life has such a lot to offer, so if an opportunity comes along, go ahead and take it.”
For more information about sports courses at Bournemouth University, visit our course pages.
