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Reaseheath students make a wheely good impression for Tour of Britain

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Reaseheath College sports performance, adventure sports and public services students made a special effort to mark British Cycling’s Tour of Britain by getting involved in a giant piece of aerial artwork alongside the competitors’ route.

About 80 students formed the moving wheels of a 100 foot long bicycle laid out on a field opposite the college’s main entrance on the Worleston Road, just outside Nantwich. The event was timed to coincide as the elite athletes, who included Sir Bradley Wiggins, passed the college during Stage Three of the prestigious road cycling event.

Liam Salt, a Reaseheath Sports Performance course manager and keen cyclist himself, organised the aerial artwork after seeing similar events marking premier international competitions abroad.

He said: “This was the students’ first day at college and it was a great opportunity for them to take part in a team building activity with a difference. Reaseheath’s Farm manager Mark Roue kindly gave us permission to use the field and also allowed us to use plastic haylage wrap to make the bike frame.

“Awareness of all types of sport is growing thanks to the Rio Olympics and it was a great way for the students to be part of a premier event. The aerial artwork looked amazing and was an exciting activity to mark the race as it passed through Cheshire.”

Watch our video to see the aerial artwork in action!

Image header caption: Students from Reaseheath sports department form a giant cycle as riders in the Tour of Britain pass the college’s entrance

Reaseheath flies high at AoC Sport regional tournaments

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Two talented members of Reaseheath College’s trampolining squad are to represent the north west region at next year’s Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport National Championships.

Georgia Thomasson, 16, and Rosie Lucas, 17, who are both studying for their Level 3 Diploma in Sport Performance at the Nantwich college, took first and fourth place respectively in an AoC Sport regional qualifier for trampolining, held in Lancashire.

Eight members of Reaseheath’s trampolining team took part in the tournament. All put in strong performances and enjoyed their first experience of inter college competition. Based on their outstanding performances, Georgia and Rosie were selected for the north west trampolining squad and will compete at the AoC Sport National Championships, to be held in Tyne and Wear in April 2016.

The national championships is one of the largest annual sporting events in England, involving over 1.800 colleges. AoC Sport was formed to encourage Further Education students between the ages of 16 and 19 to participate in sport and physical activity as part of their college experience. This is the first time that Reaseheath students have qualified.

Reaseheath Sports Lecturer and Trampolining Coach Louise Finney said: “All of the team acted as great ambassadors for the college at the regional tournament, as not only did they perform well but they also supported each other and fellow competitors. They were also a wonderful help to the event organisers by assisting during the competition.

“I’d like to say a huge ‘well done’ to all the girls, and ‘best of luck’ to Georgia and Rosie at the national championships.”

Reaseheath students have enjoyed further successes at north west regional tournaments, although no others have qualified for the championships. The college’s male football team reached the semi-finals of the 7-a-side competition in Stockport against some very good college teams, while Luke Gideon came fourth at the regional tennis tournament in Chorley  against very strong opposition.

Reaseheath College Sport Maker Sarah Ruff said: “We are delighted at our students’ success at the regional tournaments and that we will have two students representing the north west at the national championships.”

Top caption: Rosie Lucas and Georgia Thomasson (centre) are flanked by fellow members of Reaseheath’s successful trampolining squad (on left) Gemma Hope, Sophia Bibby and Rhodd-alaw Parry (on right) Molly Ramsden, Lily Robertson and Ellie James

Reaseheath supports Crewe Alex fitness programme

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Crewe Alexandra Football Club is continuing to use cutting edge sports science equipment at Reaseheath College in Nantwich to help players gain peak fitness.

All first team players have recently visited Reaseheath’s campus for maximal fitness testing in the college’s sports science laboratory. As well as using a medical treadmill, the elite athletes went through field based lactate threshold tests in the laboratory and used top-of-the-range equipment in the campus gym for their warm-up and cool down routines.  The procedure was repeated the following day with the Under 21 and Under 18 squads.

The data will be used by Andy Franks, Head of Sports Science and Conditioning at Crewe Alex, to check the base level of fitness of each player and to set personalised training programmes. The squads will return to check their progress a further three times in the next twelve months. The data collection was carried out by Reaseheath Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport Performance students, many of whom will progress to careers in coaching or sport fitness.

Reaseheath’s gym was refurbished to professional standard last year and Crewe Alex FC was one of the first to use the sports science laboratory to help train its athletes. The results were so positive that the club has decided to increase its number of visits to the college gym over the coming season.

Andy Franks said: “By using Reaseheath’s sophisticated testing equipment, we have been able to set accurate training zones for our pre-season training programmes, individualised for each player.  We found this was very helpful in getting the teams to maximum fitness last season and plan to increase our use of the sports lab this year.”

Reaseheath Sport Performance Course Manager Richard Brooke said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to practise and develop their skills by working with local, talented, professional athletes. Our students learn sports science and coaching techniques as part of their course and this has been a chance for them to see how critical these skills are in the industry they plan to join. We have also been delighted to support Crewe Alex.”

Reaseheath College and Crewe Alex FC have a long established partnership. Reaseheath delivers the academic training to Crewe Alex Academy apprentices, with scholars achieving the best grades in the country. This year graduating apprentice and Crewe Alex first team striker George Cooper was crowned ‘Apprentice of the Year’ in a national competition run by the League Football Education.

In return, many of Reaseheath’s sports performance students complete work experience with Crewe Alex, gaining an insight into the possibilities of career progression within the football industry.

In September Reaseheath is launching Ladies’ and Men’s Football Academies in partnership with Crewe Alex which will enable talented young footballers to enhance their football skills while studying for a nationally recognised sport qualification.

For further details on Reaseheath’s sports courses and academies see www.reaseheath.ac.uk/sport-performance