Two academics from the University of Sunderland have been travelling the globe to help the athletes they coach gain international experience.
Iain Aberdeen and Suzan Dudink, Senior Lecturers in Sports Coaching and Physical Education at the University, both have seen the teams they coach compete in international events around the world during September in their respective sports.
Suzan’s coaching career has taken her across the globe including the recent Climbing World Championships in Seoul where she coached the GB Para Climbing team.
Suzan said: “Being able to support athletes at the biggest stage was a great opportunity to gather new insights around elite performance, for our students.
“Since its appearance in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, climbing has gained enormous popularity and with Toby’s (Roberts) gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and the announcement of climbing featuring in the LA28 Paralympics, the support of UK Sport has increased immensely.
“Climbing is a relatively new sport, which means it is continuously developing, from the rules of the ‘game’ to the physical abilities and professionalism of athletes. These continuous developments, the growth in popularity and increased support of organisations like UK sport, make climbing an interesting sport for our students to discuss and analyse.
“This year’s World Championships unfortunately didn’t bring back the medals we had hoped for, but it has given me a dozen of research questions I’ll try to work on in the year ahead.”
But Suzan isn’t the only academic at the University who is travelling the world to help their teams excel.
When he’s not in the classroom, Iain coaches the Great Britain Pistol Athletes, who recently competed at the ISSF Junior World Cup in New Delhi. The Junior World Cups are prestigious events which provide young athletes the opportunity to showcase their talent on a global stage.
Iain said: “Coaching at national and international competitions, such as the Junior World Cup in New Delhi, often comes with the added pressure of live television coverage. In these moments, it’s vital to stay focused on helping athletes perform under intense scrutiny while also safeguarding their wellbeing.
“The experience of managing performance pressure in highly visible environments reinforces the responsibility coaches have to support athletes both on and off the field.
“These experiences shape my teaching at Sunderland, where I help students understand the demands of performing under pressure and the importance of creating supportive environments for athletes to thrive.”
Through Iain and Suzan’s expertise, students at the University gain first-hand knowledge of the challenges and rewards of coaching in world-class sporting environments helping prepare them to inspire future generations of athletes.
If you are interested in studying Sports Coaching and Physical Education at the University of Sunderland, find out more here: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/sport-and-exercise-sciences/sports-coaching-physical-education/