Nikki Jordan

As a coach for a para-alpine ski team, my athletes were progressing very quickly through the lower echelons of European competition, to Europa and World Cup levels. I knew that to provide them with high-quality coaching, I needed to expand my own knowledge and experience.

I began to research programmes which would support this and was immediately attracted to the MSc Performance Coaching through the University of Stirling. The University has a superb reputation for sport and the distance learning nature of the programme would allow me to continue the modules from overseas training camps. I was particularly drawn by the international appeal of the course, with graduates from all over the world.

The flexibility of the distance learning course enabled me to study at a time which suited my current needs and this meant I was able to undertake it alongside my employment. As a result of the online nature of this course, it attracted students from all over the world and this gave the course an international feel, with all the benefits and insights this was able to bring.

My favourite parts of the course were the modules which focussed on coaching leadership and the motivational climate. Within my specific context, these parts of the course resonated with the needs of the athletes and enhanced the way I communicated with them.   
I also enjoyed the way the course was structured to allow group discussion. This allowed learning to happen as knowledge and information were shared with each other. The lecturers were fully engaged, extremely knowledgeable and always available to help.

Without a doubt, it's one of the best learning experiences I have encountered.

My advice for prospective students, aside from ensuring that you have the time to commit to the course, would be to encourage everyone to engage honestly and enthusiastically in all the group discussions. Your fellow students will have so much knowledge, experience and such interesting backgrounds that you will learn as much from each other, as you do from the course.

I have discovered that the coaching leadership aspects of the course have easily transferred to my employment outside of sport in addition to the voluntary role I still hold within a military sports charity. As the first-ever winter-focused Invictus Games approaches in Vancouver in 2025, the learning I gained will have a direct impact on my coaching interactions within such a worthwhile context.