New programme to support talented scholar athletes
A generous gift from alumnus Mark Hanson (Girton 1985) has made possible a new Athlete Performance Programme (UCAPP) to support exceptional scholar athletes.
The programme offers specialist services and expertise to high performance scholar athletes. Designed to help them train and compete to their best advantage, and to balance their lifestyles effectively, the Programme is crucial to attracting outstanding student athletes to the University.
Core services offered by the programme include access to dietary and nutrition advice, strength and conditioning, gym membership, sport psychology support, and physiotherapy.
UCAPP is an important part of the University’s strategy for sport. The strategy also includes plans for the refurbishment and development of Cambridge’s sports facilities, in recognition of the importance of sport to students’ mental and physical health, and overall educational experience.
A Modern Pentathlete during his time at Cambridge, Mark won a Blue in his third year. He still participates in triathlons and plays his part in guiding amateur sport, most recently serving as Deputy Chairman of UK Sport for three years.
Learn more about the Athlete Performance Programme
My motivation in establishing the UCAPP award was to encourage more scholar-athletes competing at a national or international level to consider applying to Cambridge. I know I was lucky to go to Cambridge and that it gave me a springboard.
If you, like me, think that it gave you an opportunity to learn and achieve things that you might not have had otherwise, then consider giving and enabling others to have that same opportunity in the future.