A new centre which brings top sports physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches and the leaders of community sport in Hertfordshire all under one roof is opening for business.
The Sports Performance and Development Centre, based at Hertfordshire Sports Village on the University of Hertfordshire’s de Havilland campus is officially being launched on June 26.
The centre is based on the top floor of the building, next to the sports village gym, which became vacant when Saracens rugby club moved out to new premises in St Albans last season.
Sharing the premises are Performance Hertfordshire – a specialist strength and conditioning service for sports clubs or individual athletes looking for a tailor-made programme to boost performance.
Run by nationally accredited strength and conditioning coaches Tony Sephton - who also coaches athletes referred by the English Institute of Sport (EIS) - and his colleague David Bellas, the couple have a fully-equipped gym open weekdays 7am to 9pm.
Sportsmen and woman already making use of their expertise include students from the university who are on the government’s Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme (TASS); the university’s Sports Scholars and younger sports athletes who have been signed up to the county’s Hertfordshire Talented Athletes Programme (HTAP).
Bodybalance physiotherapy has also moved in. The physiotherapists and sports massage therapists specialise in sports injury and prevention and also work on behalf of EIS. Its clinic director Nicki Combarro is part of the medical team selected to support England athletes competing at the Commonwealth Games in India later this year.
The centre also has the offices of Hertfordshire Sports Partnership – the county-wide organisation devoted to increasing sports participation - and is home to the Saracens Sports Foundation which aims to use sport to change young people’s lives.
University director of sport Nick Brooking said: “We have been working closely with all four of these organisations for a number of years. There is a natural synergy between us as we have key aspects of sport, health, community delivery and specialist expertise in common. It is great to be able to seize the chance to bring them together in one place with more suitable accommodation for all.”
The official launch of the Sports Performance and Development Centre coincides with the Hertfordshire Youth Games – the county’s annual “mini-Olympics” for school children - which is being hosted by Hertfordshire Sports Village for the seventh year running.
To celebrate both events Bodybalance physiotherapists will be offering free advice and five minute taster sports massage sessions on the day while Saracens Sports Foundation will be involved with the tag rugby competition.
For more information contact David Connell, head of business development, Hertfordshire Sports Village on : 01707 281175
