June 2026 Hellos and Goodbyes: From Sport Mental Health Research to Practice
- SPRINT project
- 13 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Reflection from Our SPRINT PROJECT Placement
It is hard to believe that six weeks have passed since we first joined the SPRINT Project for our research placements. During this time, we have had the opportunity to explore a range of topics relating to sport, psychology, and wellbeing, while developing our research, communication, and professional skills. From reviewing literature and contributing to research projects to writing blogs on topics that interested us, this placement has provided valuable learning experiences that will support our future careers in physiotherapy.
As our placement comes to an end, we wanted to take some time to reflect on our experiences, share what we have learned, and discuss how these lessons may influence our future practice. Read on to hear our individual reflections from our time with the SPRINT Project.
Andrew
As my six-week placement with the SPRINT Project comes to an end, I have been reflecting on how much my perspective has developed since writing my introductory blog. At the beginning of the placement, I was excited to explore the role of psychology within sport and learn how research could be applied to real-world settings. As a physiotherapy student, I have always valued evidence-based practice and the importance of using research to guide interventions. However, this placement taught me that understanding people’s experiences is just as important as understanding the evidence itself.
Throughout the placement, I had the opportunity to explore topics related to mental health in paralympic, review literatures and contribute to creating guidelines, and develop a blog on referee mental health in football. You can read more about it here: https://www.sprintproject.org/post/the-pressure-behind-the-whistle-supporting-referees-mental-health-in-football
Aimee
As I finish my six‑week placement with the SPRINT Project, I’ve been reflecting on how much I’ve learned. When I wrote my introductory blog, I felt excited, curious, and unsure of what to expect. Now, I can see how this experience has deepened my understanding of holistic care, mental health, and the wider role physiotherapists play beyond the treatment room.
One of the most eye‑opening parts of this placement has been recognising how deeply mental health affects everyone in a sporting environment. I saw how coaches can experience pressure and emotional strain while still supporting others, often without showing it. This sparked a real interest for me, and I was able to explore the topic further by researching and writing a blog for the SPRINT website about coaches’ mental health. If you’re interested, you can read more about it here: https://www.sprintproject.org/post/the-hidden-side-of-coaching-protecting-your-mental-health
I’ve also gained a much deeper appreciation for the research process and how valuable research is in shaping the care we provide. This placement has helped me see research not as something separate from physiotherapy, but as a foundation that strengthens our practice and ensures the support we offer is grounded in real experiences and real needs.
A key lesson that I didn’t expect to take away would be the importance of looking after my own mental health. Just as a coach needs to be well to support their athletes, I need to be well to support my patients. This placement has reminded me that caring for others starts with caring for myself, and that prioritising my own wellbeing is essential for safe, compassionate, and effective practice.
I’m leaving this placement feeling more confident, more skilled, and more excited about my future in physiotherapy. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to meaningful research, to learn from the SPRINT team, and to develop skills and insights that will stay with me throughout my career.
Thank you to everyone in the SPRINT Project team for making this placement such a valuable and enjoyable experience. The support, feedback, and willingness to share your knowledge have helped us develop not only as students and researchers, but also as future healthcare professionals. We leave this placement with greater confidence, new perspectives, and a deeper appreciation for the role of research in supporting health, wellbeing, and performance. Thank you for being part of our journey. - Aimee and Andrew
Welcome new physiotherapy placement students, Alex and Hank!
Hi there! We are Alex and Hank, and we'd like to introduce ourselves as MSc Physiotherapy students beginning our research placement with the SPRINT team.
Over the next six weeks, we will be working alongside our supervisor, Professor Jennifer Cumming on an incredibly important project: helping to develop international guidelines for mental health support at the Paralympic Games.
We are excited to be part of the SPRINT team and look forward to diving into this impactful research!
Alex
My name is Alex Wakim, and I am an international student currently in my first year of the MSc Physiotherapy program. Before moving to the UK, I lived in Toronto, Canada, where I earned my BSc in Kinesiology and Athletic Therapy. Because my education so far has been heavily focused on understanding the human body and rehabilitating physical injuries, I am excited to join the SPRINT team for the next six weeks. This placement is a fantastic opportunity for me to learn about new psychological concepts that I can add to my clinical toolbox.
Throughout this placement, I am particularly looking forward to diving into the current research and understanding how evidence based psychological guidelines are developed. As a future clinician, I believe that true holistic care means treating the person, not just the injury. Gaining a deeper insight into the psychological barriers will allow me to better support patients and athletes through their rehabilitation journey.
Having grown up in a household where sport is part of our daily routine, I am eager to see how I can integrate what I learn into my day to day life. I am also interested in exploring how mental health impacts not only athletes but the entire support system, including the coaching staff. I look forward to discovering how closely psychology and physiotherapy connect in sports performance.
Hank
Hi, my name is Hank, and I am an international student from northeast China, where winter temperatures can fall below freezing. I am currently in the first year of the MSc Physiotherapy programme at the University of Birmingham. This is my fourth year studying in the UK, following my undergraduate degree at University College London, where I studied Sport and Exercise Medical Sciences.
Over the next six weeks, I will be completing my research placement with the SPRINT Project. During this placement, I will explore athletes’ experiences of mental health and develop guidelines within the Paralympic Games. This topic strongly connects with my interest in sport, and I hope the placement will allow me to develop a deeper understanding of both athletes’ experiences and the role of mental health support in elite sport.
I am particularly looking forward to listening to interviews with people from a range of cultural backgrounds and learning about their different experiences and perspectives. As a physiotherapy student, I believe mental health support is an essential part of holistic care. To provide effective support, healthcare professionals first need to understand the needs of the population they are working with.
By contributing to the SPRINT team, I hope to help build a clearer understanding of the experiences of disabled athletes and para-athletes. Ultimately, this knowledge may support the development of more appropriate and inclusive mental health services for athletes in the future.
Welcome Future Focused Micro Internship Students Aleksandra and Hazera!
Organised by the University of Birmingham’s Career Networks, this placement is designed to give penultimate and final year undergraduate student a short, impactful boost to their CV by getting hands-on experience in a research environment.
Aleksandra
My name is Aleksandra, and I'm a final year Psychology student. I have a strong interest in wellbeing, mental health, and the systems that shape young people's experiences. Because of this, the SPRINT internship felt like a particularly fitting opportunity, and I am excited to get involved. I'm also at a stage where I want to gain practical experience and explore what kind of roles I might enjoy in the future, so contributing to a project with social impact was important to me.
Over the next two weeks, I'll be contributing to the SPRINT Project's work on safeguarding and abuse prevention in dance organisations, including helping to disseminate findings from the 2nd National Survey of Safeguarding and Abuse Prevention in Dance. I'm looking forward to supporting efforts to improve safety and wellbeing within the performing arts sector, and to learning more about safeguarding in a context that is less familiar to me.
Hazera
My name is Hazera, and I am a student graduating from my undergraduate BSc Psychology programme. I am currently exploring different avenues of experience, and this two-week internship is something I am excited to participate in.
Over the next two weeks, I will be involved in the SPRINT project, particularly working with the safeguarding and abuse prevention in dance dissemination project. As someone who is interested in the way mental health is viewed and handled in society today, I look forward to engaging in this research project and gaining more of an understanding of the ways in how welfare issues are dealt with in organisations such as dance.
By participating in this research project, I wish to learn more about how wellbeing is navigated in sports such as dance, expanding my knowledge and insight. The experience I gain from this project is something I aim to utilise and carry forward into future opportunities, especially when meeting people from different backgrounds and fields.
Written by Andrew, Aimee, Alex, Hank, Aleksandra, and Hazera
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