Before I came to Brunel, sport was already my whole world. I had been through the academy system, chasing a professional contract, and picked up more setbacks than I would like to admit along the way. When I arrived at Brunel to study Computer Science, I knew I still wanted to compete seriously, but I wasn't sure if sport and a demanding degree could coexist at the level I wanted both to be at. Becoming a Sports Scholar gave me the support and environment to make that possible.
The Sports Scholarship Programme allowed me to keep training and competing properly instead of quietly letting my sport become a hobby. I didn't have to choose between being a serious athlete and a serious student. With access to facilities, physiotherapy and support from the Team Brunel staff, I had the resources I needed to keep developing as an athlete while working towards my degree.
Futsal became my main sport at Brunel, where I trained four to five times a week alongside studying. We compete in both the BUCS league and cup competitions, and some of my proudest moments at university have happened on the futsal court. I reached the BUCS Men's National Trophy final in my first year, was named men's first-team captain for three years, and finished as the top goal scorer for Brunel's football and futsal first teams. I was also nominated for Team Brunel's Sportsman of the Year award across all sports.
Balancing all of this with Computer Science was challenging. The reality is that you constantly have to reshuffle your week and accept that some evenings you're completing assignments after training rather than before it. The scholarship doesn't remove that challenge, but it makes it much more manageable. Having access to physio, training facilities and support meant I could focus on managing my time and giving my best to both areas.
The academic side of my time at Brunel was just as important to me. I achieved an A* in my first group project module and an A in my final-year dissertation, before graduating this year. The scholarship didn't do the work for me, but having the right support around me made it possible to pursue both my academic and sporting goals without having to sacrifice one for the other. Looking back, that is something I'm particularly proud of.
What has stayed with me most, though, is the community around sport at Brunel. The coaches, support staff and other Sports Scholars are all familiar with the challenge of training and competing while trying to stay on top of a degree. There is an understanding there that you don't always find elsewhere on campus. Some of my closest friendships have come from something as simple as turning up to training, competing together and sticking around afterwards.
If you're thinking about applying for a Sports Scholarship, my biggest piece of advice is to manage your time and make use of the support that's available to you. Nobody is going to do the work for you, so staying organised and keeping on top of your assignments is essential. At the same time, don't feel like you have to figure everything out alone. Speak to the coaches, use the facilities and support available, and build relationships with the other scholars around you.
Most importantly, take it seriously. The support is there, but what you get out of it comes down to what you put in. For me, it meant leaving Brunel as a better player, student and person than I would have been on my own. If you're weighing up whether to chase your sport seriously alongside a degree, this is the environment that makes it possible.