Neil comes home to Sport Science at Teesside

Neil Cummins has scored a double by achieving a BSc (Hons) in Sport Science and the Human Kinetics Award from the University of Teesside.

Neil has continued his life-long interest in sport by enrolling for a Masters degree course in Sport & Exercise at Teesside and he is already making plans to study for a Phd.

Neil, 21, was born in Middlesbrough, lived in the Shetland Islands from 1994 and returned to the town for his degree. He said: “All of my family live in the area so I thought it would be nice to come back. I’ve always been keen on sport and decided to study Sport Science after suffering a knee injury while playing football a few years ago. I saw at first hand the work of physiotherapists, trainers and other sport and health related occupations. The University has some excellent sport and laboratory facilities and an excellent Learning Resource Centre.

“My final-year dissertation, using a computer technique called Finite Element Analysis to assess the protective capabilities of different mouth guards, has been accepted for publication in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Obviously I’m really pleased about this and am very grateful to lecturer Iain Spears for his invaluable input.”

Neil has started to approach mouth guard companies for professional advice and assistance to develop the research project further.

He will also benefit this year from a £900 Elite Athletes bursary from the University, which will allow him to buy a new snooker cue and travel the country taking part in snooker competitions, particularly the English Amateur and the British Universities Sporting Association Snooker Championships. He has also entered the World Pool Championships three times and is hoping to make a big splash in the upcoming season.

He graduates on Friday 30 November.

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