Matthew Broadley

PE Cover Supervisor and Semi-Professional Footballer

I haven’t just left Leeds Trinity with a degree and an MSc, I have left with a wealth of experience and seized every opportunity I could to enhance my CV.

Why I chose Leeds Trinity

I wanted somewhere to study that was close to my home city of Hull, but not too close. I needed somewhere that would take me out of my comfort zone and force me to become more independent, Leeds Trinity offered me all this. The day I started my undergraduate course in Secondary Physical Education and Sports Development was actually the first day I set foot on campus!

My favourite memories from Leeds Trinity

I thoroughly enjoyed both the courses I undertook, they were really interesting and engaging. Having worked as a Teaching Assistant before, the Physical Education and Sports Development degree was exactly what I wanted to push ahead to the next level. I was able to follow this up and with the Psychology (Conversion) MSc, I learned so much from this course that I can transfer in to Sport Psychology.

My favourite memories at Leeds Trinity though, are through my involvement with the Men’s Football Club, who were (and still are) like a family. I will never forget the experience of winning the League twice with the Men’s First Team, alongside my best mates! 

Taking full advantage of all the opportunities available

Throughout my educational experience I’ve taken full advantage of the opportunities that have been made available to me. I volunteered with the Sports Development Department and will be forever grateful for the incredible support Sarah Todd and Sheila King gave me throughout my four years at Leeds Trinity.

One of the benefits of studying at Leeds Trinity is the placement programme. During my first year this allowed me to undertake a placement at my old school and have the opportunity to put what I was learning into practice.

Making my mark in Fiji

Another highlight during my time at Leeds Trinity is volunteering in Fiji during both my second year and third year. The first experience I had was so enriching that I returned during my third year, but this time it was as a Project leader. In this role I was leading over 20 people to deliver on key objectives to benefit the community, through teaching and sports coaching.

It wasn’t just an amazing experience, it was incredibly rewarding for my own personal development and definitely one of the best things I’ve ever done. In Fiji, I was living with families that treated you like one of their own. Going to Fiji also really developed my leadership skills and confidence and these are all things I can take with me into the classroom.

University support in representing England 

As an elite athlete I was very grateful to receive support from the Leeds Trinity Inspiring Futures Programme. It really helped me to focus more on my studies, rather than worrying about the finances needed to fulfil my travel and accommodation costs when playing for the English Universities Team. During my time representing England Universities I played against the Manchester United U23 team, Bournemouth U23 team as well as taking part in international matches against Scotland and Wales.

My advice

I haven’t just left Leeds Trinity with a degree and an MSc, I have left with a wealth of experience and seized every opportunity I could to enhance my CV. I would definitely encourage every student to take advantage of all the opportunities that are available and have a good balance between getting top marks and undertaking activities geared towards your own personal development.