
"My name is Ibrahim Diallo and I'm currently in my second year studying Football Coaching and Performance at Wolverhampton. I've always been a huge fan of football and had a passion for the sport. I was fascinated by how a football coach deals with players and how they approach sessions on a day-to-day basis.
My time of study at university has been very interesting because I have met good people and have the right support group around me. The balance between learning in the classroom and learning in a practical element is really good because it helps me as a coach to understand how to apply techniques to my sessions and develop. The classroom work is vital because as a student you can research different articles for your assignments. I like how the timetable flows - in the morning we're in the classroom and then after lunch we're on the astro doing practical work, which makes the lessons more engaging.
A real turning point for me was the sports coaching and pedagogy module, where I had to do a presentation regarding my sessions over the weeks. That's where I learned the different types of coaching techniques that I can apply as a coach and reflect on what I can improve on.
I'm currently working with a grassroots team called TT Elite. I started as a volunteer and used this to learn about other coaches and see how they deal with the players they're coaching. I see what makes other coaches stand out and try to add that to my own coaching. I've enjoyed it because it has really helped me understand that if you want to make it as a coach, you must have a certain level of commitment and make huge sacrifices. What I'm learning is that as a coach you must be adaptable because the session might not go as planned, so I make sure I have a backup plan so the session flows without any major distractions.
The teaching staff have supported me massively with my assignments, giving me really good feedback. They've also supported me with extra qualifications like the multi-sport certification, which can help me with getting a job at school. The most valuable connections I'm making are with coaches that work in an academy or professional setting. These connections are valuable because they can lead me to get an opportunity to coach at a good level and help me learn about their journeys.
Since coming to the university, I've always enjoyed using the astro turf for the practical side of the course. I'm doing what I like, which is playing football, so using the facilities has been good. The size of the classrooms are at a good standard and the computers I've had to use for the analysis module were really impressive - there were features I didn't know you could use.
Where I see myself in five years is working in an academy setting or in other departments in the football field. I'm confident that this course is helping me out, so I have to make sure that I make the most of it - if not, then I only have myself to blame for not being proactive."
- Ibrahim Diallo - Second Year Student -
Olympic superstar Kristian Thomas has added a First Class degree from the University of Wolverhampton to his long list of accolades (September, 2019).

The captain of Great Britain’s men’s gymnastics team at Rio 2016 said: "It’s a very proud moment after three years of hard work to be in the Grand Theatre with my cohort and my peers and the people who have helped me including the academic staff. I was out of education for quite a few years so to come back into it was a little bit daunting but they made that process so seamless. I’m very proud to come to the end of the three years and to come away with a first class honours as well."