Cherries pick Solent
July 6 2009
Bournemouth Football Club manager Eddie Howe has turned to Solent University’s sports scientists to help him prepare the ‘Cherries’ for their coming campaign.
The players kicked off their pre-season under the scrutiny of Dr Stewart Bruce-Low - senior lecturer in sport and exercise science - and a full team of staff and students.
Eddie Howe – the youngest manager in the English Football League – is part of a growing number of forward thinking bosses using sports science to up their training programmes and polish their game.
He said: "The squad is going through a series of tests at Solent to benefit them for the coming season. We’re covering the full spectrum to make sure they are fit and healthy.
"We will use the results of these scientific tests during pre-season training to gauge how hard the lads are working. It’s very important to get an accurate picture of the full benefits of training to get the team ready."
The team will be assessed at Solent’s £1.3 million Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Science several times over the next year. They started last week with the VO2 max test, which involves players running on a treadmill wearing oxygen masks to test levels and intensity of oxygen and how it gets to muscles around the body.
Players were also tested for lumbar strength, leg power, ECG for the heart, lung function, nutrition and height, and underwent weight and fat tests.
Top trainer Jon Dalzell - who has been specially drafted in by Eddie Howe - is a strong supporter of sports science and the part it plays in ensuring season fitness. He said:
"This kind of testing means we can be much more accurate in our pre-season training approach."
Bournemouth Defender Jason Pearce added:
"It can be quite challenging to maintain the right levels of fitness during the break, so high level pre-season training is crucial."
Sports science students were delighted to see the equipment – and their skills – used to train professional footballers.
"It’s what I came to Solent to do. This has been a great opportunity," said second year Applied Sports Science student, James Steele.
Solent University’s Senior Sport Science Lecturer, Dr Stewart Bruce-Low, has a history of working with football clubs, including Crystal Palace and Torquay United. He said:
"More and more football managers and trainers are seeing the benefit of using sports science to up their game and get the maximum they can from their players. It’s great for staff and students to be involved in this project."
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