Photo credit: Gary Robinson
University of Chichester physiotherapy student Alfie Price has signed with professional basketball team Worthing Thunder for his second season. He reveals how he balances study with his sporting career – and why the support he gets at the University is invaluable.
Alfie first started playing basketball during the Covid lockdown, and said: “I really clicked with it, and my passion only grew from there.”
He was invited to a National League trial at Worthing Thunder – which plays in the second highest league in the country – and after two years in the junior’s second team, he was promoted to the first team.
“Last year I worked really hard and managed to get a contract with the British Championship Basketball (BCB) team at Thunder,” he said.
At the same time, he was studying in his first year of BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy at the University of Chichester.
“I chose Chichester because of its reputation for high-quality sports and medical facilities,” Alfie said. “It was a no brainier.”
“The campus here at Chichester is tailored to so many different sports. Choosing to play basketball here was the best decision that I could’ve made. GASP (Gifted Athlete Support Programme) athletes get free use of the gym, which has been a life saver. The University also has high-quality sport and exercise science equipment that monitors my fitness, nutrition, and much more. This has allowed me to keep track of my progress so that I can continue to develop.”
On his plans for the future, Alfie said: “My biggest dream is to keep progressing my basketball and physiotherapy career hand in hand. And what better place to do that than Chichester. I plan on taking a master’s degree – my education is very important to me, and I want to be as invested in my future as possible”
Dr Connor Nyberg, Senior Lecturer Physiotherapy, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Alfie and everything he’s achieved on and off the court. Excelling in a demanding Physiotherapy degree while competing at this level is a remarkable achievement. It’s been a pleasure to see him put his rehabilitation skills and knowledge of physiology into practice, bringing what he learns in the classroom onto training. Watching him develop as both an athlete and a future physiotherapist has been fantastic, and we’re excited to see where his talent and ambition take him next.”
To find out more about the Gifted Athlete Support Programme at Chichester, visit: https://www.chi.ac.uk/student-life/sport-at-chichester/gifted-athlete-scholarship-programme/