Sports Performance Team
Perform At Your Best!
Where athletes are supported to perform at their best and reach their potential by experienced medical, strength and conditioning, and sports science staff.
The Oaklands Wolves medical team includes highly trained physiotherapists, osteopaths, and sports therapists who are experts in helping our student-athletes recover from injury and return to their sport as soon as possible. In the unfortunate event that you do suffer an injury while at Oaklands, rest assured that you will have access to the best assessment, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Our medical team have cutting edge portable diagnostic ultrasound technology, and first-class rehabilitation equipment including blood flow restriction cuffs and cryotherapy machines. Within the Performance Team we have close working relationships between departments leading to an interdisciplinary approach to recovery and rehabilitation for all student-athletes.
Strength and Conditioning Department
The Oaklands Wolves S&C team are a dedicated and knowledgeable team that work tirelessly to keep our student-athletes fit to perform at their best. Their wealth of experience enables them to provide focussed sport-specific programming for each academy along with high quality coaching to help improve technique and performance. Our coaches are assisted by facilities such as our two performance gyms, sprung-floor basketball court, AstroTurf, 3G, and grass pitches.
Sports Science Department
New for September 2023 the Oaklands Wolves Sports Science department takes our performance testing capabilities to the next level. Our state-of-the-art performance testing laboratory boasts the latest in sports science testing equipment to help you train and compete at your best.
Internships
The Oaklands Wolves Sports Performance Team are proud of their internship programme, helping in the development of the next generation of therapists and coaches. Our medical internship programme gives undergraduate physiotherapy, osteopathy and sports therapy students a valuable opportunity to learn in an engaging and fast-paced environment. Our strength and conditioning internship programme offers undergraduate and graduate coaches the chance to improve their knowledge and skills within a rewarding and exciting department. Interns gain experience working with student-athletes across our eight different sports and from our participation to our elite performance level.
To apply for an internship please contact our Sports Performance Team Leader
Hear from our Head Physio
“The entire Medical Team at Oaklands Wolves Sports Academies is excited to welcome learners onto the internship programme in the coming weeks. We provide a unique opportunity for student-athletes as we host a fantastic portfolio of different sports, including: Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Men’s Football, Women’s Football, Hockey, Netball and Rugby.
You’ll certainly be in good company if you join our programme as many of our athletes have gone on to represent Great Britain and win medals at Olympic Games, World, European, and National Championships. Alongside working with World Class and developing athletes, you’ll be working in collaboration with our superb Medical Team who are passionate about sport itself as well as delivering evidence informed practice and quality learning experiences. Our multidisciplinary approach to athlete care is evident and plays an important role in achieving an optimal balance between all spheres of the student-athlete life at Oaklands.
Our internship programme encourages students to work across multiple sports so that they can start to fill their toolbox of skills whether that be assessment, treatment, injury prevention, research, rehabilitation, CPD, S&C or communication skills.”
The Sports Performance Team
Meet Our Sports Performance Team…
PATRICK ESSON
SPORTS PERFORMANCE TEAM LEADER
Patrick graduated from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine with a Masters degree in Osteopathy (Distinction), where he was awarded prizes for Research, Osteopathic Technique and Clinical Practice.
Patrick has a special interest treating athletes and sports-related injuries, having previously achieved a first-class honours degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Essex. Patrick is a member of the Osteopathic Sports Care Association, and completed the prestigious OSCA mentorship programme, gaining invaluable experience working in a variety of sports, including rugby and elite sprinting.
As well as working with the extremely successful Oaklands College Athletics and Hockey Academies, Patrick is currently First Team Osteopath at Amersham & Chiltern RFC and medical coordinator for Buckinghamshire RFU. He also works with Focus Performance, treating a growing squad of aspiring sprint and jump athletes.
LEDA COX
ACADEMY PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Leda graduated in 2015 from St George’s University in London with a degree in Physiotherapy. Since graduating, Leda worked in the NHS treating musculoskeletal conditions, as well as working as Lead Physiotherapist for the Great Britain Elite Team at the ITU Word Championships in Canada in 2017. Leda joined Oaklands Wolves Sports Academy the same year, where she oversaw the treatment for athletes in the cycling and basketball academies. In 2019, Leda was promoted to Lead Physiotherapist at Oaklands Wolves Sports Academies and in her spare time she works at her private physiotherapy clinic in St Albans.
Prior to stepping into a career as a physiotherapist, Leda was a professional road racing cyclist. Leda represented Great Britain throughout her ten-year pro-career across the globe and she raced for several top UCI Women’s teams in Europe, America and Canada on her way to becoming British ranked number one and winning over 30 races.
CLAIRE CHIDLEY
ACADEMY SPORTS THERAPIST
Claire graduated from University of Bedfordshire in 2021 with a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Therapy. Claire spent a year on placement at Oaklands, primarily working with the Rugby Academy programme and has experience working with championship side Ampthill.