Team GB hockey star visits University of Hull for 2022 Student Thesis Conference

Team GB hockey star and Olympic gold medallist Hollie Pearne-Webb MBE joined Sports, Health and Exercise Science (SHES) students at the University for the 2022 Student Thesis Conference.

Hollie captained the Great Britain squad to Olympic hockey bronze in Tokyo 2020, and also scored the decisive goal in the final of the Rio 2016 Olympics which claimed gold for Team GB.

The Team GB athlete chatted to University of Hull alumni Ted Munson, met with the University’s Ladies’ Hockey Team and presented an inspiring keynote address at the annual Student Thesis Conference on Thursday 24 March.

Hollie said: "From a young age I developed a strong self-drive, goals and ambitions. I wanted to be the best I could be, and so university was always in my plan."

The Student Thesis Conference is an annual sector-leading event where undergraduate and postgraduate students at Hull present their research in a conference environment.

Since launching in 2011, the yearly Student Thesis Conference is open to all SHES students at Hull, and puts them in the same room as successful alumni and some of the best-known employers in the industry.

First-year students attend as delegates, while second-year students are invited to make a poster presentation of their proposed study plan.

Final-year students deliver a spoken presentation on their completed dissertation to peers, academics and industry leaders.

Professor Grant Abt, Professor of Exercise Physiology of Exercise Physiology, said: “The keynote speech is a very important part of the day, and this year we were extremely fortunate to welcome Olympic gold medallist Hollie Pearne-Webb MBE.

“Hollie provided students and staff with an amazing insight into the life of an elite athlete, including the many challenges along the way to Olympic gold.

“Based on the feedback, students came away from the day with a real sense of achievement, practical information on working in an elite environment and inspiration for the future from both Hollie and alumni speaker Ted Munson.

“We’re now planning an even bigger and better STC for 2023.”

Sport and Exercise Nutritionist, Ted Munson, introduced the day with an inspiring alumni speech as well as speaking to Hollie about university, sport-education balance and leadership.

Hollie shared the struggles of training during the COVID pandemic and how the lockdown impacted different members of the GB team, particularly when it came to their preparations for the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Erin Minton-Branfoot, from the Hull University Ladies’ Hockey Club (HULHC), said: “The meet and greet with Hollie was a great experience for our university hockey team.

“Hollie gave advice on a range of aspects of hockey including adequate fueling before games, player commitment and engagement as well as life after university hockey and how to continue to be involved in the sport.

“The members of HULHC also gained insight into the life and training regime of an international hockey player.”

“We had interesting discussions on rehab, injury prevention, strength training and how different types of players benefit from different gym and fitness programmes.”

Find out more about the Student Thesis Conference.