{"id":1634,"date":"2024-10-14T09:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T08:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/?p=1634"},"modified":"2024-10-18T15:37:39","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T14:37:39","slug":"parade-profile-david-johnson-mres-health-wellbeing-2018-phd-health-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/2024\/10\/14\/parade-profile-david-johnson-mres-health-wellbeing-2018-phd-health-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Parade Profile: David Johnson (MRes Health and Wellbeing 2018; PhD Health 2023)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alumnus David Johnson is the Head of Academy Physical Development at West Ham United. After graduating from his master\u2019s in health and wellbeing at Bath, he went on to complete a PhD investigating training load in academy footballers.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We sat down with David to discuss what drew him to Bath to pursue his interest in sports performance, and what he took from his time here into his career. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

Why did you choose to study at Bath?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I chose Bath because of its excellent reputation in sports science and its focus on research-driven teaching. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The opportunity to work with leaders in the fields of growth and maturation [read about the University\u2019s research on <\/span>biobanding<\/span><\/a> in our latest edition of BA2], as well as <\/span>sports injury<\/span><\/a>, were also major factors in my decision. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both the health and wellbeing MRes and PhD programmes provided the perfect blend of academic rigor and practical experience, which I knew would be crucial in building a career in elite sports science.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you have a particular career in mind when you chose your course?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, I always aimed to work in sports performance, and this course was a perfect match for that goal. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m now Head of Academy Physical Development at West Ham United, and Bath played a pivotal role in helping me achieve this. The skills, knowledge and network I built during my studies have directly contributed to advancing my career in this direction.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you tell us about your experience of studying here?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Studying at Bath was a truly rewarding experience. I had countless opportunities to see sports science in real-world, applied contexts, working at both club and international levels. This hands-on exposure allowed me to bridge the gap between theory and practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I also enjoyed being part of the Department for Health\u2019s five-a-side team during my PhD studies. This allowed me to meet a lot of other postgraduates and staff who were working across the Department. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How did your studies help you to develop, professionally and\/or personally?<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

My time at Bath provided me with critical skills, especially in research methods, which have been invaluable in my current role. I gained an excellent understanding of academy football, particularly in areas like growth, maturation and the physical development of young athletes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This solid foundation helped me stand out in the field and prepared me for the challenges I face today as Head of Physical Development. I have also continued as an Honoray Research Fellow with the Department for Health, where I continue to collaborate on research on training load, injury, biobanding, growth and maturation. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Describe your career journey since graduating. <\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My career has evolved significantly since graduating. I started as a performance scientist and now serve as Head of Physical Development at West Ham United. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A typical day involves overseeing the sports science, strength and conditioning, and nutrition programmes for our academy players. My role is all about ensuring our athletes receive the best support possible to thrive physically, using a data-driven, research-backed approach.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What advice would you give to prospective students thinking about studying your course at Bath?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My advice is to fully immerse yourself in every opportunity Bath provides. Don\u2019t just attend lectures;<\/span> ask questions, engage with your professors and seek out mentorship. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Networking is absolutely key; connect with your peers, faculty and industry professionals early on. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make the most of the practical experiences available, whether it's through placements, projects or partnerships with sports clubs. The more you invest in learning and networking, the better positioned you'll be for success. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Your time at Bath can shape your future, so push beyond what\u2019s expected and embrace every challenge.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alumnus David Johnson is the Head of Academy Physical Development at West Ham United. After graduating from his master\u2019s in health and wellbeing at Bath, he went on to complete a PhD investigating training load in academy footballers.\u00a0 We sat...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1926,"featured_media":1635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,119],"tags":[192,26],"class_list":["post-1634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-humanities-social-sciences","category-parade-profiles","tag-health-wellbeing","tag-sport"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/Parade-profile-header-22.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1926"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1634"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1634\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1634"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}