Deborah Sargent

As an applied practitioner, I have provided strength and conditioning (S & C) services and/or coach education opportunities to a number of National Governing Bodies including the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA), Scottish Institute of Sport (SIS), Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS), Scottish Golf, Scottish Gymnastics, Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), various University scholarship and performance sport programmes. Through these roles, I have shared my expertise in the area of female menstrual  health and its potential effects on performance, health and wellbeing. 

After earning my degree in Sport & Exercise Science from the University of Birmingham, I went on to pursue postgraduate degrees in Strength & Conditioning and Exercise and Health Science. I have spent the majority of my professional career working in higher education, combining academic delivery (undergraduate and postgraduate programmes), performance management, and specialised strength and conditioning and performance lifestyle support for teams and individual scholarship athletes.

In August 2024 I joined Heriot-Watt University to take up my current role as Assistant Professor in Strength and Conditioning, with the aim of preparing sport and exercise graduates with the skills, knowledge and competencies to pursue a career within the discipline if they so choose.