From Chemistry to High-Performance Sport: My Experience with the MSc Sports Performance Programme

My name is Gianni Ciappara, and I’m originally from Malta. I recently graduated from the MSc Sports Performance programme at UL with first class honours, and currently work as the Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach for male junior rowers at St Michael’s Rowing Club, as well as the Lead Endurance Performance Coach at ATLAS High Performance.

Sport has been a major part of my life for over 13 years. I transitioned from youth international water polo to long-distance running, which sparked my interest in exercise physiology and the science behind sports performance. With an undergraduate background in Chemistry and Materials Science, I saw an opportunity to combine my scientific background with my growing interest in sport and pursue a career working with elite athletes, teams and performance centres.

Why PESS and the programme

The PESS department appealed to me because of its strong focus on bridging academic research and practical application. Many of the staff work as both researchers and practitioners, creating an environment that reflects the realities of high-performance sport.

I was also drawn to the programme’s inclusive admissions policy, which values prior experience and welcomes students from non-traditional sports science backgrounds like mine.

The multidisciplinary structure was another major attraction, covering areas including nutrition, exercise physiology, biomechanics and strength & conditioning. Coming from a background in Chemistry and Materials Science, I wanted the opportunity to build a broad foundation across different areas of sports performance.

Applying theory to practice

One of the things I enjoyed most about the programme was its practical focus. The lecturers consistently emphasised that understanding theory is only part of the job; the real challenge is applying it to practical performance problems. This was particularly evident in the Problem-Based Learning modules, where we worked with real athletes to address real-world challenges, from supporting athlete rehabilitation alongside physiotherapists to conducting physiological testing and developing training recommendations for high-performance athletes.

From the classroom to High Performance

One of the most valuable aspects of the MSc Sports Performance at UL was the opportunity to apply what I was learning in real performance environments. The course gave me a strong foundation in athlete testing, research methods, data analysis and evidence-based practice, while the practical experiences allowed me to develop these skills alongside athletes, coaches and researchers.

During the MSc, I completed an internship at ATLAS High Performance Centre, gaining exposure to different aspects of high-performance sport, from athlete testing and performance monitoring to applying strength & conditioning principles with elite athletes from different sporting backgrounds.

This experience also led to my role as Lead Junior Men’s S&C Coach at St Michael’s Rowing Club, where I designed and delivered strength & conditioning programmes for 25 athletes from Junior 16 to International U23 level. Working closely with the rowing coaches, I integrated gym-based training with on-water demands and supported athletes who went on to achieve multiple national titles, including the J16 Double and J18 Pair, as well as silver medals in the J18 Four and Eight. Two athletes also went on to be selected for World Rowing Championships, with one achieving a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships and another finishing in the top five at the U19 World Championships.

The opportunities continued after completing the MSc. With the support of my supervisor, Dr Frank Nugent, I presented my dissertation research on HYROX performance at the Irish Sport & Exercise Science Association (ISESA) Conference. This was a valuable experience in communicating research beyond an academic setting and connecting with academics and practitioners working in sports science across Ireland.

I was also fortunate to complete a research internship with the PESS department, contributing to an international project between UL and the University of Deusto. As part of the project, I helped assess 26 elite HYROX athletes through a range of strength, power and physiological assessments, including isometric strength, jump performance, VO₂max and running economy testing. This gave me valuable hands-on experience in athlete testing and applied performance research.

More recently, at ATLAS, I helped develop and launch Ireland’s first HYROX performance assessment battery using VALD ForceDecks. This brought together many of the skills I developed throughout the MSc, from research and testing to data interpretation and practical performance application.

For me, this is what made the course so valuable. It didn’t just teach me sports science; it gave me the opportunity to apply what I learned, challenge myself in real performance environments and build the confidence to contribute meaningfully to high-performance sport.