Training load monitoring and wellness tracking of student athletes

The evolution of Strength and Conditioning (S&C) has been significant in enhancing athletic performance, especially with a more recent shift in considering holistic athlete wellness which encompasses physical, emotional, and psychological aspects. Understanding the multifaced nature of athlete wellness allows an insight into the holistic wellbeing of athletes. Despite this, student-athletes are an understudied population who face unique challenges due to academic pressures, financial challenges, and intense training schedules in contrast to the established professional athlete. This study aims to investigate the correlation between S&C training loads and various wellness metrics (sleep quality, muscle soreness, mood and educational stress) in student athletes. Understanding how student athlete wellness varies over the academic year allows S&C coaches to tailor training loads to better compliment wellness and improve psychological, physical wellbeing and ultimately athletic performance. With institutional ethics approval from University of Derby, a mixed methods approach was adopted using an online questionnaire which 50 student athletes filled out multiple times a day over the academic year. Sports included were men’s & women’s volleyball, badminton and men’s futsal. Data collected by the survey included sleep duration and quality, muscle soreness ratings, mood surveys, illness reports, training load measurements, stress and anxiety evaluations. This comprehensive data set enables a detailed analysis of trends over time. It is anticipated that the study will reveal significant relationships between training loads and various wellness indicators. Specific trends, such as the impact of academic stress on training effectiveness or the role of sleep quality in recovery and performance, are expected to emerge. These insights will provide valuable information for tailoring S&C programs to better support student athletes. Understanding the complex relationship of training loads and wellness in student athletes is crucial for optimising their performance and overall well-being. This study aims to contribute to a more intricate understanding of these relationships, informing the development of more effective, individualised training and wellness strategies. Ultimately, the research will provide an understanding for the importance of a holistic approach in athlete development, considering both physical and psychological aspects for optimal performance enhancement.