High Performance Centre partners with Doncaster Rovers to provide recovery support during title-winning season

It’s not just on the pitch that counts, but what happens off the pitch too. That was certainly the case for Doncaster Rovers on their title-winning season. 

From testing during the pre-season schedule, to having unlimited access to state-of-the-art industry equipment, the High Performance Centre, based at the Eco-Power Stadium provided additional support to the recovery schedule for Rovers’ first team throughout the 24/25 season, through the partnership between the football club and the HPC. 

Mark Ellames, Sports lecturer spoke of how the partnership came about: “It started back in July of 2024. We did a battery of testing with the first team and then throughout the season, offering them the HPC for recovery and massage. The players have been able to come in on a Monday and a Thursday and had access to students doing massage, all the technology at hand.”

University Campus Doncaster’s HPC, working alongside Club Doncaster Sports College, offers qualifications in both Sport, Health & Exercise Science as well as PE & Sports Coaching, with the option for students to also gain their Level 3 + 4 soft tissue therapy qualification at a reduced rate as part of their studies. 

The partnership has given students first hand experience, working with professional athletes and industry led technology and the opportunity to study within a professional sports setting.

Equipment readily available for students to utilise include Game Ready, Cryotherapy, force plates, speed gates and Vald equipment regularly used in the Premier League and a VO2 max monitor, alongside a fully equipped state-of-the-art clinic.

“It’s a great experience for our students to have Luke Molyneux, Owen Bailey, all the first team lads in, instead of them just having a class mate to work on, they’ve got professional athletes.” Ellames said.

“It’s worked really well, a great partnership, where the first team can use us for their recovery and get players ready and recovered, but our students also get the chance to get the experience they wouldn’t necessarily get at other universities.

“We always tell students that Sport Science Medical and Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy is so competitive, what better way of putting on your CV that you’ve worked with professional athletes, you’ve worked with Head of Medical, such as Dave Rennie and tap into his vast experience.”

Grant McCann, Rovers Manager, was pleased with the support his players received throughout the season: “It’s been hugely beneficial and I know Dave has used it a lot with the players. They look after the players brilliantly and their support has been outstanding. 

“We know that they’ve got the young students in there and it gives them the opportunity to be hands on with professional football players and learn the trade that way. The help and support they’ve given us, we can’t thank them enough.”

It’s not just Rovers that the HPC work closely with. Professional teams such as Doncaster RLFC, Doncaster Rovers Belles and Doncaster Knights all utilise the facilities and equipment at the Eco-Power Stadium, alongside 16 other clubs that range from grassroots to semi professional levels. 

Looking towards the future, Head of HPC & Programme Lead, Josh Wroot said: “We’ve tried to build the HPC to be an extension of their training facility, so when the players do come in, they don’t feel like it’s different, it’s just part of their environment. 

“We’ve got a really good pool of students that want to be involved, and access to first team football, at the level that Doncaster Rovers playing at, it’s been invaluable for those to see.

“Here, we’re the only sports science degree that’s based in a football stadium.

“We want to increase the level of support that we give, supporting the rovers in their pursuit of being promoted again this year hopefully, and keep the players as healthy and as fit as possible. We want to play our small role in that.”

Applications to enroll on courses closes on 15th September. 

For more information on the courses available or what the HPC has to offer, please contact josh.wroot@don.ac.uk or mark.ellames@clubdoncasterfoundation.co.uk