Ulster Rugby v Benetton Rugby

STAFF PROFILE

NAME: STEPHANIE INGRAM ROLE: ACADEMY PERFORMANCE NUTRITIONIST

Describe your role within Ulster Rugby? I develop, deliver and monitor player centred nutritional interventions, aimed at maximising training adaptation, maximising performance, supporting health and wellbeing¸ minimising injury risk and accelerating return to play following injury. This may include overall dietary assessment, nutrient timing, hydration habits, weight management/body composition and supplement use. I monitor supplement use to ensure safe and effective application in line with IRFU policy and contribute to the individual player performance review process. Describe your career / employment history? I completed a BSc Hons in Sport Science followed by a Masters in Sports and Exercise Nutrition. Following graduation, I worked as a Sport Nutritionist with the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, developing sports nutrition education material for GCSE and A-Level PE students as well as teams and individual athletes. I have also provided consultancy for a variety of sporting teams and am a part time lecturer on both the Undergraduate Sports Science degree and Masters Sports Nutrition degree at Ulster University. Favourite thing about your job? Collaborating with the wider Athletic Development team and seeing a player achieve their goals.

What do you enjoy most about working for Ulster Rugby? The people I work with. I am lucky to work in an exciting, progressive and supportive environment – that is a direct result of the people; players and support staff alike, I am fortunate to work alongside . What is your biggest achievement to date? Seeing players come through the high-performance pathway, being contracted with the Academy and being capped at Senior Provincial and International level. What is the most challenging aspect of your role? A player not achieving their true potential. What are your plans/goals for the upcoming season? Continue to support player development throughout the high-performance pathway with more Age- Grade players getting capped at National level and more Academy players achieving senior caps than previous seasons. Who is your favourite Ulster player? Rob Herring

To get in touch with Stephanie, email stephanie.ingram@ulsterrugby.com

UlsterRugby

GET SOCIAL. FOLLOW US.

OfficialUlsterRugby

#SUFTUM

35

WWW.ULSTERRUGBY.COM