Balancing professional sport and postgraduate study
24th January 2024
After running the University of Gloucestershire Squash Club and inspiring young people to take up the sport, professional squash player Nathan Lake was inspired to become a student himself.
Growing up in Cheltenham, he started playing squash around the age of nine at his after school club, and went from strength to strength during his teens. And in December 2023, he reached a career high of number 27 in the world.
Having graduated in 2019 from a Masters in Sports Coaching and Practice, Nathan’s relationship with the university grew from his love of sport.
“Alongside the club, I helped the University run a local outreach program to introduce children to squash, and we delivered to 750 children per year. All this meant I was very fond of the University, and so when the opportunity came up to attend myself, I leapt at the opportunity!”
And as his sporting career flourished, he was able to balance his sporting achievements alongside his postgraduate study.
“With plenty of planning, I was fortunate to have very generous and supportive lecturers which allowed this to be possible. I also had to accept that at certain times of the year things would get congested. But, generally having something to focus on outside of squash was very helpful to my sporting performance. It meant when I arrived for training or a match I was mentally fresher, as I hadn’t been overthinking my squash.”
Since leaving University, Nathan has moved to his wife’s home country, the United States, and continued to pursue a life on the Professional Squash Tour, with highlights including his first England cap as part of a European Championship winning side in 2022.
For those considering a career in sport at a higher level, he believes that backing yourself is key, “Don’t waste time listening to the doubters, surround yourself with good people, be curious and get to work.”
And returning to study doesn’t have to be a compromise. “Be open to the idea, a large part of me was worried about not being solely focused on my squash, but as with university and other courses I have taken throughout my playing career, getting mental time away from squash has helped me when I come back to focus on my squash.”
Photographs by Nathan Clarke, Professional Squash Association