Loughborough University and Army Sport have announced a new strategic partnership designed to enhance high-performance sporting opportunities for Army personnel.
Major General James Senior (Left) and Professor Nick Jennings Vice Chancellor and President of Loughborough University (Right) prepare to sign the Memo Of Understanding between Army Sport and Loughborough University.
Major General James Senior CBE (Right) talks to Verity Postlethwaite (Left) a strategic lecturer in Event Management from Loughborough University about the research and innovation into women’s sport.
Loughborough University and Army Sport have announced a new strategic partnership designed to enhance high-performance sporting opportunities for Army personnel.
Members from Army Sport and Loughborough University take a tour of the Boxing Gymnasium on campus of Loughborough University.
Richard Ellis (Right) talks to Members from Army Sports during their visit to Loughborough University’s power lifting room.
As part of the agreement, Army Sport colleagues will gain access to Loughborough’s renowned sporting facilities for training, competitive fixtures, and flagship events. The partnership also opens the door to broader joint initiatives, including collaborative coach development and knowledge sharing on all aspects of high-performance leadership.
There will also be shared research and innovation projects, thought leadership workshops, and direct student engagement with the Army’s career opportunities.
Professor Jo Maher, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Sport at Loughborough University, said:
“Loughborough University has a proud heritage of sporting excellence, and we are thrilled to partner with Army Sport to create unique opportunities for training, competition, and professional growth.
“This collaboration places opportunity at its heart and we’re looking forward to a dynamic and fruitful partnership between two of the UK’s most enviable high-performance brands.”
“The relationship will provide Army sport teams with the ability to access world-class facilities and professional services, and to compete against their Loughborough University counterparts.”
Darrell Amison CBE, Chief Executive, Army Sport added:
“Army Sport is delighted, excited and very proud to embark on this mutually-beneficial strategic relationship with Loughborough University.”
“The relationship will provide Army sport teams with the ability to access world-class facilities and professional services, and to compete against their Loughborough University counterparts. There’ll also be opportunities for Army Sport, and the wider Army, to leverage cutting edge research, thought leadership events, professional networking, and engagement activity.”
The partnership between Loughborough University and Army Sport officially commenced in June 2025.
Army Sport & Why Sports Matters
Sport helps to prepare soldiers – our point of difference – for operations by improving physical fitness, mental resilience, leadership, and teamwork. It fosters cohesion, the ability to thrive under pressure, promotes continual learning and the courage to overcome fear. Sport therefore contributes to the Army’s fighting power by inspiring a will to win and improving our ability to fight, all of which contributes to our core purpose: to protect the nation and help it prosper by fighting and winning our battles on and from the land.
Sport also contributes to ‘The Offer’ to our people. Simply put, the challenge, skills and enjoyment sport can provide improves purpose – the worth our soldiers gain from their employment. Sport therefore plays an important part in Army life – including recruiting and retention – and can provide excellent public visibility of the Army. Authorised sport is a Condition of Service with duty status and is a core activity that cannot be considered discretionary.
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