A huge good luck goes to NC Level 4 Sports student Ross Taggart from Branchton who is preparing to take on the very best from across the UK in Bournemouth this Saturday, less than a year after taking up the sport.

Ross said, ‘I’ve always been into sport from a young age, so it was the obvious choice to go enrol in the course at the College. The Level 4 has been the perfect level to go into as it’s so practical. It’s been suggested that I could go straight into HNC level without having to study Level 5 if I work really hard.’

Seventeen-year-old Ross was a promising boxer who’d won British, Scottish and district titles before he was forced to quit the sport after being diagnosed with epilepsy in January. Ross explains why his college course is pivotal to his career ambitions, he said, ‘After College I plan to go to University to study Physiotherapy. Movement is central to the health and well-being of individuals and I’m really keen to help people who are recovering from injury.

‘Due to my recent diagnosis, I’ve had to look at other ways of keeping fit. Stress can be a trigger for epilepsy so exercising regularly is recommend to keep seizures under control. So, In addition to taking up power-lifting, I wanted to complement my training with underpinning knowledge and theory.’

Although Ross is focused on his competition work over the next few weeks, he realises that his studies will give him the focus he needs for his Physiotherapy future. Ross who is already lifting close to the British records added, ‘I’ve got high hopes going down to the British Finals in Bournemouth this weekend to beat my personal best.

I’m determined to do well in both my competition work and my studies. My advice would be for anyone looking to start this course would be stick in, listen hard and keep your head down.’

David Gemmel, Sports Lecturer at West College Scotland said, ‘Ross is a conscientious student and we all wish him the best of luck for Bournemouth.’