Faye Gaskin, who studied Sport & Physical Education and Special Educational Needs at Liverpool Hope, has seen her rugby career go from strength-to-strength since she was first selected to play for England in 2015.
Having played Rugby Union during her first year of study at the University, Faye trained with local team Waterloo Women, before she was selected to join the national squad.
“Being selected in the England Squad was a real honour, not only for myself but also for my family and club. To walk out wearing an England shirt with the best players in the country has been special. Since 2015, I have received eight international caps for England,” said Faye.
She added: “A huge highlight of my Rugby career was being selected in the World Cup 2017 squad. To go to Australia and become a full-time athlete for three weeks was incredible, playing against the best players in the world gave me so much experience and opportunity to develop as a player. Since returning from the World Cup, I have been given the opportunity to share my experiences of being an elite athlete in many schools across Widnes and Saint Helens, in the hope that I can inspire the next generation of female players rugby league players.”
Since graduating, Faye has not only been busy playing rugby, she is also a full-time sport lecturer at Cronton Sixth Form College, Widnes. As well as completing a PGCE, Faye is currently studying for an MA in Inclusion and Special Educational Needs, with a view to working in sport with children with disabilities.
Faye said: “Liverpool Hope is an outstanding university, the support you receive from lecturers during your time at Hope develops you as an academic and a person. My favourite aspect of the course was Sports Psychology, I enjoyed looking at Talent ID and teaching games for understanding. My passion for Disability Studies and Sport Science excelled during my time at Liverpool Hope, and I feel the course was extremely rewarding and enhanced my career options, which has led me to study my MA in Inclusion and SEN.
“The modules studied prepared me to go onto become a teacher and develop my knowledge in sport. The knowledge I gained when studying Disability Studies has enabled me to coach and mentor young adults with learning disabilities, while playing rugby league. Studying at Liverpool Hope developed me to have a strong worth ethic, which reflects in my teaching career.”