Xiaohongshu
Katie has dedicated over a decade to supporting UCL students to feel happier, healthier and connected through sports and physical activity. This, for her, is what university sports is about.
When Katie joined UCL as a Sports Development Coordinator, she was one of only two staff working in sport at the time. Now, she heads up TeamUCL, one of the most recognisable university sports brands in the UK. Her team supports students across the entire spectrum: from those who feel unsure about or excluded from sport to elite, dual-career athletes.
Growing up, Katie always loved sport influenced by family role models, teachers and an inspiring sixth form PE department who encouraged her to pursue sport at Durham University. As a first-generation student, university was a culture shock, but sport helped her to fit in. Playing in the university netball team and serving as Athletic Union President showed her just how vital university sports can be.
Under Katie’s leadership, UCL has won national awards recognising its commitment to widening access to physical activity. One of her proudest achievements is Project Active, a programme she helped initiate to engage inactive students. Growing from just a few hundred participants to nearly 5,000 annually, it won the national Active Wellbeing Programme of the Year award.
The pandemic marked a turning point, showing that “we need to invest in the things that help students connect outside of their classroom”. Katie led UCL’s return-to-play efforts and helped to initiate the university’s flagship Student Life Strategy, ensuring long-term investment in sports and physical activity. She stresses this was a team effort: “Working alongside people who are expert and passionate about sport is one of things I love about UCL.”
In the future, Katie wants to see a dedicated home for TeamUCL - one that reflects the value and impact sport has for students and staff. Ultimately, she wants everyone to feel confident and find community through sport:
If my work can help more students find their place, then I’m doing something right.