Inverness College UHI students going for gold thanks to scholarship cash

Two squash-playing Inverness College UHI students have had their hopes of Commonwealth gold in Glasgow in 2014 boosted after securing funding and a place on the national scholarship students’ programme ‘Winning Students’.

Ewen Urquhart from Scorguie (right picture) and Greg Lobban of North Kessock, both 18 and members of Inverness Tennis and Squash Club, applied for the grants through Scottish Squash and are two of only 100 students selected to receive £2,000 support from the Scottish Funding Council.

The money, which will be used to fund equipment, training, travel and other support services, will be distributed over the course of the year and will aid the talented duo in their quest to make the Scottish squash team when the Commonwealth Games comes to Glasgow in 2014.

Ewen, an HNC Architectural Technology student, and Greg, who is studying an HND Sport Coaching with Development of Sport, are due to finish their respective courses in June 2011, with plans to move closer to the Scottish Squash base at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh while continuing their studies.

Planning to use the funding to help finance his busy tournament schedule, Ewen commented: “I am currently studying for my HNC in Architectural Technology and it is going well. I am hoping to move into the second year of a degree programme in Structural Engineering or Architecture after my course finishes in June.

“At the moment I balance my studies with my busy badminton schedule. I recently took part in the Scottish Open at Heriot Watt University in late December followed by the British Junior Open in Sheffield. The national student scholarship has helped me finance my travel and accommodation.”

Greg, who believes the experience gained through his education at Inverness College UHI will help him progress onto a degree course, said: “I hope to train professionally as a squash player or possibly as a coach. I have always been interested in a career in sport and the HND in Sports Coaching with the Development of Sport can be used as a platform for the second or third year of a degree programme.”

The HND in Sport Coaching course at Inverness College UHI covers sport biomechanics, current exercise trends and fitness conditioning. The HNC in Architectural Technology course includes CAD for construction, building materials and architectural drawing.

For further information on either courses at Inverness College UHI please contact 01463 273000.