AoC Sport Fitness Trainer Finals

The AoC Sport Fitness Trainer Finals, sponsored by Pearson BTEC will be delivered at the University of Nottingham, David Ross Sport Village on the 15-16 April 2023.

This will be the first year the competition sits alongside the AoC Sport National Championships, and it will give colleges the chance to celebrate further education’s sporting success and skills-based talent within the same weekend.

Meet The Competitors

Congratulations to all competitors that took part in the AoC Sport Fitness Trainer National Qualifier on 16-20 January 2023. We saw a great competition, with brilliant talent coming through as the next generation of Personal Trainers. All competitors should be proud of their performances and achievements!

40 competitors were invited to compete at the National Qualifier. The top eight Personal Trainers from this stage have qualified for the National Final on Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 April 2023, at the University of Nottingham.

We are very pleased to reveal the Fitness Trainer Finalists are:

• Erin Chamberlain- Coleg Gwent
• Zoe Torevelle- Brockenhurst College
• Bobbie- Jo Swift- Coleg Gwent
• Jack Taylor- Brockenhurst College
• Lolly Cull- Brockenhurst College
• Rebecca Smith- Brockenhurst College
• Lois Greenslade- Gateshead College
• Nathan Kellett- York College

Stay tuned to see who ends up winning the competition!

Special mentions, who narrowly missed out on a place at the final are:

• Simone Clark- Sunderland College
• Jason Redpath- Gateshead College
• Lewis Barlow- Stoke on Trent College
• Dionne Mannion- Gateshead College

These individuals make up the reserve list and will be invited to the finals if another competitor withdraws.

Competitors have had to complete the following stages to reach the final:

• Registration
• Completed in September
• Passive Stage:
  • Which is an online test, that tests competitors' knowledge and understanding of personal training
  • Completed in October
  • Over 100 competitors completed this stage
• National Qualifier:
  • Which is a session plan submission, virtually delivered PT session with client or clients, and demonstration of hard skills (exercise movements)
  • Completed in January
  • The top 40 competitors from the passive stage were invited to the National Qualifier
• National Final
  • Completed in April
  • The top 8 competitors from the National Qualifier will be invited to the National Final

All stages of the competition are judged against a set of criteria by our expert judging team, who are active education and fitness professionals.

Shortly all eight Fitness Trainer finalists will be given the full task and criteria for the National Final. These documents will detail exactly what to expect and prepare for at the finals.

During the National, Final competitors will be assessed on various elements of being a Personal Trainer, which should provide competitors with real-life industry-based scenarios and push them beyond education and assessment. Competitors will be assessed on: Planning, session delivery, fitness testing, business understanding, marketing, and more.

On top of this, competitors will get the chance to speak to our headline sponsor Pearson BTEC and be involved in various promotional activities throughout the competition.

Angus Milligan Competition Lead said: “The competition delivery team and judges are excited to welcome competitors to the first Fitness Trainer Finals as part of the AOC Sport National Championships. We will be using the fantastic facilities at the University of Nottingham, David Ross Sports Village. Competitors will be tested in a variety of tasks in an environment that replicates being out in the industry. We will be providing competitors with various scenarios and work spaces such as gyms, studio spaces, and outdoor training areas. All areas will be open to the public and will require Personal Trainers to manage their clients and environment professionally and safely, providing positive and enjoyable experiences for clients with meaningful health and exercise outcomes.”

Gareth Reynolds Pearson Senior Product Manager said: “Congratulations to the entrants that have made the finals and a thank you to the national final’s qualifiers, who did not make the final 8 on this occasion. By the end of the competition, the finalist will have tested and demonstrated contextualised and transferable skills, behaviors, and knowledge both digitally and face-to-face. This is a fantastic training ground and platform for their future ventures in the industry. At Pearson, we are delighted to provide qualifications for this career where they can learn, grow and gain CIMSPA professional standards.”

Karen Stanton Head Judge siad: “It’s been great to see the fabulous work completed by Qualifier round competitors this year.

The mode of online delivery opens up many opportunities for Personal Trainers to offer their services to a broad audience and engage with clients to suit their individual circumstances. It is, however, an additional and different skill set and competitors have shown that they are well-equipped to grasp the wide range of opportunities these skills can offer.

I look forward to seeing those progressing in the competition in April and wish the very best to all. Sincere thanks to everyone; competitors Colleges and Tutors, who have taken the time to get involved.”

Find out more about the AoC Sport Fitness Trainer Competition here.