The UCD High Performance Unit (UCD HPU) is an integral part of sport at UCD. In its new home at the Institute for Sport & Health, the HPU’s ultimate objective is to cater for all aspects of the athlete experience.

UCD High Performance Unit

As part of the HPU’s specialist service provision there is a considerable supportive framework available to UCD’s sportsmen and women in particular Elite Athlete Academy members, Sport Scholarship recipients (individual & team sports) and first team athletes.  The supportive framework centres around strength and conditioning and performance monitoring within the state of the art High Performance Gym. This unique environment is not currently available to any other athletes or teams, either at an amateur or professional level, within Ireland.

The staff within the HPU are specialists in strength and conditioning incorporating functional movement development, prehabilitation & rehabilitation exercise prescription, elite sports strength and power development in both individual and team based sports. Currently the HPU provide support to many individual athletes and teams within UCD. This includes individual athletes in sports such as Golf, Track & Field, Modern Pentathlon and Rowing, as well as teams such as Rugby (U-20s & 1st XV), Soccer (Airtricity League Premier Division & A Championship teams), Gaelic Football (Sigerson Cup Squad), Hurling (Fitzgibbon Cup Squad), Basketball (Superleague) and Hockey (Men & Women 1st teams).

In addition, the HPU has provided professional support to a number of individuals and teams outside of the university. These include GAA All-Ireland winners in both football and hurling, Olympic track & field athletes, as well as national association teams.

Since its establishment in 2002, the HPU has a record of outstanding achievement providing service and support to the athletes of UCD. Many of these athletes have aspired to attaining peak performance that has allowed them to compete at the highest levels, including Olympic Games, World, European and National Championships. In order to continue this development the HPU endeavours to incorporate the most current and progressive scientific methodologies in its sports service provision in order to assist the athletes of UCD.