More Than a Degree: Cardiff Met’s Dual-Career and Whole-Person Approach

Cardiff Met Hockey’s 2026 graduates have achieved an outstanding set of academic results, demonstrating the value of the University’s dual-career environment and its commitment to developing the whole person. 

All 11 graduating players from the Hockey Performance Programme achieved either first-class or upper-second-class honours. Across the wider group of 31 hockey-playing graduates, 87% secured a first or 2:1 degree classification. 

The programme’s student leaders also excelled. Of the 16 graduates who served on the Hockey Committees, 94% achieved first-class or 2:1 honours—highlighting how leadership, responsibility and service to the club can complement academic and sporting development. 

All three students who undertook professional placements within the hockey programme graduated with first-class honours.  

A special congratulations also goes to Martha Ord, who received the SPEH Programme Medal in recognition of her exceptional achievement. 

Ben Lazarevic: making the most of the Cardiff Met experience 

Ben Lazarevic’s time at Cardiff Met illustrates the breadth of opportunities available to student-athletes. 

Ben graduated with a first-class BSc (Hons) in Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage. Alongside his degree, he gained qualifications for sessional hockey coaching, paediatric first aid and his Level 3 sports massage & sports taping. 

His sporting achievements were equally impressive. Ben won a silver medal at the 2024 EuroHockey Club Trophy I, gained selection for the Wales U21 squad, made his National League debut in Conference West, won the BUCS Western Conference Cup and helped Cardiff Met secure promotion to BUCS National League. 

Across 34 BUCS appearances, he contributed 27 goals and 12 assists. 

Ben also made a significant contribution away from the pitch. As part of the Hockey Committee, he helped the men’s programme expand from two to three BUCS teams and was a key driver of the club’s Half Marathon Fundraiser, which raised more than £1,200 for Movember. 

He progressed from assistant coach to head coach between his second and third years, leading the BUCS Women’s 4s through a season in which they lost only three matches. He also worked as an assistant coach within the junior section during his first two years. 

Finding a balance 

Ben credits careful planning, purposeful study and protected time away from university work with helping him manage the demands of a dual career. 

Rather than trying to study constantly, he committed fully to focused periods of academic work while still making time for hockey, socialising and recovery. He mapped assignment deadlines against training camps and long away fixtures so that he could anticipate demanding periods. 

The structure of an early start also proved invaluable during the final stages of his dissertation. 

“The self-imposed ‘6am wake-ups’ were extremely important during the final run-in with my dissertation. They gave me much more time and structure in my day.” 

Support built around the student-athlete 

Cardiff Met’s dual-career support enabled Ben to plan his academic commitments around major sporting demands. An extension to his dissertation deadline following the Wales U21 Easter Series in Frankfurt allowed him to focus fully on his preparation and performance before returning to his studies. 

Regular meetings with his personal tutor helped him map deadlines against fixtures and develop the communication and planning skills associated with a multidisciplinary team environment - experience that will support his intended progression into physiotherapy. 

Ben’s advice to current and prospective student-athletes is simple: 

“It can be very tough at times, but it is equally rewarding. Make sure you create time away from both sport and education, because they can become all-consuming.” 

Why Cardiff Met? 

For Ben, Cardiff offered the right combination of course, sporting opportunity and personal connection. 

“No other institution offered the same balance of sport conditioning, rehabilitation and massage. Cardiff is an unreal city, and the smaller university environment allows you to build strong relationships and rapport with your lecturers.” 

Ben’s journey reflects the added value of the Cardiff Met experience: graduating with an excellent degree while developing as an athlete, coach, leader and person. 

The achievements of Ben and the wider 2026 graduating group demonstrate that Cardiff Met Hockey is about more than performance on the pitch. It is an environment in which student-athletes are supported to perform, lead, contribute and prepare for life beyond university.