University of Worcester graduate and England Rugby star Lark talks about her time at the University of Worcester, and reflects on being part of a World Cup winning side.
It has been a whirlwind few months for Lark Atkin-Davies, and this is just the latest chapter in a remarkable journey which has been years in the making.
She was part of the Red Roses squad that scored World Cup glory after England beat Canada in the final at Twickenham in September.
“When that final whistle blew, it was surreal,” she said. “I grabbed the nearest teammate and just said, ‘We did it.’ Looking around at 81,000 fans cheering, it was absolutely unbelievable.”
Still on cloud nine after her victory, she has been speaking to the University of Worcester, where she graduated after studying Primary Education about her studies, and the journey to the World Cup via the classroom.
“I was a lifeguard and swimming teacher in Ludlow,” said Lark. “I really enjoyed doing that, and I absolutely loved rugby, so was looking at career options that would work around the sport and mean I could keep working with children; so, studying to be a primary school teacher just felt right.”
Lark, like many people, had seen the role of teacher modelled by her parents and felt drawn to a life of supporting others.
“My mum and dad actually met at the University of Worcester when they were doing their teacher training, so I’m truly a second-generation student of the University!”
Many students find university a place where they really get into their sports. The new environment, the access to equipment, and the networks of like-minded individuals make campuses a hub of potential.
For Lark, she was already competing at the very top of her game. She said: “At 18, I was getting invited to England camps, and while I was at university I was playing Premiership Rugby.”
It was while studying that she got her first call up to represent her country.
“I got my first England Cap while at university. It was in 2015, and that was a really proud moment. At 20 years of age, I was still pretty young, but after that I got a few more caps in the following years.”
Balancing her studies with elite-level sport wasn’t easy, but Lark found ways to make it work, thanks to support from the University and her own determination.
As well as her course tutors, Lark was supported personally by Charlotte Beaman-Evans, who heads up the University’s Elite and Talented Athletes Programme. Lark said: “I would sit down with Charlotte, and she’d help me look at my deadlines, and how my calendar was looking in terms of my games, my playing, my training, and my studying.”
She said: “I was supported with my deadlines, and when there’d be conflict with a placement and an England camp, the team on my course were always really accommodating. The main thing for us was organisation, and we made sure we had conversations early on about when I’d be doing things.”
A first England cap can be the most important moment of an athlete’s life, but for Lark, it wasn’t for a couple of years that she received the cap which made the biggest difference.
“In 2017 I got my 4th England Cap, and I think that one really stands out for me because after that, I started playing very regularly for England, whereas before it had been a bit more sporadic.”
To be a full-time rugby player had been Lark’s dream for so long, and her next move was brave.
“I had to make some really tricky decisions,” she said. “I went into my first teaching job after I graduated, and I did it for a year before I decided I’d go part time and do everything I can to become an England International who’s regularly in play.”
She said: “I’d been juggling a teaching career with playing, and I wanted to become the best athlete I could. I’m so proud of taking the risk and making that decision work.”
Now, with 74 England caps and a World Cup winner’s medal, Lark is living the dream she once risked everything to go after.
But time spend training and working as a teacher has had a profound impact on Lark. The role of the supporter is something that has never left her, and it has given her a powerful outlook on life.
She said: “One of the things the England girls always say about me when we’re at camps is that I’m the supporter. I help people, and I think that comes from my time in teaching.”
She continued: “I read once that when you’re a new teacher, you need to find your Marigold. Marigolds are plants which, when you plant them, they help other things grow as well. If you put them in the veg patch, they’ll promote the growth of the veg. That story really stuck with me, and even today, I try to be a Marigold.”
From the classroom to the pitch, Lark Atkin-Davies has always been a Marigold. She helps others grow while flourishing herself. Her journey is a testament to the power of passion, support, and the courage to chase your dreams.