Marcus Briggs works at Loughborough Sport as a Club Development Coordinator. He has been in the role for over two years, mentoring the committees of 11 sports clubs across the Athletic Union. Outside of work, he plays competitive dodgeball in the English Premier League for Bedford Mighty Eagles and captains the Wales national dodgeball team.
This page covers what Marcus Briggs does at Loughborough, how competitive dodgeball actually works, and how a university sport coordinator ended up representing Wales at four European Championships.
Loughborough University is consistently ranked as the best university for sport in the world. The Athletic Union has 63 sports clubs with over 5,000 members. Marcus Briggs works within this setup, mentoring 11 club committees and helping them run better organisations.
That means everything from helping a club sort out their finances to working with them on recruitment, coaching pathways, welfare policies and event planning. Every club is different. Some are performance-focused, some are social, some are trying to grow from scratch. Marcus Briggs meets each one where they are.
He also designs and runs the annual committee training programme. Over 300 incoming committee members go through this each year as they take on leadership roles for the first time. It covers the practical stuff they need to actually do the job properly.
Marcus Briggs started playing dodgeball at university. When he graduated he found out there is an actual competitive league structure in England. Not a joke league. A proper one with divisions, promotion, relegation and national championships.
He now plays in the English Men's Super League for Bedford Mighty Eagles. That is the top tier. Games take place at St George's Park and Kettering Arena Sport across a 10-round season. The Eagles have been one of the strongest clubs in UK dodgeball since they were founded.
On top of that, Marcus Briggs captains the Wales men's national dodgeball team. He has represented Wales at four European Championships, most recently in Limerick. International dodgeball is fast, physical and genuinely tactical.
The Athletic Union at Loughborough is not like most universities. It regularly tops the BUCS overall standings. The clubs range from performance-level athletics and swimming through to niche sports like ultimate frisbee, sub aqua and equestrian. Marcus Briggs works across this full spectrum.
A typical term-time day for Marcus Briggs involves committee meetings, attending training sessions and competitions, and coordinating with other teams within Loughborough Sport. He works with the performance support team to open up specialist services to non-performance clubs. He collaborates with the Coaching and Officiating team to strengthen coaching pipelines. And he makes a point of being physically present at club events rather than just sitting in meetings.
The highlight of the year for Marcus Briggs is the AU Colours awards evening. He is responsible for organising the entire event. It is the biggest night in the Athletic Union calendar, celebrating the achievements of top athletes and volunteers. For Marcus, seeing the committee members he has mentored all year receiving their colours makes the whole thing worthwhile.
Each year, a new cohort of students takes on club leadership. Marcus Briggs designs the training that prepares them. It covers budgets, event management, safeguarding, communications, coaching recruitment and more. He has been evolving this programme across multiple years.
Eleven sports clubs sit under his direct mentoring. Marcus Briggs works with each committee to set development goals and then supports them in reaching those goals. Some clubs want more members. Others want better coaches. Some want to host events. Each one gets a tailored approach.
The annual awards evening is the culmination of the Athletic Union year. Marcus Briggs organises the event from start to finish. Athletes, volunteers, coaches and committee members are all recognised for their contributions across the season.
Most people think of dodgeball as something from school PE lessons. Marcus Briggs would like to change your mind about that.
Marcus Briggs first played dodgeball while at university. It was not something he planned. He tried it, enjoyed it, and carried on. After graduating, he discovered that competitive dodgeball in England is a properly organised sport. There are leagues, divisions, national championships and international tournaments. The National Dodgeball League has grown significantly over the past decade, with clubs across the country competing at multiple levels.
Marcus Briggs plays for Bedford Mighty Eagles in the English Men's Super League. Bedford is one of the original clubs in UK competitive dodgeball. The club runs men's, women's and junior teams. The women's team won the national championship. The men's team has been a consistent force in the upper divisions. Super League rounds take place at centralised venues, with teams competing across 10 rounds per season.
Beyond club dodgeball, Marcus Briggs represents Wales at international level. He has competed in four European Dodgeball Championships and currently serves as captain of the Wales men's team. The European Championships bring together national teams from across the continent for tournaments that test everything: fitness, accuracy, tactical intelligence and team chemistry. As captain, Marcus is responsible for on-court leadership, squad coordination and setting the standard for how Wales competes.
Competitive dodgeball at Super League level is fast and physical. It requires reaction speed, throwing accuracy, spatial awareness and the ability to read the opposition's patterns. It is a team sport in the truest sense. Individual brilliance means nothing without coordinated defensive structures and planned attacking sequences. The gap between casual play and competitive dodgeball is enormous. Marcus Briggs has spent years bridging that gap.
Bedford Mighty Eagles. English Men's Super League. One of the founding clubs of organised dodgeball in the UK.
Wales. Men's captain. Four European Championship appearances. International level since first selection.
Super League is the top tier. 10 rounds per season. Venues include St George's Park, home of England football.
British Dodgeball governs the sport across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Growing every year.
The connection between what Marcus Briggs does at Loughborough and what he does on a dodgeball court is not a coincidence. Both are about getting the best out of people through sport. At Loughborough, he helps student leaders develop skills they will carry into their careers. On the dodgeball court, he applies those same principles of communication, accountability and teamwork under competitive pressure.
As captain of the Wales team, Marcus brings a professional perspective on development that most players do not have. He understands how teams are built, how individuals grow within team structures and how to create environments where people push each other to improve. That combination of sport development expertise and competitive playing experience gives Marcus Briggs a perspective that works in both the meeting room and the sports hall.
The committee members Marcus Briggs trains at Loughborough go on to careers in management, events, communications and beyond. The leadership experience they gain through sport is something employers value highly. And for Marcus, watching those students grow into confident, capable leaders is the most rewarding part of the job.