Students from HSDC’s Havant and South Downs Campuses have returned from an inspiring week at Club La Santa in Lanzarote, where an action-packed residential trip delivered exceptional opportunities for personal development, academic enrichment and leadership growth.
The visit saw 46 students and six staff members immersed in a world-class, high-performance training environment designed to challenge, motivate and elevate their learning beyond the classrooms of college. Whilst centred on sport, the experience provided far more than physical training, it nurtured essential life skills that will help these students thrive both academically and personally.
Student enrichment plays a key role at HSDC, with the College continuing to prioritise opportunities that build confidence, independence, teamwork and resilience – transferable skills that learners can take with them into the future. Trips such as the Club La Santa residential support HSDC’s commitment to a holistic education that empowers students to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world, vocationally relevant settings.
Throughout the week, students followed a strict ‘pro-athlete’ routine, with many beginning each morning with a sunrise run or swim. This level of dedication highlighted not only their sporting ability, but their motivation, discipline and willingness to push beyond comfort zones – qualities that directly support academic success.
A key component of the residential was leadership development, with students rotating leadership roles throughout a competitive Round Robin tournament involving basketball, handball, padel, pickleball, beach volleyball, tag rugby, badminton and swimming. Each student was given the opportunity to manage a team, honing their strategic, motivational and communication skills, all of which reinforce confidence in both the classroom and future employment settings.
Whilst competition was strong throughout the week, it was the sportsmanship and camaraderie of HSDC’s students that were the real stand-out successes. Kerley’s Team were crowned overall champions after consistently high performance across the week.
The experience concluded with a final-night quiz and a well-earned morning of beach volleyball and rest, providing space for reflection on a week filled with personal growth, meaningful friendships and newly developed skills.
Gemma Joyce, a lecturer who accompanied the students on the trip said:
“To see the students grow in confidence from the first morning run to the final whistle of the tournament was a privilege. They didn’t just play sports; they developed the teamwork and leadership skills that will serve them for a lifetime in the industry.”
The long-running Lanzarote residential marks another example of how HSDC enriches the learning experiences of its students through immersive, practical and memorable experiences. This trip allowed them to step into a high-performance environment and take on new challenges, meaning that every student returned to the UK feeling more confident, capable and future-ready.
