Émilien Gailleton, 20, international rugby player

Émilien Gailleton, international rugby player

“You can combine top-level sports with higher education... I've found a good balance with the STAPS course at UPPA”.

In 2022, you enrolled in the STAPS degree programme at UPPA in Tarbes. Why this choice? 

Rugby was the driving force behind my choice. I grew up in Cahors and was quickly spotted as a “young talent”, after which I trained at the Pôle Espoirs Academy in Agen. For five years, I divided my time between school, training and matches. When I finished my Baccalaureate, although professional sport was my priority, I decided to enrol in a STAPS degree course in Bordeaux. I was travelling back and forth between Agen and Bordeaux a lot, which was not easy to manage, but I passed the first year. In December 2021, I signed with the Section Paloise team and decided to continue my STAPS degree at UPPA in Tarbes. Now, I live and train in Pau and travel to Tarbes for my studies. It's logistically perfect! 

How do you reconcile training with travel and studying?  

The STAPS course is very accommodating of the needs of professional and top-level athletes, which concerns around a quarter of my class. The teachers are readily available and always on hand to help us sort out any timetabling problems. As a professional sportsman, I’m allowed to skip certain classes, provided I can justify my absence (travel, training, etc.) and catch up on the missed work. Given that there are three classes at the same level in my chosen speciality - Sports Training - I'm also allowed to change class to attend lessons. It's a fast-paced week. I train in Pau all day on Mondays and Wednesdays, until 3pm on Tuesdays and on Friday mornings... And I often leave on Friday afternoon for Saturday matches. Thursday is the only day left for university! In other words, you have to be very well organised to study, pass your exams, catch up on missed lessons from the other students and be in top physical and mental shape. Fortunately, communication with the teaching staff is very smooth and we always find solutions. Given the different constraints, I'm proud to have completed the first two years in just two years! 

This is your second season with Section Paloise and the third year of your degree. What are your objectives? 

To continue my career as an international rugby player, but also to obtain the STAPS degree and then a Master's degree. You can't be a top-level sportsman all your life, and one day I plan to work as a sports coach. Also, if your sports career doesn't work out, you need a plan B... It gives you piece of mind in day-to-day life! 

 What words do you spontaneously associate with UPPA? 

Family. STAPS is a big family with a big sense of solidarity.

Respect. UPPA is a university that respects all talent, including sports talent.

What advice would you give to a young person starting a course at UPPA?

I would tell them to go for it. At UPPA, you're not just a number. You can be an atypical student and still find your path to success.