On October 22, 2025, the AFTERMATCH 2.0 Reload project was presented during a public dissemination event held at the High Performance Centre of the Region of Murcia (Centro de Alto Rendimiento de la Región de Murcia), Spain.
Organized by UCAM – Catholic University of Murcia, the event brought together students, coaches, researchers, and representatives of sports organizations for a session focused on #DualCareer and athlete performance.
Linking Research with Practice
The session began with the presentation of the research project “Determinant Factors of Athletic Performance in Technification Athletes in the Region of Murcia” (Ref. UCAM CFE/CA/71-24), led by researchers from UCAM’s Faculty of Sport. The study explored the variables influencing the development and performance of athletes enrolled in regional talent programs.
Promoting the Dual Career Officer (DCO) Model
Following the research presentation, a dedicated workshop introduced the Dual Career Officers (DCO) course – an initiative developed as part of the #AFTERMATCH 2.0 Reload project. The session focused on how sports clubs and federations can integrate the DCO role to better support athletes in balancing sport with education and professional development.
Attendees learned about the structure and methodology of the DCO model, as well as the broader European context in which AFTERMATCH operates.
A Meaningful Local Impact
Although concise in format, the event created an opportunity to connect European-level innovation with local sports structures. It allowed participants to reflect on how the tools and strategies developed in #AFTERMATCH can be transferred into the daily work of coaches, club managers, and federations – especially in high-performance environments.
The session also reinforced the commitment of UCAM and its researchers to bringing the #DualCareer conversation into academic and institutional spaces in Spain.
The project is co-funded by European Union.
