Jess Constable

Senior Assistant, Education Operations

“If you'd told me that one day I'd be representing Great Britain as a figure skater, I wouldn’t have believed you."

“Like a lot of people, my life looked very different during the pandemic. I lost my job, and what followed was a very difficult period for me. My mental health suffered badly, and in 2021, I ended up in resuscitation in A&E after reaching a point where I felt there was no way out.

Thankfully, I got support from an amazing therapist. During one of our sessions, she suggested finding a hobby that could help support my wellbeing and give me something positive to focus on. That same week, I happened to see an advert for Coventry's adult synchronised skating team. I hadn't skated for 13 years, but for some reason, I thought, 'why not?’

Skating had been a huge part of my childhood, but stepping back onto the ice as an adult was terrifying. I felt rusty, out of place and very aware that everyone else seemed to know what they were doing. But I kept going and it gave me confidence and something positive to focus on when I needed it most. It gave me a routine, a goal and a community. It's given me incredible experiences, memories I'll keep forever and introduced me to some amazing people and has reminded me that I was capable of far more than I thought.

My skating journey has been a bit of a whirlwind since I returned to the ice. I competed nationally with the synchronised team for a season and a half before taking a short break while I was busy getting married and buying a house. Then, in 2025, I came back as a singles skater. In my first season, I competed around the country and won seven gold medals, a silver and three bronze medals. One of the highlights was winning bronze at the British Adult National Championships. I've even performed during the interval at a Coventry Blaze ice hockey match, which was definitely one of those ‘how is this happening?’ moments. Now I'm preparing to represent Great Britain for the first time in Slovenia. Something I never expected to say out loud.

What makes me happiest, though, isn't the medals or the competitions. It's how much skating has given me outside the rink. The confidence I gained through skating gradually started to show up in other parts of my life too. I became more willing to put myself forward for opportunities, try new things and believe in myself a bit more.

Around the same time that I started skating again, I found myself starting a completely new chapter professionally. My husband has worked at Warwick for ten years and had been encouraging me to apply for roles here for ages. I always found an excuse not to. I'd never worked in Higher Education before and didn't think I would fit in.

Eventually I spotted a role in Student Records and decided to take a chance. I've now been at Warwick since 2022 and I honestly love it. One of the things that struck me straight away was how supportive people are. I've worked in a few different places, and the sense of community here is unlike anywhere else I've experienced. Since joining, I've moved into the Business Operations team and have had so many opportunities to learn new things and build my confidence.

I also love volunteering at graduation ceremonies. There's something really special about watching students cross the stage and celebrate all the hard work that's got them there. Even if I've only played a tiny part behind the scenes, it feels lovely to be involved in that moment.

People sometimes hear parts of my story and focus on the difficult bits, but I don't see it as a sad story. For me, it's actually a really positive one. It's about taking a chance on something. It's about rediscovering a passion you thought you'd left behind. It's about asking for help when you need it and finding something that brings you joy.”