Eastbourne RFC centre Sophie Coates is preparing for her second season at the club, with the support of local business Victoria Healthcare Management, led by Director and Healthcare Consultant Vicki Nicol.

Our Meet the Player and Meet the Sponsor series celebrates the people who make Eastbourne Rugby Club special, both on and off the pitch. This time, we're getting to know Sophie Coates and finding out more about the business supporting her this season.

Meet the Player: Sophie Coates

At 32, Sophie Coates plays at inside and outside centre for Eastbourne RFC, bringing her experience and enthusiasm to the club as she heads into her second season.

Sophie originally got into rugby after moving to the local area, when her dad thought joining a rugby club would be a great way for her to make friends. It's a decision that has led her to Eastbourne, where she is continuing her rugby journey.

Away from the pitch, Sophie has an equally interesting challenge on the go. She's currently training to become an engineer in the Army, balancing her professional ambitions with her commitment to rugby.

When it comes to her rugby heroes, Sophie would choose Lawrence Dallaglio and Megan Jones as her dream rugby dinner guests. That's certainly a table that would have plenty of rugby stories to tell!

And what about the matchday traditions? Sophie's walkout song of choice is You've Got the Love by Florence + The Machine, while her favourite food is avocado and egg on toast. If she weren't playing rugby, she'd probably give football a go instead.

Finally, there's one small ritual Sophie always sticks to: her right sock goes on first!

We're looking forward to seeing Sophie back in action as she gets ready for another season in Eastbourne colours.

Meet the Sponsor: Victoria Healthcare Management

Supporting Sophie this season is Victoria Healthcare Management, an independent private medical insurance broker helping individuals and businesses across the country compare their options.

We caught up with Director and Healthcare Consultant Vicki Nicol to learn more about the business, what inspired her to set it up and why supporting Eastbourne Rugby Club was an opportunity she wanted to get behind.

A personal approach to private medical insurance

After working in the industry, Vicki decided to establish her own business with a clear vision: to create an independent brokerage that was friendly, approachable and trustworthy.

Victoria Healthcare Management helps individuals and businesses compare private medical insurance across the market, giving clients access to major insurers while retaining something Vicki believes is just as important: a local point of contact they can trust.

For Vicki, that's one of the best things about running a local business. Clients can benefit from the options available through the major insurers while still receiving a personal service from someone they know.

Why Eastbourne Rugby Club?

For Vicki, sponsoring Eastbourne Rugby Club was about supporting local sport and the wider community.

As a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated industry, backing a women's rugby team also felt like a particularly positive message.

The sponsorship provides an opportunity to show support for women in sport while helping a local club continue to develop and bring people together.

Being part of the ERFC community reflects Victoria Healthcare Management's commitment to supporting the people and organisations around it.

### Looking forward to the season

As the new season gets underway, Vicki is looking forward to becoming more involved with the club, enjoying the atmosphere and, of course, celebrating some wins!

We're delighted to have Victoria Healthcare Management supporting Eastbourne RFC and our women's rugby programme. Local sponsors play an important role in helping the club and its teams continue to grow, and we're grateful to Vicki for getting behind the club.

Find out more about Victoria Healthcare Management

If you'd like to learn more about Victoria Healthcare Management and its private medical insurance services, you can visit Vicki at The Enterprise Centre in Eastbourne or get in touch online.

[www.victoriahm.co.uk](https://www.victoriahm.co.uk)
Find them on Facebook, Insta and LinkedIn using @vhmltd

A big thank you to Vicki and Victoria Healthcare Management for supporting Sophie and Eastbourne Rugby Club!