The University of South Australia and Port Adelaide Football Club have today launched their first intensive short course in high performance sport, representing a world-first opportunity to experience cutting-edge sports science at the highest level.
The course, High Performance Athlete In-Season Training, will run from June 12 to 20 and will offer unprecedented access to both organisations’ extensive sports science expertise.
The nine-day short course is the latest development in the exciting partnership formed between UniSA and Port Adelaide late last year. The partnership centres on research and education in elite sport.
UniSA’s Head of the School of Health Sciences Professor Roger Eston says the new course is a rare opportunity for people with existing sports science qualifications and experience to immerse themselves in a high performance environment and get a sneak-peek into Port Adelaide’s ‘inner sanctum’.
“Students will have direct engagement with Port Adelaide’s high performance, sports science and coaching teams over nine days, including travelling with the club to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the Round 12 clash with Carlton,” Prof Eston says.
“They will live and breathe in-season training with the full team and their inner sanctum, which is a stand out and unique opportunity made possible by this partnership.”
The course curriculum has been developed by UniSA’s exercise science expert Professor Kevin Norton and Port Adelaide’s Head of High Performance Dr Darren Burgess.
Dr Burgess and Prof Norton will supervise the course along with Port Adelaide Head of Athletic Development Dr Ian McKeown and Port Adelaide Head of Sports Science Stuart Graham.
Dr Burgess says the course will cover all elements of an in-season training week, game to game, including planning for the game day week, and conditioning programs and development.
“We’ll be looking in-depth at physiological considerations of physical preparation at the highest levels in sport, periodisation of in-season training sessions, and recovery strategies including gym, skills, massage and resistance,” Dr Burgess says.
“The course will also cover injury surveillance, rehabilitation and monitoring workloads; as well as interstate pre-game preparation of medical, nutrition, sleep and physical elements.
“Attendees will get unprecedented access to the sports science, coaching, and player development of an elite, successful sporting club.”
Prof Norton says the course offers real-world learning based within the AFL’s most elite and loved sportsgrounds including the MCG, Adelaide Oval and Alberton Oval.
“Students will be at the coal-face with conditioning experts and elite athletes,” Prof Norton says
For more information on the course and to apply, visit www.unisa.edu.au/pafc-shortcourse
