Athlete Education

The Athlete Education Program is an essential part any sporting program. It provides athletes with sporting, personal and professional development opportunities throughout the year. The sessions are usually held at La Trobe University, Mildura. Coaches and parents are encouraged to attend these sessions with their son or daughter. In addition to this, the service providers are available for individual athletes to follow up with, if required. In addition, there is at times online sessions with presenters through the VIS and other Regional Academies.

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

The SAS is aware of the importance of sports psychology in relation to athletic performance. The academy will be looking to identify local people with an interest in sports psychology in order to up skill them so that the region will become self sufficient with regard to the services provided by the academy.

In order to do this the academy will utilise its links with the VIS and access qualified consultants to deliver the sports psychology and to also conduct the workshops to educate the local people.

SPORTS NUTRITION

This component of our service is important to the athletes as healthy eating is critical to the well being of the athletes beyond their sporting pursuits. Educating the athletes on the benefits of healthy eating is imperative as it can directly impact on the on and off court/field performance. The Academy has the services of myosports and their sport dietitian Helena Ostrognay.

SPORTS MASSAGE

This area is of importance in preparing the athletes for training and competition but also invaluable in quickening the recovery process.

MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Given the media’s important role in relation to sport it is critical that the athletes are able to effectively interact and communicate their messages to the media whilst also creating their own individual public image.As the highly lucrative sponsorship dollar continues its upward trajectory it becomes increasingly important for the athletes to have high competence in relation to presenting themselves.

The academy conducts interactive media and public relations sessions with local media groups and identities.

TIME MANAGEMENT AND GOAL SETTING

With the current demands on athletes’ time we seek to educate them on the importance of time management relative to goals they set to achieve. Further to this it is important the athletes have a balanced approach to sport and life and are planning for a career outside of their sporting pursuits.

PERSONAL BUDGETING

In order for many athletes to pursue their sporting aspirations, they are required to get a part time job to cover the costs of competing at an elite level. Many athletes have to move away from Mildura to follow their goal. Budgeting is a very important skill to develop in terms of meeting the demands of everyday life and assisting in saving for larger purchasers.