Sport & Science: Maximising Output

By Primary Communication
Thursday 10 April, 2008

Whether it’s swimmers donning high-tech body suits, cyclists popping ‘electronic’ pills to measure core body temperature, GPS tracking of footballers, psychologists probing for a mental edge, or coaches tapping into research for speedy recovery; science is now an inextricable facet of modern sport.

How to best manage scientific resources will be a key feature of Sport Knowledge Australia’s (SKA) High Performance Unit Management Programme (HPUMP) – a four-day residential course taking place in Sydney from 6-9 May.

Professor Kevin Norton, SKA’s Director of Research and Knowledge Services, says that one of the vital lessons will be on effective communication. “Preparing athletes to compete at top levels and maximising physical competitiveness is as much about communication among professions as about training and recovery,” said Professor Norton.

“HPUMP examines the ways in which coaches, physiologists, psychologists, physiotherapists, and medical experts can best communicate and combine information to maximise the athlete’s performance.”

Some of the world’s leading sport science intellectuals will present the SKA course including Dr David Martin who is guiding a futuristic preparation of Australia’s Olympic cycling team for Beijing. He will be joined by exercise physiologist Dr Donna O’Connor. An Associate Professor at University of Sydney, Dr O’Connor has worked extensively with elite teams in rugby union, basketball, track and field and rugby league.

Currently preparing the Australian Opals women’s basketball team for Beijing, Dr O’Connor will present an exclusive case study based on the Opals.

Presenters:
Dr David Martin (Sport Physiologist Australian Institute of Sport), Phil Borgeaud (Assistant Director, Sport Programmes, Australian Institute of Sport), Dr Donna O’Connor (Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Sydney), Jason Gulbin (General Manager, National Talent Search, Australian Sports Commission), Ray McLean (Leading Teams Australia and consultant to Australian Basketball team Melbourne Storm, Geelong Cats and Sydney Swans), Kenneth Graham (Head of Sport Science NSW Institute of Sport), and Dr Istvan Gorgenyi (Olympic Gold Medal winning coach).

view programme brochure

ATTENTION EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: For enquiries regarding interviews with presenters contact – Primary Communication –
Liz Herbert, Mobile: 0407 234 221 Tel:+61 2 9212 3888.