Unit rationale, description and aim

High performance sport systems and their practices vary greatly from sport to sport, organisation to organisation, and culture to culture. Gaining exposure to a range of organisations and cultures operating in the high performance sport environment will provide the student with experiences and perspectives to inform their future practice.

This off-shore experience will provide access to a variety of environments for exposure to different practices in athlete preparation and management, and provide insights into the communication, relationship and cultural challenges faced by individuals and organisations operating in high performance sport. These international experiences will be organised and offered by the School of Exercise Science at ACU only.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

EXSC218 Internship Preparation for Coaching and Prescription OR EXSC206 Professional Experience Preparation

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Compare and contrast practices delivered by high p...

Learning Outcome 01

Compare and contrast practices delivered by high performance sport staff with reference to athlete/team preparation, performance and monitoring
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC7, GC11, GC12

Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical and social re...

Learning Outcome 02

Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical and social responsibilities of high performance sport organisations and professional sports science practice from an international perspective
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC6, GC7, GC11

Reflect upon the communication, relationship and c...

Learning Outcome 03

Reflect upon the communication, relationship and cultural challenges faced in different high performance sport settings
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC7, GC11

Content

Topics include: 

  • International perspectives regarding athlete/team conditioning and competitive performance 
  • Contemporary practices in athlete preparation and management implemented in high performance settings 
  • Contemporary sports science theory and application 
  • Roles and communication between support roles servicing or working in high performance departments (e.g., S & C coaches, dieticians, medical staff, sports scientists, physiotherapists, psychologists, etc.) 
  • Communication styles and relationship building in high performance cultures 

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to best enable students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. Assessment strategies include: a written/presentation task to assess learning through comparative analysis and application of knowledge; and written report to assess understanding and application of learnings through reflection and critical thinking.

Overview of assessments

Required documentation for Study Tour   (e.g., tr...

Required documentation for Study Tour  

(e.g., travel documents, ITAF, etc.) 

Requires students to demonstrate their organisational and time management skills. 

Weighting

HURDLE

Written or presentation task (choice)  Requires s...

Written or presentation task (choice) 

Requires students to compare and contrast practices observed, demonstrating understanding of their experiences and learnings, and its application. 

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1

Reflective report  Requires students to demonstra...

Reflective report 

Requires students to demonstrate their understanding of the practices, roles and responsibilities of individuals and organisations operating in high performance sport and sports science practice, and to communicate this understanding and its application. 

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves an off-shore, attendance-based experience (e.g., study tour) organised by ACU. Learning and teaching strategies include authentic learning, active learning, case-based learning, web-based learning, and reflective/critical thinking activities. These strategies will provide students with access to required knowledge and understanding of unit content, and opportunities for application of this learning. These strategies will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Australian Institute of Sport, Tanner R. and Gore C. (2013) Physiological tests for elite athletes (2nd ed.). Champaign: Human Kinetics. 

Coutts AJ and Cormack S. (2014). Monitoring the training response. In Joyce D & Lewindon D, High-Performance Training For Sports. Champaign IL: Human Kinetics: pp 71-84. 

Cormack S and Coutts A. (2016). Monitoring training load. In Joyce D & Lewindon D, Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation. London: Routledge. pp 380-391. 

McGuigan MR and Cormack SJ. (2011). Biochemical Monitoring in Strength and Conditioning. In Cardinale M, Newton R & Nosaka K. Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons: pp 305-311. 

Nédélec M, Halson S, Abaidia AE, Ahmaidi S, Dupont G. (2015) Stress, Sleep and Recovery in Elite Soccer: A Critical Review of the Literature . Sports Med45(10), 1387-400. 

Nédélec M, Halson S, Delecroix B, Abaidia AE, Ahmaidi S, Dupont G. (2015). Sleep Hygiene and Recovery Strategies in Elite Soccer Players . Sports Med45(11), 1547-59. 

Samuels CH. (2012) Jet lag and travel fatigue: a comprehensive management plan for sport medicine physicians and high-performance support teams . Clin J Sport Med 22(3), 268-73. 

Australian Institute of Sport, Tanner R. and Gore C.

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