Unit rationale, description and aim

High performance sport systems and their practices vary greatly between specific sports, organisations and cultures. Given the global focus of high performance sport, gaining exposure to a range of organisations (and its specialist professions), and cultures operating in this environment, will provide students with professional development experiences and international perspectives to inform their future practice. This experience will provide access to high performance sport environments for exposure to different practices in athlete preparation and management, to facilitate knowledge sharing between the student and organisations, 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 Behavioural and Health Sciences at ACU only.

2025 10

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • ACU Term 1Online Unscheduled

Prerequisites

Nil

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.

Critique contemporary issues and practices faced b...

Learning Outcome 01

Critique contemporary issues and practices faced by practitioners with reference to athlete/team preparation, performance and monitoring
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC7, GC9, GC11

Compare and contrast the integration of specialist...

Learning Outcome 02

Compare and contrast the integration of specialist professions in the process of athlete management across different high performance sport environments
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC6, GC8, GC9, GC11

Debate the ethical and social responsibilities of ...

Learning Outcome 03

Debate the ethical and social responsibilities of high performance sport organisations and professional sports science practice from an international perspective
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Critically reflect upon the communication, relatio...

Learning Outcome 04

Critically reflect upon the communication, relationship and cultural challenges faced in different high performance sport settings
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC7, GC8, GC10, GC12

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 ;
  • Organisational structures in high performance sport environments ;
  • Multi-, inter- and cross-disciplinary approaches in high performance sport ;
  • Roles and responsibilities of specialists 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 ;
  • Athlete development and management. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to best enable students to achieve unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, as well as professional practice standards. Standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. A range of assessment strategies have been purposefully designed for the assessment of learning outcomes reflecting the principles of authentic assessment design and include:

  • Hurdle Task: preparation and collation of required documentation for Study Tour;
  • Assessment Task 1: a reflective report that provides students with the opportunity to consolidate and articulate their learnings and experiences gained from the unit so as to better inform their approaches and practices when operating in high performance settings, for enduring employability in the industry;
  • Assessment Task 2: a mock job interview to demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge and understanding on unit/course learnings to professional employment related contexts.


Students must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 50% across all assessments.

Overview of assessments

Hurdle Required documentation for Study Tour (e.g...

Hurdle

Required documentation for Study Tour (e.g., travel documents, ITAF, etc.)

Weighting

Ungraded

HURDLE 

Assessment Task 1 Reflective report  Enables stud...

Assessment Task 1

Reflective report 

Enables students to articulate their learnings and experiences gained from the unit so as to better inform their approaches and practices when operating in high performance settings, for enduring employability in the industry. 

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2

Assessment Task 2 Presentation (Mock Job Intervie...

Assessment Task 2

Presentation (Mock Job Interview) 

Enables students to prepare for future employment opportunities by demonstrating their knowledge, understanding and capacity to apply their unit learnings to work-related contexts. 

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves an off-shore, attendance-based experience (e.g., study tour) organised by ACU.

This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of knowledge essential to the discipline. Students are provided with choice and variety in how they learn. Students are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions. Active learning opportunities provide students with opportunities to practice and apply their learning in situations similar to their future professions. Activities encourage students to bring their own examples to demonstrate understanding, application in the high performance context and engage constructively with their peers. Students receive regular and timely feedback on their learning, which includes information on their progress.

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. 

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