The importance of exercising under the guidance of an accredited sport and exercise scientist has been highlighted by the Port Adelaide Football Club, who recently announced that they are the first AFL club to be fully accredited by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Recognising that the club needed to ensure player safety whilst also applying “best practice” to achieve peak performance, Port Adelaide have committed to ensuring all their strength and conditioning coaches and sports scientists are fully accredited with ESSA, the peak governing body of sports science in Australia.
Dr Darren Burgess, High Performance Manager at Port Adelaide Football Club, said:
“We have always taken the safety of athletes and the rules of the game very seriously, but are proud to have now taken this commitment one step further by formally accrediting our sports performance personnel. We want fully qualified people working closely with our players.”
ESSA’s stringent accreditation process requires candidates to have completed a sport and exercise science degree and to have completed at least 500 hours of practical experience, supervised by an ESSA-accredited (or similarly qualified and experienced) professional. In doing so, this accreditation ensures a higher standard of professionalism and industry practice.
Michael Poulton, Competition Stakeholder Manager with the AFL, said:
“Having fully accredited industry professionals working alongside our players not only ensures athletes are treated with the highest quality of care, but also safeguards the integrity of the game.”
For many years, Inspire Fitness has championed the idea that it is also critical for members of the general public to be guided by accredited health professionals. This is the only way you can ensure that your workouts are safe and based on sound scientific evidence, giving you confidence that your exercise routine will ensure that you will reach your fitness and health goals. All personal trainers and exercise physiologists at Inspire Fitness have at least an undergraduate-level tertiary qualification in exercise science, and several have furthered their knowledge with postgraduate qualifications. This is one of the reasons we have developed our proud reputation as a leading health club in Melbourne. When an elite sporting club such as Port Adelaide Football Club recognises the vital importance of turning to accredited sport scientists to ensure the safety of their players, we strongly advise that every member of the general public also follows suit.