Kelly’s putting strong skills to work in sports science

GPS analyst and uni academic Kelly Varney has a background in sports science – one that has only been strengthened by her embarking on a Graduate Certificate in Strength and Conditioning at Victoria University (VU). She explains why she chose VU for her further study, and how valuable being embedded within the Bulldogs became for her career.

I chose VU as it has a great established partnership with the Western Bulldogs.

“The facilities at both VU and the Bulldogs are equipped for students to able to learn well, in a fostering environment.”

Benefits of a unique course

“The best thing about this course is it gives a deep understanding of the current strength and conditioning practices that take place in the industry. 

“To be able to learn about them and put that knowledge into practice in real time makes it easier to consolidate the learning objectives.

“The course uses the VU Block Model®, and was the first exposure I had to this learning style.

“It allowed me to dedicate my studies to one unit at a time, letting me get a good grasp and understanding of the key learnings.”

Opportunities abound

“As part of the course, I completed shadow shifts with AFLM, VFLM and VFLW – it was great to see how each of the programs operated.

“This is the first time I have had a placement in a club environment integrated in the course, rather than trying to seek out my own opportunities.

“The extracurricular experiences with the Western Bulldogs provided a unique perspective to me.

“The High Performance team staff at the Bulldogs particularly were very knowledgeable and approachable, making it easier to ask questions and actively engage.

“I gained a great understanding of the day-to-day operations that occur, learning how the program is created and achieved.”

Using learnt skills in real life

“Since studying Data Management during the Graduate Certificate, I have been able to roll out data management practices in real life as I am using the same software program with the AFLW team, giving me invaluable insight into the program’s functions.

“I would highly recommend studying the Grad Cert, as it gives aspiring strength and conditioning coaches the knowledge and the opportunities to be able to practice professional skills tangibly.”

Advance your sports science career

Explore our sports and exercise courses across TAFE, undergraduate and postgraduate levels.