Physical Performance Coaching | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Physical Performance Coaching

Physical performance coaches (PPC) ensure athletes in High-Performance programs achieve their athletic potential. They do this using specific assessment and screening, individualised training and conditioning, required recovery and overall load management.

Highly qualified specialists

UniSC's PPC's are highly qualified, meeting the following strict criteria to work at UniSC: 

  • Degree in Sport and Exercise Science, Strength and Conditioning, Human Movement or similiar
  • Current member of the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) Professional Coaching Accreditation Scheme (PCAS) at the Professional level (ASCA-PL2) *
  • ASCA Level 2 Coaching Accreditation **
  • Current first aid and CPR training

Younger coaches, working towards these standards, are supervised by a coach who already meets these standards.

* Refer to Professional L2 Accreditation

** Refer to ASCA Coaching Accreditation Framework

World-class facilities and teams

PPC's work with high-performance squads including the QAS Swimming Hub and UniSC Spartans high-performance swimming team, the Australian Cycling Academy and support the University's High-Performance Student Athlete's (HPSA's) who come from a range of sporting disciplines.

Squads and athletes have access to nationally-accredited facilities, academics and research.

High-performance sporting facilities include: 

  • 50-metre Olympic pool
  • 25-metre covered pool including a range of high-tech video cameras (underwater and overhead)
  • 450-metre2 high-performance lifting facility
  • SwimEx Professional Hydrotherapy Pool
  • Contrast (hot and cold) therapeutic recovery plunge pools
  • 400-metre tartan Olympic running track and field
  • Multiple sporting fields and ovals
  • Range of experts in sport science, nutrition and psychology
  • Research labs for screening and testing of physical performance measures

Research in Physical Performance

Research projects are a constant part of the high-performance sport environment with the outcomes assisting to improve performance and provide coaches with further information to develop their programs.

Many of our PPC's are completing their postgraduate studies using our high-performance squads and athletes in their research.

This includes:  

Swimming
  • Warm Up Strategies and impact on Swimming Performance
  • Training Load Management for Swimming
  • Post Graduate Scholar- Max McKenzie
Cycling
  • Training load management in cycling
  • Performance measures to assist with determining athlete wellness
  • Post Graduate Scholar- Aaron Turner 
Various sports
  • Determining and comparing sports-specific performance profiles and training loads in high-performance athletes

Practical experience

UniSC offers practical experience for coaches in high-performance programs.

Meet the coaches

Mark McKean
Mark McKean

Head of Physical Performance in High-Performance Sport

Senior PPC QAS Swimming Hub Sunshine Coast

Aaron Turner
Aaron Turner

Physical Performance Coach in High-Performance Sport

PPC Australian Cycling Academy

PPC High Performance Student Athletes

Max McKenzie
Max McKenzie

Physical Performance Coach QAS Swimming Hub Sunshine Coast

Adam Robertshaw, UniSC Strength and Conditioning coach
Adam Robertshaw

Physical Performance Coach in High-Performance Sport

PPC UniSC Spartans Swimming

Trent Hayden, UniSC Strength and Conditioning coach
Trent Hayden

Physical Performance Coach in High-Performance Sport

Lead PPC UniSC RipCity NBL1 (Women)