25 January 2022
The aim of the program is to assist students to develop as athletes and improve their ability to manage both school and training commitments.
To assist with the all-round physical development of the students, once a week they complete a core-conditioning session under the watchful eye of our Strength and Conditioning Coach David Bentley. David is a sports scientist who comes to Pembroke after working with elite athletes in Canada as part of their Institute of Sport, bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge in a range of sports. The conditioning session aims to improve the student’s functional movements initially, prior to developing into more-specific programs tailored to their sporting requirements.
The remaining two lessons per week are classroom based and cover topics important to both academic and sporting success. These include time-management strategies, sports psychology, nutrition, biomechanics, training principles, injury management and leadership skills, among others. To enhance these sessions we have incorporated former AFL footballer and current Adelaide Crows Leadership Development Manager Dan Jackson to present one or two sessions per term with each class. Dan’s experience in the professional sport world helps to bring the curriculum to life and can provide firsthand accounts of how the skills learnt in class can assist in the real world.
Some of the students have made state squads in their chosen sport, some are playing in the best senior team for Pembroke, while others are still confirming the sport best suited to their attributes. Regardless of their level, as a group we encourage each student to strive to be the best they can be and we celebrate the achievements of our peers. One of our students, Izzy Vincent (Yr 10), competed very successfully at the recent Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and you can read about Izzy’s experience in this publication.
Mark Reid
Head of Athlete Development and High Performance
