La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Johnson, centre, at the TEAMelbourne launch with TEAMelbourne CEO, Barry Gibson, left, flanked, from right, by the captains of three of the participating teams – David Neitz from the AFL’s Melbourne Demons, Chris Anstey from the NBL’s Melbourne Tigers and Sherelle McMahon from Netball Victoria’s Melbourne Phoenix.
TEAMelbourne – with a membership base of more than 70,000* – is a partnership between football, rugby league, basketball, netball and horse racing clubs. It aims to promote Melbourne as well as increase business opportunities and improve the sustainability of member clubs.
To help achieve this, it will offer opportunities for the professional and educational development of athletes and support team training and organisational growth through La Trobe University, its education partner.
La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Johnson, said the University was looking forward to an exciting alliance with TEAMelbourne.
‘We will provide scholarships, courses and professional development opportunities for team members and carry out research in areas of common interest.
‘La Trobe University has a strong tradition of sport related programs, ranging from sports physiotherapy and human biosciences to sport and leisure management, sport business and marketing – all of which over the years has helped our students gain a competitive edge.
‘Our graduates today hold positions with sporting bodies including Cricket Australia, Football Victoria and Melbourne stadiums, such as Telstra Dome.
‘Joining with TEAMelbourne continues a tradition that has seen the University work with other major sporting events, including last year’s Commonwealth Games and the Youth Commonwealth Games, which were held on our Bendigo campus in 2004.’
Professor Johnson said as a member of the Australian Elite Athlete Friendly University Network, La Trobe assists all high-level sports competitors who study at the University to achieve their best – both on the track and field as well as in their scholastic endeavours.
Acting Head of the University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Professor Aaron Smith, said as the exclusive tertiary education Foundation Member of TEAMelbourne, La Trobe University will contribute in cash and kind over three years.
As well as focused research – in areas such as marketing, training (physiotherapy, schedules, injury, fitness), business, engineering/science – to improve the performance of athletes and clubs, La Trobe will also support athletes in lifelong learning.
The University will offer two full-fee first-year undergraduate scholarships to members of TEAMelbourne clubs. TEAMelbourne and member clubs will provide work placement opportunities for students in health sciences and business studies.
Professor Smith said the University will also promote the alliance through its own student fixtures, publications, international alumni network and regional campuses as well as negotiate use of sports-related facililties.
TEAMelbourne * comprises the following national and international Melbourne based teams: Melbourne Football Club AFL, Melbourne Tigers NBL, Melbourne Phoenix ANL, Melbourne Storm NRL, and Melbourne Racing Club.
La Trobe University recognises the important role of sport in Australian society. It focuses on sports-related research and learning, supporting student, community and elite sports. The University has more than 15,000 students at its Bundoora campus and 7,000 in Bendigo, Albury-Wodonga, Mildura, Shepparton and Beechworth.
The University has many excellent sporting facilities. These range from weights/fitness gyms, a pool, and tennis courts to football, cricket and baseball fields and a state-of-the-art athletics track. They serve as key sporting hubs and provide access to international level coaches, elite teams and programs.
The University is also a founder of the Bendigo Bank Academy of Sport and sponsors the Mildura Finance Limited Sunraysia Academy of Sport, two initiatives set up under the auspices of the Victorian Institute of Sport, to support elite young athletes in central and north-west Victoria.Tuesday, 12 June 2007La Trobe University joins TEAMelbourneLa Trobe University is a key player in TEAMelbourne, a world-first sporting alliance, launched in Melbourne today by the Premier, Steve Bracks and Lord Mayor, John So.