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Article written by:

Jeffrey Oxley
B.App.Sc. (Physio) Master Sports Physio M.A.P.A.

Football clubs have become increasingly aware of the importance of good injury management both from a financial and an ethical perspective.

The value of suitably experienced and appropriately qualified training staff has finally been recognised by all clubs, and we are now seeing the establishment of medical management teams usually under the congtrol of a senior sports trainer.

Proactive, immediate and appropriate injury management has been identified as an important component of any successful club at any level, and finally we are now seeing clubs focussing on this area and enthusiastically searching for the appropriate personnel.

The role of sports trainer is becoming more popular with individuals realising that it is an interesting and challenging involvement with the potential to learn about first aid and injury management that could lead to careers in the ambulance service, fire brigade, or physiotherapy (among others).

The Geelong and Bellarine regions generally have a high level of sports trainers but are still continually searching for interested volunteers who can assist in this area.

First aid and Sports Trainers’ courses conducted by various bodies including Sports Medicine Australia (www.sma.org.au), Victorian Ambulance Service (www.ambulance.vic.gov.au), and AFTEC Australia (www.aftec.net.au).

Completion of some of these courses is important to give the trainer a basic level of knowledge and the club some assurance that there is a standard of care for their players.

Recently Football Geelong, through the work of Luke Maher, have organised a meeting of football trainers with the intent to form a trainers’ association. From this meeting it is expected that an executive is formed and a constitution developed. This is a great initiative by Football Geelong and should prove to be a great benefit to the local football competition.

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