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Performance Support

Minimum Standards & High Performance Expectations

Last updated on 14 Aug 2024

Australian Performance Support Practitioner High Performance Expectations

Background

The Australian Performance Support Practitioner High Performance (HP) Expectations is a guide collaboratively developed with leaders across the system. It outlines the level Performance Support staff and contractors engaged to deliver support in these disciplines of practice should strive to attain.

Purpose

The Australian Performance Support Practitioner HP Expectations;

  • Have been developed in line with Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Strategy.
  • Represent the expectations for Performance Support practitioner qualifications and accreditations. Additional personnel considerations such as Performance Support practitioner experience and professional development are not within the current scope of the expectations.
  • These expectations are over and above the Australian Performance Support Minimum Standards and are the level of standards expected of Performance Support practitioners working in the HP sport environment.

Please note, NSOs should ensure due process is followed when engaging international Performance Support practitioners to provide services outside of Australia, to ensure Performance Support practitioners of an equivalent standard are engaged.

High Performance Expectations

Biomechanics

Professional qualifications:

  • PhD or equivalent (or in process of completion) in Exercise Science, Movement Science or Sports Science, Sports Engineering or a related field.

Professional accreditations:

  • ESSA Accredited Sports Scientist (ASpS) Level 2

Massage Therapy

Professional qualifications:

  • Diploma of Remedial Massage

Professional accreditations:

Practitioner-level membership of:

  • Massage & Myotherapy Australia (MMA); or
  • Association of Massage Therapists (AMT); or
  • Myotherapy Association of Australia (MA); or
  • Australian Natural Therapies Association (ANTA); or
  • Massage Association of Australia (MAA); or
  • Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS)

Medicine

Professional qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Medicine, Surgery (MBBS) or equivalent
  • Post Graduate qualifications in Sport & Exercise Medicine

Professional accreditations:

  • AHPRA Registration as a Medical Practitioner
  • Registered Fellow with ACSEP

Performance Analysis

Professional qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Exercise Science, Movement Science or Sports Science, Data Science/Analytics or a related field.

Professional accreditations:

  • ESSA Accredited Sports Scientist (ASpS) Level 2

Performance Nutrition

Professional qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics from a Dietitians Australia (DA) accredited course; or
  • Bachelor of Science or a related field, followed by a postgraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from a DA accredited course; or
  • Dietetic Skill Recognition (DSR) examination for overseas trained Dietitians, administered by DA plus Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) Sports Nutrition Course OR International Olympic Committee (IOC) Diploma in Sports Nutrition

Professional accreditations:

  • Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD) with DA
  • Accredited Sports Dietitian (ASD) with SDA

Physiology

Professional qualifications:

  • PhD or equivalent in Exercise Science, Movement Science or Sports Science

Professional accreditations:

  • ESSA Accredited Sports Scientist (ASpS) Level 2
  • Current ISAK accreditation if conducting skinfold testing

Physiotherapy

Professional qualifications:

  • Masters degree in Sports Physiotherapy (or equivalent) or Titled Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist

Professional accreditations:

  • AHPRA registration
  • APA Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist

Performance Psychology

Professional qualifications:

  • Tertiary qualifications and supervised training as specified by the Psychology Board of Australia to meet their registration standard for a Sport & Exercise Psychologist

Professional accreditations:

  • AHPRA Registration as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist

Note:

  • These standards are for Psychologists in a performance psychology role
  • Australian Psychologists who trained prior to National Registration (2010) and internationally trained Psychologists may be unable to register as a Sport & Exercise Psychologist. This does not discount their HP sport expertise

Strength & Conditioning

Professional qualifications:

  • Masters degree in Exercise Science, Movement Science or Sports Science or a related field

Professional accreditations:

  • ASCA Elite Level 3 Coach
  • Current ISAK accreditation if conducting skinfold testing
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