Exercise Scientists to join UNSW FC team

UNSW FC has been working hard to build greater collaborative relationships with the University, and we are excited to announce a number of new club partnerships. Starting with pre-season 2023, UNSW FC will be working with world-leading researchers and students from both the Exercise Science and Food Science (Nutrition) programs at UNSW.

Having expertise from these programs providing ongoing input around player development, strength and conditioning, nutrition planning and injury mitigation is critical to the aspirations of the club, and we are looking forward to these collaborations taking our club and players to the next level of performance.

Associate Professor Jayashree Arcot, an internationally recognised expert in the field of nutrition and Program Coordinator for the Food Science Program at UNSW, is excited about the prospect of working with UNSW FC.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to work with athletes to build a better understanding of the way food and nutrients are linked, and the role that nutrition plays in athletic performance,” says Professor Arcot.

“We have technology here at UNSW that can be utilised to significantly enhance player understandings of their nutrient needs and directly translate this into recommendations around the types of foods they should be eating to ensure optimal sporting performance. It is a really exciting project.”

Nattai Borges, a leading exercise physiologist and program lead of the Exercise Science program at UNSW, is equally excited to be working with the club.

“Partnerships such as these are the cornerstone of any good Exercise Science program. They provide staff an opportunity to engage and give back to their local community while also giving students authentic learning opportunities to translate knowledge into practice. Additionally, staff, students and UNSWFC will be able to learn together and see the tangible outcomes good sports science can produce. We have excellent staff and students who are already working with elite sport programs across the state, and we are looking forward to bringing our experience in elevating athletic performance to UNSW FC”.

We are looking forward to this collaboration and propelling our athletes to the next level in their career.